The 2016 editions of Gulfood Manufacturing, the Speciality Food Festival, SEAFEX and the newly-named Yummex Middle East - running at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) until Wednesday 9 November - were inaugurated today by His Excellency Dr. Rashid Bin Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of State, accompanied by a number of leading UAE business chiefs and VVIPs.

In only its third edition, Gulfood Manufacturing has attracted 1,600 exhibitors from 58 countries, with the 80,000 square-metre exhibition reporting impressive 25 per cent year-on-year growth in floor space which means Gulfood Manufacturing will span 13 halls this year - two more than in 2015.

The show will host 29 official national pavilions including production machinery leaders Austria, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, as well as first-time national pavilions representing Indonesia, Ireland, Russia and South Africa.

"The phenomenal growth of Gulfood Manufacturing underlines the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as a major international manufacturing hub," said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events Management, DWTC.

"As a thriving food manufacturing capital and strategic re-export hub to the growing populations of the wider GCC region and beyond, Dubai has all the ingredients to lay sustainable foundations and create a long-term impact in the lucrative food manufacturing, packaging and processing spheres. Gulfood Manufacturing can serve as strategic entry-point for global firms to meet, network and partner with local companies as part of their efforts to monetise opportunities in both established and emerging markets on the emirate's doorstep."

Gulfood Manufacturing 2016 will be split into three specialist areas: Ingredients Middle East, which features fine and functional ingredients and the latest bulk and commodity ingredients, innovations, tastes and flavours; ProPack Middle East, which covers automation, processing equipment and packaging machinery to solve production challenges and increase volume, flexibility, efficiency, quality and cost control; andLogistics Solutions Middle East, a platform for firms involved in materials handling, transport and commercial vehicles, IT and technology solutions, warehousing operators, facilitators & service providers.

DWTC will also roll out its most extensive Hosted Buyer Programme, sponsored by Tetra Pak, at this year's show. More than 2,000 of the region's most prominent industrial buyers are attending the event.

"We're very much looking forward to meeting with potential customers at Gulfood Manufacturing, as it's a great opportunity to showcase our innovations and share new ideas and solutions to help with their business growth. Gulfood Manufacturing is the Olympics of the food manufacturing industry; it's where the who's who in the industry meets," said Khaled Ismail, Group Regional Vice President of Communications, Tetra Pak.

Alongside Gulfood Manufacturing 2016, DWTC is also staging its annual trio of conveniently-segmented food events: The Speciality Food Festival, which caters for producers, suppliers, importers & exporters of gourmet, halal and organic products; Seafex, the region's biggest trade fair and sourcing platform for the international seafood industry; and Yummex Middle East, the region's leading international trade fair for the confectionery and snacks market.

Collectively, the three shows have reported 10 per cent year-on-year growth with more than 700 local, regional and international food suppliers from over 60 countries showcasing thousands of specialist food products in front of an anticipated audience of 16,000 international buyers.

The shows will boast a raft of new features, headlined by The Global Date Market sponsored by the Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA) - a specialist sourcing platform for date products that will unite the region's leading date producers with top hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and other end sellers. DWTC has also inked a landmark partnership with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) - the official government organisation which promotes Italian companies internationally - that will see the best Italian food and drink producers participate at the events.

"The growth in each specialised food show reflects local, regional and global confidence in Dubai's status as a major food industry hub," said Khalid Al Fahim. Director of Business Development, Exhibitions & Events Management, DWTC. "We are particularly excited about the Global Date Market, where over 200 date varieties from more than 50 global producers across the UAE, the wider GCC, Europe, Asia and America will be on display, as well as the anticipated presence of top-level sourcing delegations from major retail enterprises such as Carrefour UAE, Jumeirah Group, Spinneys, Waitrose, Dubai Duty Free, Rotana Group, Emirates Flight Catering, Manuel Supermarket and Dubai Mall."

The Speciality Food Festival will feature 200-plus exhibitors from over 40 countries, including new country pavilions and a broad portfolio of international and local buyers, suppliers, producers, importers & exporters of gourmet, halal and organic products.

SEAFEX 2016 will feature more than 170 exhibitors from more than 20 countries. This year's show is spread across 4,500 square metres - up 12.5 per cent on last year - with new exhibitors from the UK, Norway, the USA, the UAE and Vietnam.

The 10th edition of Yummex Middle East, formerly known as Sweets & Snacks Middle East and held in partnership with Koelnmesse GmbH, will host over 350 companies from 47 countries this year. Yummex Middle East will span over 10,000 square metres of space - 18 per cent up on last year.

Joining the four specialist food events is the new Future Food Live, Dubai's first international conference on Applied Nutrition that DWTC is running in partnership with the Dubai Municipality. Trade visitors focusing on the wellbeing segment will discover the full spectrum of organic, free-from, halal and other healthy food products and ingredients. Attendees will include everyone from global food specialists and distributors to large-scale government-backed farms.

Gulfood Manufacturing and DWTC's trio of specialised food events are open daily between 10am - 6pm on November 7 and 8 and 10am - 5pm on November 9. Attendance, which is free-of-charge, is for trade professionals only. For more information, please visit: gulfoodmanufacturing.com.