RIYADH: The Saudi Meals Present 2025 on the Riyadh Entrance Exhibition and Convention Middle from Might 12–14 remodeled the house right into a vibrant hub as 1000’s explored, examined and skilled cutting-edge merchandise and improvements.
The occasion was designed to showcase and elevate the nation’s billion-dollar meals market.
Amongst these to assemble have been prime enterprise leaders and consumers from world wide who joined consultants within the capital to embrace new alternatives and gas the nation’s meals sector.
At a time the place the Kingdom’s F&B market is projected to achieve $24.29 billion by the tip of this yr, Fawaz Shakaa, CEO of Farm Dairy Firm and board member of the Jordan Chamber of Trade, mentioned that he was seeing the advantages of participation.
“Consumption patterns within the nation are clearly evolving, as extra customers present a rising desire for worldwide merchandise. On the similar time, the Kingdom is rising quickly and is attracting completely different vacationers from world wide, making it a key market. As such, the Saudi Meals Present permits us to community and do enterprise with each other, benefitting each Saudi and Jordan,” he mentioned.
Bandar Okrin, CEO of Saudi-born Kinza, mentioned that customers have been on the forefront of its technique.
“We focus extra on the patron’s preferences as we imagine they’re key to success sooner or later. We’re inserting extra emphasis on utilising Saudi components in our merchandise, which is a prime precedence, whereas empowering native expertise to develop our model and contribute to the Imaginative and prescient 2030 technique.”
Guadalupe Miranda, CEO of Mexico’s iAURA, mentioned that they engaged with greater than 100 potential consumers, producing vital curiosity in its portfolio of merchandise, and confirmed they’ll return subsequent yr after being impressed with the size of the occasion.
He mentioned: “We have now already determined that we’ll return yearly as we have now seen sturdy curiosity from companies in our chickpeas, that are solely produced in Mexico. That is no shock as it’s broadly used for hummus — one of the crucial widespread dishes on this area.”
On the Saudi Meals Summit, the viewers gained an enchanting perception into the traits and development alternatives within the retail sector from skilled audio system in the private and non-private sectors.
Justin Emmanuel Steinbach, CEO of IFFCO Skilled, Manuel Garabato, advertising and marketing director of International Rising Markets, Normal Mills, Bobby Rajendran, CEO of Tamimi Markets, and Jens Sievert, director — worldwide design and branding — Daymon, spoke about why organizations wanted to embrace AI of their day-to-day operations, explaining the way it may velocity up experimentation, simulation and decision-making.
The interactive Prime Desk Saudi continued with each Saudi and worldwide cooks delivering participating masterclasses, and showcased signature dishes whereas offering a glimpse into the way forward for gastronomy.
Prime Chef Center East participant and esteemed Saudi delicacies ambassador, Areej Al-Shareef, was among the many extremely influential culinary consultants current, charming the crowds along with her experience and showcasing the wealthy, genuine flavors of the Kingdom.
“Cooking is my ardour, I don’t actually focus an excessive amount of on recipes and I attempt to give the true flavour however with a distinct kick,” she mentioned. “There are such a lot of contemporary components in Saudi Arabia which I take advantage of, and other people will now know which they’ll put of their dishes.”
One other chef, Azzam Al-Sowayan, sous chef on the Fairmont Riyadh, mentioned: “Saudi delicacies has extremely wealthy and ample components. Mixing international delicacies with Saudi flavours could appear straightforward to try however may be difficult to good. My recommendation for anybody eager to grow to be a chef is that persistence and endurance are key to overcoming the challenges that go side-by-side to turning into a profitable chef.”
Matthews Matthew, managing director of Matt Media LLC and editor of Meals Enterprise Gulf & Center East, Gulf Agriculture, and Livestock and Poultry Center East Journal advised Arab Information: “Saudi Meals 2025, the area’s premier F&B exhibition, was an distinctive platform for networking and relationship-building. We related straight with business leaders, together with producers, suppliers, distributors and decision-makers. It additionally strengthened our media partnerships, enabling us to construct collaborations with occasion organizers.”
The winners of the Saudi Meals Excellence Awards have been additionally introduced. Euroaliment Proveedor Alimantos Calidad took the most effective gourmand product prize for his or her Pons Janiroc Lecciana Natural Further Virgin Olive Oil. Neon Sanayi Ve Gida received greatest espresso innovation for his or her Turkish Espresso Mocha with Orange Essence. Greatest Revolutionary Packaging went to Le Bonheur for his or her set of three pralines that includes a musical barrel organ.
Coppola Meals received greatest meals innovation for his or her Fabulous Natural Hazelnut and Cocoa Unfold. Greatest Saudi-made went to Gandour’s Tamria desserts, crafted utilizing premium dates sourced solely from Saudi farmers.
Spice Affair/Nutrivilla Meals Inc. was named winner of greatest well being product for his or her Golden Booster Latte & Smoothie Combine, whereas Parmafood Group received greatest plant-based product for his or her cashew “Tina” plant-based ricotta cheese various.
Greatest dairy product went to Gundogdu for his or her Poucheese Bohca Peyniri. Greatest beverage product was awarded to Habso Drinks for his or her Black Seed Glowing Infusion; and greatest snack product went to Nestle for his or her Health Fiber no-added-sugar cereal bar.
The meals present, which ended on Wednesday, was inaugurated on Monday by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor-general of KSrelief, who was accompanied by Majed bin Rafid Al-Argoubi, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Expertise Zones, or MODON, as they toured the exhibition.
Talking on the meals summit, Al-Argoubi mentioned that the Kingdom’s efforts to localize the meals business and guarantee meals safety mirrored its dedication to contributing to international meals safety by empowering analysis, improvement and innovation, and strengthening provide chains — positioning Saudi Arabia as a significant associate in securing meals for the world.
He added that the variety of meals manufacturing amenities inside MODON’s cities has surpassed 1,400 factories, contributing to the creation of greater than 90,000 jobs.
The meals present, held in partnership with MODON, has attracted greater than 1,300 exhibitors from world wide. The primary day noticed the signing of a number of meals business and logistics contracts exceeding SR600 million ($160 million), with Kudu and Yousef Abdul Latif Jameel Group among the many organizations to place pen to paper.
Keep forward of the curve with Enterprise Digital 24. Discover extra tales, subscribe to our e-newsletter, and be part of our rising group at nextbusiness24.com
