Appetite for luxury food growing in Dubai

From artisan cheese made using milk from merino sheep to rather more usual fare such as wild caviar, organisers of a new trade fair believe the UAE’s appetite for luxury food has increased in recent years – despite the extended effects of the worst recession in history.

Demand is apparently so high that the Dubai World Trade Centre has now launched a new event catering to this growth phenomenon and the increasing sophistication of the Middle Eastern food service market. The inaugural Speciality Food Festival runs from October 31 to November 2 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and promises to offer the industry some of the most sought after fine food and drink products sourced from specialist and international suppliers.

While much of the rest of the world resorted to more conventional meals during the recession, the Middle East has continued on its path to richer tastes, organisers say. 

“The demand for artisan food and high end tastes is huge in this region and the market continues to hold strong,” said Trixee Loh, Senior Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of the event and the region’s largest food exhibition, Gulfood. “The Speciality Food Festival offers the ideal platform for these specialist buyers, chefs and suppliers to meet, taste, sample and network.”

Companies and brands supporting the event will bring in a mouth-watering selection of products, including superior taste shrimps by the National Prawn Company (Saudi Arabia), high quality wild and farmed Caviar by Gourmet House (UAE), the world’s only WHO-certified water, Cape Grim by Milk & Honey Providore/Trading (UAE), and extra virgin olive oil and artisan merino sheep cheese by Extrexport (Spain).

The announcement follows news that two branches of the Nizwa Organic Farm Stores in Dubai closed their doors last month. But that closure is thought to be a one-off. “I think the demand for fresher, healthier, more refined food is upon us and this is a great chance to open new doors and drive that market even further,” said Shadi Joweihan, Managing Partner at Milk & Honey Providore/Trading.

“There are so many businesses which rely on the best food available and this is a city which has a reputation for attracting luxury tastes and premier customers,” Hamideh Harizi, owner, and Ali Mahmoudi, CEO of caviar dealers Gourmet House said in a statement. “It’s great to have a speciality food event in Dubai.”

For an idea of the market, organisers say one need only look to the luxury hotels in the region. Dubai alone has 66 five-star hotels that cater to an international and affluent client base. Hotels in general account for around 17 per cent of food expenditure in the UAE, with the GCC importing over $12 billion worth of agri-food products annually, organisers said. The UAE has over 11,000 restaurants and is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world, with the number of outlets forecast to increase by five per cent per year.

Combined with the co-located events Sweets & Snacks Middle East, Sweet & SnackTec Middle East and The International Travel Catering Association Exhibition (ITCA Dubai), all four dedicated food industry events will run alongside each other providing visitors and exhibitors alike with the perfect trading, networking and cross-selling environment. The exhibition is for trade and business professionals only and will be open from 10am to 6pm daily. Free visitor registration is available now online at www.speciality.ae.

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