Turkey is looking to become a dominant player in food processing in the Middle East on the back of its halal expertise, alignment with regional tastes, market proximity and competitive value.
Participation at the Middle East’s biggest food manufacturing show has increased by more than a third over last year, according to Dubai World Trade Centre, the organiser of Gulfood Manufacturing.
The top 10 markets for 100% juice have declined over the last three years, with the exception of China, which has seen CAGR of 11% between 2012 and 2015, according to Tetra Pak.
Lebanese company Master Chewing Gum & Candies has introduced a gourmet gum brand in unconventional flavors such as mojito as it looks to seize on the Middle East’s changing gum market.
Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council chairman Simon Crean has visited the Middle East to iron out welfare and black market concerns worrying Australia during Eid’s bumper trade period.
UAE-based investment firm Food Capital has acquired a significant stake in Ice Cream Dana Group of Saudi Arabia, the owner of 20 stores under the Yummy Yoghurt, Bun & Patty, Pimento and Maltoot brands.
The on-again-off-again sale of a majority stake in Kuwait Food Co, otherwise known as Americana, to a Gulf-based consortium has been scrapped by the Al Kharafi family, bringing to an end months of negotiations over a deal worth billions of dollars.
Global online food delivery company Foodpanda has announced a deal to merge its Hellofood business with HungerStation in Saudi Arabia to create a market leader in one of the world’s biggest food delivery markets.
Kuwait’s Mezzan Holding, one of the Middle East’s biggest manufacturers and distributors of food and beverages, has reported in an increase in second-quarter revenue of 2.4% over the same period in 2015 to KWD52.8m (US$175m), and a 3.9% increase in year-to-date...
Global cooking oil major Mazola is placing its focus on expanding even further into the Middle East’s growing non-retail sector by appointing Farm Fresh as its new distributor for food-service business in the UAE.
Euromonitor International has pinpointed several promising chocolate markets that may help manufacturers offset slowdowns in traditional emerging markets such as China and Brazil.
Ukraine’s MHP has reported growth in poultry production, with sales reinforced by a robust export upswing to the Middle East in its preliminary half-year results, posted on 19 July.
The Middle East is a bright spot for Brazil’s confectionery industry as the only global market seeing growth, with Brazilian producers hoping to capitalise further on synergies with the region.
Australian produce distributor Valleyfresh has announced it will open an office in Saudi Arabia in a bid to expand its operations and strengthen its relationships in the Middle East.
The outlook for food security in the Middle East is not hopeful, but growing pressure may start to force policy change across the region, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute.
Two UAE-based investment firms have bought a significant stake in Austrian energy drink producer Power Horse, and plan to expand the business’s reach beyond its Middle Eastern stronghold.
Brazilian agribusiness exporters are expanding their markets in the Middle East, as poultry sales boom, Saudi rice imports ramp up, and live cattle exports to Egypt are set to resume.
At the crossroads of east and west, Turkey offers huge promise but given the current political and economic situation, there are also challenges. FoodNavigator spoke to both Turkish and global companies at Food Ingredients in Istanbul this month to get...
Fajr Capital, a private equity investor in high-growth markets across the Middle East and Asia, has completed its acquisition of Cravia Group, one of the fastest-growing food and beverage platforms in the Middle East.
Russian agricultural holding Miratorg is hoping to start supplying meat to McDonald’s outlets in China, according to CEO Viktor Linnik, who added that this could be an important part of the company’s global expansion strategy.
The Korean government is stepping up its food industry promotion in the Middle East with a new regional office and new initiatives, with the aim of growing food exports by 10% year-on-year.
Japanese wagyu beef is a hit in the Middle East, but producers are struggling to export to regional markets because of Halal issues, according to a Japanese food importer in the UAE.
Brazilian food producers BRF, JBS and Minerva all grew their Middle Eastern business in 2015, as BRF brings forward expansion plans for its Abu Dhabi factory.
Ireland is aiming to nearly double its food exports to the Middle East, with a target of more than US$560m by 2020, and is counting on its newly quota-free dairy industry to do it.
US beef exporters are “bitterly disappointed” at Saudi Arabia’s continued ban of their products, even as other producers have bans lifted, according to a US Meat Export official.
Gulfood’s record numbers and fever-pitch atmosphere only tell part of the show’s story – beneath the noise, the exhibition is becoming increasingly important.
Dutch ingredients producer Barentz International has established a new joint distribution venture in Iran with Future Way Holding, to tap into the formerly-restricted market.
Brazil’s agribusiness sales to the Middle East totalled US$7.2bn in 2015, making up 8% of the country’s agribusiness exports, and staying steady while other regions fell in value.
Del Monte is planning to acquire farms in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, to add to its current UAE and Turkey sites, and is planning new regional product launches at Gulfood.
Cargill may consider establishing an application centre in Dubai as part of its regional strategy, as it sees demand for advanced R&D increasing, according to its regional chair.
Saudi Arabia’s Salic investment body has bought a 19.95% stake in Brazilian beef producer, Minerva, for US$188.4m, following the kingdom’s lifting of a ban on Brazilian beef.
Brazilian food producers have closed more than US$9m in new export deals to the Middle East in the last two months, as Brazil’s trade body plans to exhibit at more Arab trade shows.
Toyo Ink Group is to acquire 75% of shares of DYO Printing Inks in Turkey to expand its inks and coatings in the packaging market, including materials for food packages.
Scottish premium rapeseed oil producers are looking to the Middle East for export growth, as they reap the benefits of a new export collaboration project and rising olive oil prices.
Russian chocolate-maker Goldberg is planning to establish a factory in the UAE, as it targets the Middle East and North Africa as its first major export market.
Regional food producers are holding back on new investments, but those who are spending are looking for novelty in chocolate and dates products, according to Jaffan Trading and Marketing.
Almarai has installed a 37,000 bird-per-hour poultry processing line from Ishida, the Japanese firm announced, as it revealed it also made an on-floor sale at Gulfood Manufacturing.
Far from the frenetic madness of its parent show in February, Gulfood Manufacturing nevertheless has its own, slightly geeky, energy – and it clearly means business.
Tetra Pak has opened its first Customer Innovation Centre in Dubai, with six more around the world to follow by 2017, the company announced last week at Gulfood Manufacturing.
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PepsiCo, Mars, Mondelēz and Fonterra will focus their efforts on the Middle East at Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai next week (October 27-29) with two conferences entitled Next Generation Manufacturing and F&B Innovation.
Jordan’s Royal Health Awareness Society will implement Nestlé’s “Ajyal Salima” or Healthy Kids programme, which promotes nutrition and health education to children, the firm announced.
Scottish premium chocolate startup iQ Chocolate will shortly start exporting its products to Kuwait, Qatar and Dubai after signing a series of distribution deals.
