France to introduce new operating models & capabilities at Gulfood Manufacturing 2019

Business France, the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy, will be running 2 French pavilions at Gulfood Manufacturing 2019. This trade show devoted to new manufactured Ingredients and Processing Equipment will feature 45 French F&B manufacturers willing to connect with demanding buyers. Spread over 600 square meters, the Ingredients pavilion will be located on Sheikh Saeed 1 and the Process & Packaging pavilion will be located on Za’abeel 3.

As the leading industrial sector in France, Food industry is the driving force of its economy with a turnover of 166 billion € (in 2018) including 21% generated when French companies are exporting.

For the first time at Gulfood Manufacturing and with the support of Brittany (West of France) and North of France regions, Business France will roll out an Innovation Tour Experience to highlight over 10 companies having a high innovation potential to share with local partners. With +35 thousand expected visitors, this three-day event is the biggest for the food processing and packaging industry in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The French Innovation Tour Experience will introduce as an example the French way of cooking arabic crepes or breads, or even how a French food specialist supports the nutritional challenge of sugar reduction and still offers tasty products.

Frederic Szabo, Managing Director Business France Middle East stated : « France is home to a thriving community of entrepreneurs, engineers, investors, and other talented people who are embracing the potential of technology to change the world. Hence when food and technology are combined, it is nurturing meaningful development in food making processes. And the Gulfood Manufacturing is an opportunity for French companies to emphasize their innovations both in ingredients and equipment ».

In 2018, more than 55 million euros of food processing equipment  have been imported in the Middle East (GCC, Egypt, Lebanon), including 77% in the GCC (the main categories of equipment are machinery for filling, closing, sealing and labelling bottles, cans, bags and other containers, machinery for the industrial preparation or manufacture of food and beverages).

French ingredients are also largely used in the region, especially in the bakery, dairies, confectionary industry and in food service.

While the United Arab Emirates imported +10% French dairy products in 2018 than the previous year, the French dairy products imported by the GCC in 2018 reached 1.4 billion euros, they reached a market share of 8.1% in KSA. France is also the 2nd supplier of butter in Saudi Arabia. We observe at the same time that imports of French cereals have yet grown significantly in the Middle East.