Technology and creativity at the heart of Gulfood Manufacturing
Creativity and technology take the lead at Gulfood
While Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai has been devised to showcase technology and concepts across the complete food sector, this year’s event has underlined that confectionery and bakery are definitely among its key elements.
The international trade fair which opened yesterday at the World Trade Centre has attracted senior decision makers, leading industry figures and research and development teams from across the market, as major trends influencing the Middle East region are revealed.
One of the core themes that has emerged from speaking to a number of exhibitors at the show so far has centred on consumers’ increased desire for healthier products. This matters especially to finished product manufacturers in particular, who are now under pressure to make good on indications over the past year of reduced sugar content confectionery and bakery items.
Companies such as GNT, Palsgaard and Dohler have ably demonstrated at Gulfood that innovating through ingredients and natural flavours is something that is fast translating from strongholds in Europe through to markets in the Middle East.
Machinery developers are also responding to a major shift towards healthier confectionery and snacks, in terms of designing production equipment that is of a flexible nature that can accommodate varying recipes and styles for individual types of products.
Those active within the packaging field including Theegarten-Pactec, Sacmi and tna have all appeared to attract strong volumes of visitors to their respective stands, highlighting the fact that there is strong potential within the region.
This has been reflected in one of the standout events in the form of Gulfood’s innovation tours that have highlighted a decisive trend for greater levels of automation within the sector. The much-hyped industry 4.0 and its related Internet of Things concepts relating to machinery management systems that are computer-driven and particularly user-friendly also continues to be a significant factor.
There have also been some pleasant surprises such as Barry Callebaut showcasing its gourmet brand of ruby chocolate, RB1, in the region, which the company’s agents explained had been well-received by audiences in the region since its release just a couple of weeks ago.
Overall, the event has neatly set the scene for the major confectionery focus of 2019 at ISM and ProSweets, which it’s safe to say are set once again to be packed full of surprises. We look forward to seeing as many of you there in Cologne as possible.
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