Gulfood a boost for F&B market morale

Although doom-mongerers predicted that this year's show would attract fewer visitors than for previous years, Gulfood 2009 proved them wrong. Ben Watts assesses the success of the exhibition for visitors, exhibitors and organisers alike.

The region's leading food show sailed back into town last month for its biggest ever edition, this time adding an additional venue and plenty of new exhibitors to boot.

And to the delight of both exhibitors and visitors, the daddy of Middle East food shows proved once again why Dubai remains the food and beverage industry's regional hub.

Satisfied customers

Rastelli owner Anthony Rastelli, who was exhibiting in Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre's (DICEC) Sheikh Maktoum Hall this year, says Gulfood 2009 was "one of the more successful shows" for the Halal food company, adding that there had been no particular impact from the economic climate.

"We have not seen the global downturn have too much effect on the market we are in and we have had a focus here for the last six years," adds Rastelli.

"Our booth in the USA Pavilion was a lot bigger then those around us - everybody else has downsized, but we expanded our stand."

The New Jersey-based firm broke with convention by avoiding the style used across the USA Pavilion in an attempt to garner more attention from potential clients.

"We had the US flag in various places around the stand, but we wanted the roof of the stand left off in order to give it a different appearance, rather than being boxed in," comments Rastelli.

The company brought with them the president of Halal Transactions of Omaha Dr Amad Al-Absy, to highlight its commitment to Halal procedures.

Al-Absy explains: "Many of our customers, like Rastelli, are concerned about exporting to the Middle East and we can tell these customers that the product is Halal all the way from farm to fork."

Another satisfied company, also exhibiting in the convention centre's Sheikh Maktoum Hall, was Austrian coffee giant Julius Meinl, whose regional distribution partners Merchant Star International had constructed a stylish coffee house stand in the Austrian Pavillion.

Merchant Star International managing director Ali Kadkhodaei comments: "The response we had has been excellent and it was the perfect opportunity to meet with our current regional clients."

Last year's Gulfood was the first time Julius Meinl had a presence at the show, but Kadkhodaei it gave the company "a chance to meet many potential distributors across the whole region for Meinl".

"The Hotel Show 2009 in May (also at DICEC) is a chance to meet target clients, but we get to meet many F&B managers and decision-makers at Gulfood.

"This year it is approximately the same crowd as last year, however I think the food industry in general has not been as badly hit by the economic crisis as perhaps the financial sector or real estate sector," he explains.

Julius Meinl chief executive Marcel Loeffler, who was also present at the show supporting Merchant Star International, said he had been impressed by the layout of the stand.

"As a company we try to bridge our traditional routes and contemporary values and that's why I was so happy with the set-up," says Loeffler.

"I was pleased not only with the way it was designed but also the reaction of the customers and stand visitors."

Black Rock Grill managing director Peter Hatter was also impressed by this year's show. "It was very good; we got five orders away across the first two days and although the third day was a little quieter, we generated a lot of interest," he explains.

Hatter adds that the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism has become his latest client, thanks to Gulfood.

"They saw our product and decided to change the concept at a restaurant in their latest Dead Sea resort," he explains.

"There were also a lot of Iranian hoteliers at the show, which we didn't see last time we were here."

Raised professionalism

According to Hatter, this year's show was "a lot more professional" than his last visit to the exhibition two years ago.

"What I liked about this year's Gulfood was that all the idiots weren't here," Hatter asserts. "Two years ago it was manic, but this year because of the admission charge there were less people, but of better quality.

"It's not about quantity, it's about quality and instead of having the wrong people there you actually saw the decision makers."

Hatter cites the admission charge as one of the key reasons behind the raised level of professionalism.

"You can't just have a free-for-all; at the end of the day we're all here to do business," he points out. "There's no point in having people milling about if they're not going to buy - if they're serious about catering what's AED 50 to enter the exhibition?

"I've put my form in for next year, but I'm going to come on my own instead of with the British delegation," he adds.

Another company making its mark at the show was OK Furniture. Company chairman Hamid Reza Nadali comments: "It was a very professional show and far better than last year; we managed to do a few good deals this year.

"The big advantage of Gulfood is that all the dignitaries who attend are professional," continues Nadali. "They come here for a deal; there's no wasting time, no checking something and moving on."

Nadali says his only complaint would be the lack of international publicity surrounding the exhibition. "Gulfood needs more advertising to attract to more clients and visitors from different countries," he insists.

Gulfood project manager Goli Vossough says she was extremely happy with the outcome of this year's show, emphasising the high level of professionalism throughout the exhibition.

"The majority of the exhibitors gave me a very positive vibe; they have all been very upbeat and some have made outstanding deals with suppliers and distributors," she reveals.

"Overall, everyone was really happy with the show - and if the exhibitors are happy then I'm happy, because that means we've done our job properly and they've conducted their business."

Vossough explains that the decision to implement an admission fee has helped the show tremendously over the past two years.

"We introduced the fee last year, so it's not a new concept, but it does help as it means the normal Joe Bloggs can't just walk in.

"We have been very strong with our marketing campaign and the messages we have sent out; we have been emphasising heavily that this is a trade-only show and only visitors and buyers for this industry should be coming into the convention centre," she says.

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) marketing manager Yvonne Zeljkovic adds: "It's essentially our unique selling point - it's the thing that other international shows don't do.

"Gulfood is the one that vets the visitors pre-registration and on-site, maintaining the quality of the visitors; that's something all the exhibitors raved about this year.

"And to be able to get all these exhibitors and have them happy about the quality it quite exceptional," she says.

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