Yummex Middle East (ME), the international trade fair for sweets and snacks, opens today in Dubai highlighting latest new products and trends for the rapidly growing market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Formerly known as Sweets & Snacks Middle East, the event is an important one in the confectionery calendar with around 300 exhibitors from 40 countries setting up stalls in the Dubai Trade Centre.
According to Euromonitor International, innovations and leading regional trends such as ‘product upscaling, health and provenance certification are expected to be growth drivers for the food import market in the Gulf countries.’
Analysts also predict the confectionery business in MENA is expected to reach a value of $53.1bn by 2020, with annual growth forecast for the snacks industry in the region approximately 5%.
Dynamic market environment
"In the extremely dynamic market environment of the MENA region, Yummex ME also once again presents numerous innovations and the relevant market trends of the region at the 12th edition of the trade fair," said Denis Steker, vice president, International, of co-organizer Koelnmesse GmbH, which also hosts ISM in Cologne in January 2019.
Companies taking part this year include: Jelly Belly (USA); Katjes (Germany); United Confectioners (Russia); Barcel SA de CV/Grupo Bimbo (Mexico); Prestige 96 (Bulgaria) and BMB Foodstuff (UAE).
The Czech Republic and Latvia are also represented here for the first time and there are 16 regional and international pavilions, from Brazil, Germany, Iran, the Netherlands, Mexico, Spain, Turkey and the USA.
The trade fair runs from today (October 30) until Thursday November 1 2018.
