A leading UK sweets manufacturer has signed more than $9 million worth of business on the first day of Sweets Middle East and SnackTec Middle East exhibition in Dubai.

Sweet Cred has confirmed two-year deals with distributors across the GCC including Al Bahar Group in Kuwait, Balsharaf in Saudi Arabia, Federal Foods from the UAE & Qatar, and VMB Brothers in Bahrain.

“Sweets Middle East has given us fantastic exposure to high-quality trade clients and given Sweet Cred a strong foundation in the region,” said Clive Garrard, CEO, Sweet Cred. “We produce unique products which are cutting edge, exciting, interactive and enjoyable across all price points.”

The company has the exclusive rights to the Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United football brands and produce confectionery with the club’s logos across a variety of sweets.

“We find the Middle East a young market ready to accept new and exciting products which are brand and quality conscious,” he added.

Sweets Middle East closes today (November 4) at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) alongside Sweet & SnackTec Middle East.

The exhibitions are organised by Dubai World Trade Centre in conjunction with Koelnmesse, organiser of the world’s leading confectionery show ISM.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, GCC spending on food imports is set to reach $49 billion by 2020, with the sweets and confectionery market worth Dh300 million in the UAE alone, and growing at 10 percent annually according to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“It’s great news that exhibitors at Sweets Middle East and Sweets and SnackTec Middle East are doing such great business,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre. “Dubai provides an ideal gateway to the rest of the Middle East and this deal highlights the opportunities available. Exhibitions are still the best way of generating new business through serious business networking and face-to-face interaction.”

More than 150 companies from 35 participating countries are exhibiting at Sweets Middle East and Sweets and SnackTec Middle East with new participation from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Portugal, Singapore, Spain and the United Kingdom. – TradeArabia News Service