< PreviousGulfood has been running for almost 25 years. There must have been some chal- lenges over the years. The biggest challenge for Gulfood is the sheer size and scale of the event. Nearly one hundred thousand visitors and fi ve thousand exhibitors take up almost a million square meters of exhibition surface at the venue. The logistical challenges that surround that are substantial. That said, operating in such a venue where we are part of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), we get an awful lot of support from all of the teams, such as utilities, security, protocol, F&B, catering, venue planning, and so on, which we need. We build 12,000 sqm of temporary halls that require air conditioning, fl ooring, access, parking, infrastructure, security, power… we couldn’t do all that as part of an organiser team. We need that support from all of our colleagues from around the business. This has been the thing that has contributed so much to the show’s success. The entire Dubai infrastructure comes to- gether to support these tier one events. It’s one of the most important F&B shows in the world; it has its own unique personality. We have fantastic speakers. But it has al- ways been one of the challenges at Gulfood, with so much activity on the fl oor of the exhibition, to try and fi nd both the space and the area to run a conference program in tandem with the event. It is so important that we create a space for that this year How is Gulfood 2019 different this year to previous shows? The show is determined by transaction val- ues. It is a trade show in the literal sense of the word. When we talk to the vendors who exhibit, they say that the onsite sales that they make at Gulfood far exceed any other Gulfood has been operating just shy of a quarter of a century. Mark Napier, show director — Gulfood 2019, sits down to discuss the challenges, trends and what to expect at this year’s show. THE NEW F&B MANTRA: ‘INNOVATE FOR PROFIT’ event that they join. It is always defi ned by transaction values, and its uniqueness as a trading platform. The main diff erence with our 2019 edition is that the focus is very much about the future. It is about innovation. The transaction values will still be there, but what we are trying to do is to look a couple of years into the future and see how the landscape is changing and how the business climate is changing. The show is defi ned by trade, travel, tourism, and that it is the fi rst trade show of this size to run during this year’s calendar. The show is im- portant enough that prices of commodities are set and determined in Gulfood. We also want to look at the business man- agers who are running F&B wholesale trade retail outlets. We want to describe to them how the business is going to evolve in the next couple of years. You will see the theme innovation being discussed many times during this show. There is the Innovation Summit, too. This is a three-day conference in which we gather global business leaders who will describe their view and their vision of the future: how they are reformatting that business model, how they are preparing for a changing business landscape, how they are looking at new profi t centres, how they are looking at how food technology is impacting the sector and will continue to impact their business. How consumer demands and preferences is reshaping the business of food. Gulfood show director Mark Napier VENDORS WHO EXHIBIT SAY THAT THE ONSITE SALES MADE AT GULFOOD FAR EXCEED ANY OTHER EVENT THAT THEY JOIN” Event preview Gulfood Interview Caterer Middle East | February 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 78/Can you tell us more about the Inno- vation Summit? The focus is innovation and futurology, in terms of what’s coming over the horizon. There will be a geographical focus, too, look- ing at some of the important territories that are markets to watch: Africa in focus; India, our biggest single trading partner; looking at Egypt — within food shows Egypt has always been a very big player. The last few years Egypt has faced a number of quite specifi c challenges: The currency was re-pegged, which was problematic — the country has been though short-term pain but seems to be coming out the other side and looking ahead. Many suppliers are looking at Egypt as the next emerging market. What about food technology? Within the conference programme there will be sessions talking about how technol- ogy is impacting consumers. Today, it is so easy to order online. Hospitality businesses home delivery food service here is a signif- icant part of their revenue money. Think about how much we want to also shop online. Then think about when you start to apply that to the business of food. Look at some of the bigger retailers looking at their impact on the food service market and how they can move into rather than just reach out – we already have warehousing logis- tics, and operational setup so do we now move into food service business ourselves. We are starting to see that with some of the big retailers in this geographical region. We are taking business models from around the world and showcasing them here. What is one singular challenge that suppliers are facing? Competition. If you look at the underlying market fundamentals that the popula- tion will increase from seven billion to nine billion, and if you were looking at a market sector to operate in, more people will require more food. It is a very simple market dynamic. Therefore, F&B businesses and investors are looking at that as a space in which they can see growth opportunity over the medium and longer term. So, a lot of people want to play that, but it is not an easy business to be successful in. Lots of suppliers are working on very, very thin margins. Also traders, they are working on 4 to 5 % margins. You have to be effi cient, you have to have a unique point of diff erence. As the market becomes more competitive, as more people operate in it, I think what we will see is more consolidation at the top end. We will see the bigger players start to ac- quire complementary and diverse business sets, and we will see those operating in the mid-market identifying a point of diff erence and playing in a particular geographical product or global market reach. How much impact does Gulfood have on the F&B sector beyond the UAE? We talk to many of the consulates and embassies in the region. They say that as a trading platform this is the single most successful event in which they participate in the F&B sector. An example is that one of the South American countries that was participating at Gulfood two years ago saw global exports increase by 500% as a direct result of their participation. When you have trade show that can shift a needle of your global F&B exports by such a degree, you can understand why there is such a demand to operate here. How would you describe the Gulfood proposition to its trade partners? Bigger, better business. Convenience: we want it now, and at the best price. This is what consumers want. Experience: As diners when we go out, we are also looking for a great experience — the ambience, the service, entertainment, the traditional hospitality bit. We are looking for something diff erent… innovation. We will explore what concepts are coming up. We have a working chefs’ kitchen this year, ‘Tastes of the World’, where Michelin-starred chefs will present concepts, tastes and products from all fi ve continents. It is an experience. How will that be able to be replicated in your outlet to deliver an off ering to the consumer that brings them back for more? I am not talking about fi ve star, or about expensive. We want value, we want experience. GULFOOD IS ALWAYS DEFINED BY TRANSACTION VALUES, AND ITS UNIQUENESS AS A TRADING PLATFORM” Gulfood Interview Event Preview www.caterermiddleeast.com /79 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East Gulfood Innovation Awards The Gulfood Innovation Awards celebrate and reward excellence across brands and products, with an industry-wide campaign encouraging over 300 entries, a judging panel of prestigious industry leaders, and culminating at the glamorous awards gala dinner, held during the show FINALISTS Best Packaging (Design) Impact • DTX WTR Premium Water Beverage, Bibita • Pure Honey Sachet, Rahmani Group (Mani Food Development Co.) • Original Cream Fudge, cow shaped pack- age, Jutrzenka Dobre Miasto Sp. z o. o. • Fruita Watermelon, Fruita Natural Co., Ltd Best New Product Development • Hunter’s Gourmet Mixed Tropical Fruit Chips, Hunter Foods Limited. FCZO • 18 Months Shelf Stable, All Natural Hummus Ready Meal Cups, Kasih Food Production Co. • Sarah’s Fruity Acacia Honey with Mixed Berries, Mileeven Fine Foods • Mileeven 1kg Raw Honeycomb frame straight from the hive, Mileeven Fine Foods Most Innovative Meat or Poultry Product • Griller nat Verde, Grupo Vibra • Seara 100% Natural/Halal Chicken Parts, Seara Food Europe Holding B.V (DMCC Branch) • Chicken Kapsa, Al-Watania Poultry • Swift Halal Meat Pouches, Seara Food Europe Holding B.V (DMCC Branch) Most Innovative Health & Wellness Product • Kidney Beans Super Soup, Hari-Co • Sprint Smoothie Mixes, Agro Sprint Zrt. • Duru Chia Shots – Duru Ciya Ac- Kat, Duru Bulgur Gida San. Ve Tic. A.S. • Probiotic Wellness Bals, Health Lab Pty Ltd Most Innovative Organic Product • Organic Frozen Chickpea Burgers, Hari-Co • SALTSI (salt substitute seasoning spray), Lootah Premium Foods • Jasberry Healthy Rice, New Country Healthcare LLC • Organic Crunchy Bites Oven Baked Snacks, Dr. Klaus Karg KG Most Innovative Frozen or Chilled Food • Margarine Smakowita 4 Ziarna, Bunge Loders Croklaan • The Beyond Burgers, Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat • American Gourmet, Americana Foods • Duck Confi t Bar 500g, Canard, S.A. Most Innovative Condiment or Sauce • Truffl e Powder, Giuliano Tartufi S.R.L. • Hummus with Hazelnut & Truffl e, Tartu- fl anghe • Fossil River Liquid Salts, New Country Healthcare LLC • Dried Chokeberry, We Organic Trading FZE Most Innovative Baked of Confectionary • Hunter’s Gourmet Baked Pretzos-Honey Mustard, Hunter Foods Limited. FCZO • Euro Cake Soft & Chewy Cookie, Dofreeze L.L.C. • Healthy Farm Biscuits with Super Foods, Global Food Industries LLC – Snacking • American Bakery, Americana Foods Most Innovative Halal Food • Jhura Beef (pulled beef), Bengal Meat Processing Industries Limited • Plant Protein, Pea, Quinoa, & Kale Burger, Global Food Industries LLC – Frozen • Swift Halal Meat Pouches, Seara Food Europe holding B.V (DMCC Branch) • Halal Chicken Broth, Ferrer Traditional Most Innovative Dairy Product • Choco Labneh, Pinar Sut Mam. San. A.S. • Cacaolat Noir- Nibs Infusion, Lootah Premium Foods • Himmeltau Semoline Drink, Maresi Austria GmbH • Promess Ambient Drinking Yogurt, Lactinov Most Innovative Hot Beverage • Kahvemo Instant Milky Pistacia Coffee, Sekeroglu Baharatcilik Gida San. Tic. Ltd. Sti. • Tumeric Latte, Senso Foods Pvt Ltd • Hans Turkish Coffee in a Cup, Salwa Matar General Trading Co. LLC JUDGES Khaled Ismail, VP communications – Europe, Central Asia, Middle East & Africa, Tetra Pak Manal Alalem, Egyptian professional chef and TV chef Onur Yuksel, retail services director, Nielsen Silvena Rowe, celebrity chef Simon Ritchie, editor, Caterer Middle East Sunjeh Raja, director & CEO, International Centre for Culinary Arts Ahmad Abu Zannad, regional strategy director, GCC Greg Wright, co-owner and managing partner, Food People Jochen Bischoff, head of FMCG, Facebook Event Preview Gulfood Caterer Middle East | February 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 80/Exhibitors to look out for at Gulfood A look at some of the latest innovations that you can get your hands on at the world’s biggest F&B trade show RUBY CHOCOLATE Ruby is the 4th category in chocolate after dark, milk and white. Callebaut ruby RB1, is the most extraordinary chocolate discovery in 80 years. It deliv- ers a sparkling ruby colour and intense fruitiness with fresh, sour notes – as a result of meticulous selection and expert crafting of ruby cocoa beans. The colour and taste are naturally present in the ruby cocoa bean – no fruit fl avouring or colorants are added. It ignites great creativity with its broad pairing possibili- ties combined with a great workability for chefs. EMF Emirates LLC Hall: 5 Stand: B5-9 & B5-10. Tel: 971 4 3272254 Email: info@emf-emirates.com Website: www.emf-me.com JAFFERJEE BROTHERS Jafferjee Brothers is a tea & herb com- pany based in Sri Lanka. Established in 1944, it currently exports its fl agship brands JAF TEA and TE REVAL to over 30 countries across the globe. The award winning Te Reval product line uses only 100% natural botanicals such as herbs, spices, fl owers and essential oils to create new fl avour sensations. Using only whole leaf teas to preserve the aroma and over 65 years of expertise, it’s the premium brand from Jafferjee Brothers. Hall : Za’abeel 5 Stand: Z5-140 Tel: +94-11-2432051 Email : mufaddal@jb.slt.lk Website: www.jaftea.com CSM BAKERY SOLUTIONS CSM Bakery Solutions launched a variety of bread and pastry ingredients as well as frozen bakery products in key international markets. For example, BienenKorn, the new bread mix from Ulmer Spatz is full of sunflower seeds and a balanced combination of rye sourdough aroma and the sweet taste of honey. On the bakery products side, Baker & Baker Black Label, the new premium donut range creates a sensational mouthfeel due to the unique flavour combina- tions from fillings and toppings. Hall : 6 Stand no: C6-30 Tel: +49 421 35 02 200 Email: info.international@csmbak- erysolutions.com Website: www.csmbakerysolutions.com Stand: Z5-140 Stand: C6-30 Stand: B5-9 & B5-10. Product Guide Gulfood 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com /81 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East GulfHost 2017 Product Guide MOVING MOUNTAINS MEATLESS BLEEDING BURGER Moving Mountains’ plant-based meat requires less land, less water and produces less greenhouse emissions than animal meat. It looks, smells and tastes as indulgent as regular meat so it can be enjoyed 100% guilt-free. Not a veggie burger, Moving Mountains allows an experience so akin to animal meat, it will convert even the most committed carnivores. Every Moving Mountains Burger is 100% plant meat, 0% cow and looks just like a regular patty. Just like the very best meaty burger, when perfect- ly cooked, the Moving Mountains burger bleeds through the middle – with beetroot juice instead of blood. Rastelli Foods Group Hall: 4 Stand: D4-28 ENTERPRISE SINGAPORE In celebration of Singapore’s 10th year at Gulfood, 46 food manufacturers will exhibit at the Singapore Pavilion. The Pavilion features a ‘supermarket aisle’ decked with local food brands satiating the region’s appetite for delicious and wholesome ready-to-eat soups, meals and beverages. Look out for truffl e mushroom paos and traditional bite-sized satay (meat skewers) snacks. Enjoy exotic Southeast Asian-fl a- voured delicacies like soursop and dragon fruit jams, and yuzu and durian cheesecakes. The ‘innovation & technology zone’ at the Singapore Pavilion showcases technology-driven concepts such as food vending machine which dispenses sweet and savoury popiah wraps on-demand in three quick minutes. Main pavilion: Sheik Rashid Hall Booth R-P4 Beverage pavilion: Za’abeel Hall 4 Booth Z4-D8 MITR PHOL Dubai’s only producer of sugar will be hosting a stand with their wide range of custom sugars which will be available to all. Visitors to the stand will also be able to sample Mitr Phol caster sugar. The range of natural unrefi ned sugar is also a must taste for those seeking a pure sugar option. Also present are the gluten free icings made of tapioca starch to ensure the smoothest texture. Lastly, is the caramel granulated sugar with its delicate, yet crunchy texture. Hall: 1 Stand: CC3-24 Stand: CC3-24 Stand: R-P4 Stand: D4-28 GulfHost 2019 Product Guide www.caterermiddleeast.com 82/ Caterer Middle East | February 2019MONIN Monin, a family-owned French company, with over 100-years heritage in fl avouring business, will be show- casing its innovations during the Gulfood 2019. Led by consumer insights, Monin will be launching the new range Le Flavour de Monin - natural and authentic concentrated fl avour without any added sugar or sweetener. Monin Concentrated Flavour range will represent fruity, herbal and spicy fl avours. La Flavour de Monin is an easy way to add a hint of natural, sugar-free fl avour to waters, teas, lemonades, coffees, and cocktails without adding sugar or anything artifi cial. Amongst other innovations, Monin will present Butterfl y Pea Flower syrup that is known for it’s “magic,” and Le Fruit de Monin Beetroot inline with the veggie trend. Za’abeel Hall 4 Stand: Z4-C38 Tel: +971 4 452 0600 Email: ocassidy@monin.com Website: www.monin.com MELITTA CAFINA XT8 Melitta Professional Coffee Solutions will be highlights its Cafi na XT8 which brews up to 250 cups per hour and boasts a 10.4” touchscreen display. With Melitta’s proven stainless steel quality, the new brewing unit guarantees maximum precision and stability over a long service life. The Automatic Coffee-Quality System controls the crucial parameters during preparation and makes automatic adjustments if needed to permanently maintain the desired top quality in the cup – without having to call a technician. Melitta Professional Coffee Solutions Za’abeel Hall 4-6 Stand: Z5 F38 Tel: +49 571 – 5049 – 0 Email: professional@melitta.de Website: www.melitta-professional.de PACIFIC VALLEY FOODS Pacifi c Valley Foods is a family owned and operated business, surrounded by the fertile lands of the Pacifi c Northwest in the U.S.A. For over 40 years it has offered frozen potato products, vegetables, fruits, appetisers, desserts, breakfast items, juice concentrates, condiments, and much more. It prides itself on its personal service to our customers. Pacifi c Valley Foods understand each of its clients have unique needs, so fl exibility is of utmost importance. At Gulfood you can sample its natural, made from scratch cheesecakes, as well as its delicious breaded appetizers. US Pavilion Stand: S3-D33 Tel: +1-425-643-1805 Email: ian@pacifi cvalleyfoods.com Website: www.pacifi cvalleyfoods.com Stand: S3-D33 Stand: Z4-C38 Stand: Z5 F38 Product Guide Gulfood 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com /83 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East Interiors Flamingo Room by Tashas Caterer Middle East | February 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 84/Australia-based Basstudio plays on nature inspired GLAMOUR at the award-winning Flamingo Room by Tashas words: Namitha Madhu ODE TO AFRICA The jungle-inspired glamorous interior of Flamingo Room by Tashas at Jumeirah Al Naseem Hotel Dubai, immediately con- jures images of luxury African safaris, with a contemporary twist. Elegant and reminiscent of the 70s era, the restaurant’s peaches-and-cream inte- rior space is interspersed with concepts from African wilderness. With such an unexpected, but aestheti- cally pleasing mix, it's hardly surprising that Flamingo Room by Tashas was judged Interior Fit-Out Project of the Year at the 2018 Commercial Interior Design Awards. Neydine Bak, creative director at Basstu- dio, the Australian design fi rm which worked on the project, in collaboration with Dubai’s Compass Project Manage- ment and fi t-out fi rm BW Interiors, notes that the “aim of the project was not to be innovative with certain design elements, but to be innovative with the combination of diff erent styles and materials.” The client brief for Flamingo Room by Tashas, founded by renowned restaura- teur Natasha Sideris, called for a tranquil, yet opulent dining experience that cele- brated Africa’s raw beauty. “Tashas is a proudly South African brand, and the interior energy of the restaurant had to resonate with the story we wanted to tell. It is a story of South African hospitality, African beauty and of course, design. Innovation, to us, was about connecting these elements to create an astonishing sensory experience. This is the story of Flamingo Room by Tashas,” says Bak. The space was designed to bring a sense of honesty to the UAE’s dining landscape without using African design clichés. “We looked for iconic elements that de- fi ne the African landscape. This included the majestic baobab tree, monkeys and meerkats cast in bronze, cushions with hand-embroidered animal motifs, as well as textiles that refl ect the continent’s style. All of these elements add to the African feel of the space,” Bak remarks. Khalil Ayyoub, project manager at Com- pass Project Management, says: “Flamin- go Room required precise coordination to deliver the best-in-class fi nishing and the best quality standards, ensuring all details are highlighted and work har- moniously as a whole. This included the integration of motorised chandeliers, customised brass work, patina fl ooring integrated with marble, scallop detail on the walls with vintage mirrors, curved ceilings, concrete curtains, customised banquet seating and many other ele- ments. The project required global sourc- ing from multiple countries and linking the installation with the main contractor’s fi nishes. Being the project partners on all of Natasha’s food and beverage endeav- ours, we have forged a fi rm bond with the African-style textiles and wildlife motifs reinforce the theme. Flamingo Room by Tashas www.caterermiddleeast.com Interiors /85 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East of the main dining area and also adds a bit of drama. The darker palette showcases the products better, and the gold accents, with the unusual monkey motif gate, gives the space its own identity without being too detached from the adjacent dining area. We also curved the storefront to create an inviting barrier between the two spaces,” Bak explains. Mirrored claddings on the restaurant’s walls refl ect light, giving the impression of more space and depth. “The pattern of the clad- dings is borrowed from the bark of the baobab tree and extrapolated into a modular shape with rounded edges,” says Bak. “The cladding along the walls had to be both feminine and subtle. The mirrored, curved shapes also makes the space seem endless and undefi ned.” Brass has been used widely in the decor. “The brass detailing on the main bar was based on a piece of African jewellery, called a manilla,” says Bak. “The bangle has concentric circles and we used this idea to create the elongated concentric discs that are perched delicately in front of a custom cast green terrazzo bar front. The counter is almost jewel-like and is the heartbeat of the low dining area.” Besides this, 3m-tall, hand-chiselled, brass-coated banana leaves are positioned behind the precast terrazzo bar to create a dramatic backdrop. “The palm leaves were an over exaggerated take on the '70s-era palm motif. We wanted to frame the operation- al bar with a gold cloud and this culminated in fi ve staggered oversized palm leaves made by a South African artist, Peters Metals. They hover overhead and allowed us to block the window along the shopfront with a visual element that team and the brand’s identity.” The core interior design concept focuses highly on craftsmanship, which is especially evident in the bronze animal statuettes that appear frequently around the space. “We collaborated with South Af- rican and Australian artists to explore and execute a delicate balance between luxury and whimsy. We also wanted to introduce a global style that would appeal to the discerning clientele. We started looking at design from various eras and settled on the glamorous '70s,” comments Bak. The restaurant also features a retail store, The Collective by Charles Grieg, which curates South African luxury prod- ucts. The design of the store, also concep- tualised by Basstudio, features green hues, complementing the dusty pink tones of the dining space. “We wanted the design of the store to be contrasting yet complementary in its execution. The green walls of the store en- hances the salmon-hued Venetian stucco FAST FACTS PROJECT NAME: FLAMINGO ROOM BY TASHAS TYPE: FOOD AND BEVERAGE LOCATION: JUMEIRAH AL NASEEM SIZE: 625M2 DATE OF COMPLETION: 2017 Interiors Flamingo Room by Tashas Caterer Middle East | February 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 86/was not intrusive to create more intimacy in the low casual dining area.” The furniture designs are based on varied designs from the '70s. “It was devel- oped with a South African company and some of the fabrics we chose have texture and patterns from African animal skins,” says Bak. “We designed the hand-embroi- dered cushions with a company in South Africa, too. The animals on these scatters have been designed to be bright and unu- sual, adding more detail.” Mixing high and low seating options, the dining areas use custom-made chairs by South African company, Egg Design. “The chairs are solid brass with velvets and faux ostrich leather for textural inter- est,” says Bak. Another striking highlight of the space is the fl ower-like cluster lighting that de- scend from the ceilings. “The installation is an abstract interpretation of the African baobab tree by South African artist, Mike Hyam. Baobab fl owers only bloom at night and are very large white fl owers; you are quite lucky if you get to see one in full bloom. The discs represent the size and colour of these blooms. The specialised gobo lighting creates movement on the fl oor, like branches blowing in the African wind,” says Bak. Signifi cant emphasis has been placed on the secondary design components, including lighting. Bak explains: “It is important to note that the correct lighting is instrumental in creating the perfect setting, regard- less of the time of day. High level and low level lighting was key to create ambience. Bronze lamps on the main bar, called our little flamingo lamps, are unique to this store.” The project wasn’t without its own challenges. “The building’s footprint was challenging as the space is divided into three off set boxes,” says Bak. “We had to integrate these into spaces that seamlessly fl ow into one another.” The restaurant also off ers al fresco din- ing. “When the weather permits, the light curtains open up on the external pergolas. The outdoor area is simple and the seating was designed to face the main restaurant,” says Bak. An abstract interpretation of the African baobab tree by South African artist, Mike Hyam. The store within the restaurant sells curated South African products. The salmon pink stucco of the restaurant is complemented by the green and gold of the store. Flamingo Room by Tashas www.caterermiddleeast.com Interiors /87 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East Next >