New products’ launch marks Jeddah Food Show

Most of 350 exhibitors coming from 22 countries who took part in the Saudi food, hotel, hospitality & propac arabia show in Jeddah reported huge success, both in terms of the deals reached or in the pipeline.
The four-day event, which ended successfully over the weekend, was held with the support of the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture and under the auspices of Hassan Sangoof, Director General, Ministry of Agriculture, Makkah Region.
"The tremendous success of this year's event has reinforced its status as the Kingdom's leading show for food, hotel, hospitality, processing and packaging industries, with a successful track record of more than fifteen years," said Zahoor Siddique, vice president for exhibitions, Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions (ACE), which organized the four-day event, said.
"In fact, this annual event has established Jeddah as the hub of the food, hotel and hospitality sector, and the Kingdom as a national showcase and forum where worldwide suppliers present their products and services," Siddique added.
The dual event hosted an impressive list of national pavilions from China, Egypt, Indonesia, Taiwan, Turkey and the United states, and individual companies from Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Singapore, Tunisia and UAE. They exhibited alongside Saudi companies representing international brands.
"For most of the exhibitors the show was a turning point in their businesses, as they struck many lucrative deals running into millions of riyals with local partners," a major exhibiting country speaking in general terms said.
"For me, it was the greatest success ever," said KAECHELE's General Manager Dieter Fiebelkorn. The establishment based in Laichingen, Germany, specializes in manufacturing textiles - especially linen for hotels, restaurants and hospitals. "The number of inquiries I received from both hotels and the trading community is very, very encouraging," he said, adding the 100-year-old establishment already has a lion's share of the European market and sees great potential in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Arab world. Bandar Kalkattawi, executive manager of Ektimal Al-Arabia Trading Est., which locally represents KAECHELE, said: "This is the third year of our participation in this annual show. The response was so good that we would continue to exhibit in this show next year."
The prominent Indonesian pavilion at the exhibition showcased products and services from 15 of its leading companies dealing in Agarwood (Oud), a high quality incense since centuries, essential oils, coffee, tea, canned fish, palm sugar, coco, snacks, etc. Speaking on their behalf, Suwoto Gino Santalib, Deputy Director of Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) at the Consulate General of Indonesia in Jeddah, said: "Most of our participants are new although we have been setting up pavilions at this show for many years. All of our participants feel hugely rewarded with not only the number of visitors inquiring about their products, but also multi-million riyals deals they are hopeful of transacting through this show." Khidir Alkazimy, also of the ITPC, said: "Many companies are enthusiastic of coming for this show."
Turkey, which had 20 companies exhibiting at the show, was full of praise for the show. Ahmet Bakis, international sales director of Istanbul-based SENEXPO, said: "From the deals we have entered into or in the pipeline, I must say this is a market with huge potential. Going by inquiries received for our machinery, we realize local investors are keen to start food processing factories." Some of the Turkish food companies who exhibited at the show succeeded in finding agents or dealers for their products.
The Mehran stand at the exhibition was a big draw during the four-day show. Mehran brand spices are manufactured at Gul Mohammed Memon Spice Factory at Al-Khurma in south Jeddah since 2007. "The variety of spices made at the factory are meant to meet Saudi market requirements only, while we do export them from our other production centers in Dubai and Pakistan," Abdul Ghani Dawood Khan, national sales manager of Mehran, said. "When people here think of spices, ready mix recipes, pickles vermicelli or even Basmati kernal rice, they think of Mehran," Khan added.
Tawhid Al Saffy, director at the Embassy of US Agricultural Trade Office in Riyadh, speaking on behalf of six American companies exhibiting at the show, said processed meat, canned foods and honey were among the items of the exhibiting companies who were satisfied with innumerable inquiries. "Local traders showed keen interest in these and other products at the US pavilion, including wheat, soybean, rice, fruit and vegetables," Al-Saffy said, adding that the Saudi-US bilateral trade has increased from $721 million in 2009 to $1.33 billion now. One of the American exhibitors introduced organic food products. "In fact, a couple of our exhibitors are examining the prospects of having joint venture food processing plants here."
A Lebanese exhibitor manufacturing catering utensils and kitchenware in stainless steel had useful participation in the exhibition. Participating in the show for the second time, Avedis G. Markarian, managing director of UNICO sal, said representatives of hotels, restaurants and hospitals inquired about the company's hallow ware, buffet plates and stands, chafing dishes, wedding cake stands, kitchen utensils, lobby accessories, etc. "We manufacture 3,000 different items in stainless steel and aluminum in our factory in Lebanon. We find the market here and elsewhere in the Gulf huge for our products," Markarian said.
Two Indian companies, one from Kashmir and the other from Delhi, showcased their expensive varieties of honey. "This is my fifth participation in the show and I feel rewarded because of the tremendous demand for honey in this part of the world," said Shahzada Singh Kapoor, managing partner of Little Bee Impex. "We have been exporting 50 to 60 containers a year to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, and with our participation in the show we hope to add a few more containers to the Kingdom," Kapoor said. "We have successfully introduced organic honey - honey collected in the forest area - and to our surprise we found great demand for it," he added.
The show incorporated TopChef & Art de Table, jointly organized by ACE and Saudi Arabian Chef Association, which featured culinary skills of chefs from the finest hotels and restaurants and adjudicated by a panel of international experts. The competition drew crowds of women and professionals on all the four days. Adding to the attraction was "Art de table," an impressive table displays by leading hotels and restaurants.
ACE announced the next edition of food, hotel & hospitality arabia that will be held from May 19-22, 2013. However, due to the increasing demand of the processing and packaging sector and the show expanding its scope, propac arabia will be merged with the established annual machinex arabia and will be held from Feb. 18-21, 2013.