Welsh businesses travel to Gulfood in export drive

Welsh food and drink producers will travel to Dubai later this month to attend Gulfood, one of the world’s largest food and drink trade exhibitions that reaches out to key countries within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Gulfood will take place between 20-24 February at the Dubai World Trade Centre, and will feature international brands displaying their latest food and drink products and services.

The exhibition attracts more than 5000 companies from more than 120 countries unveiling new business opportunities, providing solutions to new, and evolving global challenges. It also gives exhibitors a chance to meet with suppliers, sample new foods, and learn about the latest culinary trends.

Supported by the Welsh Government, 14 Welsh food and drink companies, will attend Gulfood 2023 to attract additional foreign business, under the Cymru/Wales banner.

Wales has a long association with Gulfood, with many success stories bringing an array of Welsh produce to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

The Welsh Government’s Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, Lesley Griffiths said: “Welsh food and drink are up there with the very best in the world and events such as this provide a great opportunity for our businesses to showcase their high quality, made-in-Wales products.

“Securing new export markets, building working relationships and raising our international profile is vital to the industry and I am pleased the Welsh Government is supporting companies to do this.”

The Welsh businesses exhibiting include Rachel’s Dairy, Dairy Partners, Daioni Organic, Hilltop Honey, Ty Nant, Buckley Foods Ltd, The Lobster Pot, Aforza Ltd, Ocean Bay Seafoods Ltd, Old Coach House Distillery, Hybu Cig Cymru, Edwards of Conwy, Calon Wen Organic Dairy and Food Innovation Wales.

Pembrokeshire based company Daioni Organic will be exhibiting their deliciously creamy range of one litre whole, semi and skimmed milk, as well as their flavoured milk range. They will also be showcasing details of their new coffee range that will be launched in April, which includes flavours Caffe Latte, Salted Caramel Latte and Macchiato Latte.

Daioni’s Commercial Director, Adam Fitzpatrick said,

“I will personally be attending the show with the expectation of meeting retail owners, buyers, and distributors across the Gulf regions to offer solutions to their dairy, organic and health requirements as we look to continue our global digit category leading growth drive into the Gulf region.”

North Wales’s butchers, Edwards, will be attending and using Gulfood as a platform to promote their recently changed brand name. It is the first time the company have attended Gulfood and feel ready to expand into new export markets as Jeremy Stoker, UK and  International Sales Development Manager said,

“The aim of attending Gulfood is to create awareness of Edwards, The Welsh Butcher. Our history as a high street butcher who has grown to supply major retail, on-line and foodservice customers in the UK by producing premium sausages, burgers, meat balls and bacon with high standards (including Red Tractor and Welsh PGI beef accreditation) in a “AA” BRC production facility.

“We’d like to meet retailers, retail and foodservice distributors and meat wholesalers in the UAE who are able to sell our current range of sausages, burgers, meatballs and bacon as well as advise on demand and developing a customised range of Edwards products to sell across the GCC region.”

Buckley Foods Ltd, are attending Gulfood as part of the export visit and are hoping to find a suitable trading partner in the region.

Richard Jones, Export Retail Manager at Buckley Foods said,

“We are attending Gulfood this year as part of the export visit as we noticed there are a host of established distributors at the show, so we will be visiting them to try and source a suitable trading partner for 2023 and beyond.

“We will also be meeting customers visiting the show from other countries and networking with them and their colleagues.”

Gulfood, Dubai is the start of many targeted trade shows and events that Welsh food and drink producers will be attending this year with the support of the Welsh Government, via the Food and Drink Trade Events Programme. Future planned trade development visits include Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Foodex in Tokyo. In addition, to trade exhibitions in France and the ProWein event in Dusseldorf.

The date has also been announced for Wales’ leading international food and drink trade event – BlasCymru/TasteWales 2023. The two-day event organised by the Welsh Government will take place on the 25 and 26 October at the International Convention Centre (ICC Wales), at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport. The event will bring together food and drink producers with national and international buyers and food industry professionals.