BRITS PREDICT STERLING GULFOOD 2017 AS CHEAPER POUND PUTS THEM QUIDS IN FOR EXPORTS

Monday 27 February 2017

Dubai - MENA Herald: The British contingent at World Food - the show-within-a-show sector at the 22nd Gulfood exhibition running until Thursday 2 March at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) – say recent fall-offs in the value of sterling leave them poised for a bumper event.

Multi-national British product agency nasco, says it’s expecting the best show in its five-year participation with benefits of the cheaper pound already filtering through.

“Our business in January has already shown a 30-40 per cent pick up on last year,” said Ashish Vidani, Director, nasco. “The lower value of the pound is encouraging people to look to buy British and buy more - this could well be our best show yet.”

Vidani’s bullish prediction is echoed by Birmingham’s Food State International, which is representing an expanded product and brands range, including its new proprietary London Flavours crisp and snack range.

“The lower sterling value is definitely helping,” said Lisa Burrows, Project & Marketing Manager. “Our business in this region is growing, it is really successful for us and we are looking to expand into the Far East through a contact we made here at Gulfood last year. So, yes, the value of the pound is helping, but it’s not the only consideration, it’s a dynamic market which constantly demands new product.”

Lancashire’s Yearly Food Sales, which represents a range of British brands and is using the show for the regional launch of Crescent Halal Pies and Pasties, says the pound’s reduced value against the dollar is sparking increased interest in UK products. “The interest is there, it’s up to us to take advantage of it and turn it into business,” said David Caine, Export Manager.

But the Brits are not pinning all their hopes on exchange rate fluctuations and say the Middle East market is changing with increasing demand for Halal ranges and more health-related products.

“We are now looking at bringing more health-related products into the market,” adds Caine. “It’s a market you can’t afford to stand still in but which is still performing well for us, particularly demand from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”

Vidani believes product range expansion is key to fending off rising international competition for Middle East business. “It’s highly dynamic. We have favourable exchange rate conditions at the moment and we have to leverage these, along with new product introductions, to retain and build on our market share.”

World Food is the largest of eight specialised ‘show-within-a-show’ segments introduced to Gulfood this year. The change in show-floor layout has been introduced to enable visitors to more quickly engage with the sectors they most wish to meet.
“The concept is being trialled for the first time and appears to be proving its worth,” said Mark Napier, Show Director, Gulfood. “With some 2,353 exhibitors from 60 countries in World Food alone, being able to speedily navigate the show allows trade visitors to optimise their time at the exhibition.”

The other focus segments featured at Gulfood 2017 are: beverages; dairy; fats & oils; health, wellness & free-from; pulses, grains & cereals; meat & poultry and Power Brands.

Returning to Gulfood for a third consecutive year, Halal World Food has further cemented its standing as the world’s biggest annual Halal food sourcing trade show. Previously, exhibitor products included in the show-within-a-show concept were spread across the entire exhibition, but the new sectorised format sees most Halal-certified products promoted in the dedicated Meat & Poultry zone.

Gulfood 2017 is a strict trade-only event and is open to business and trade visitors. The show is open 11am-7pm from February 26 to March 2 and 11am-5pm on March 2.

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