The fifth edition of Future Food Forum 2023, the Middle East’s biggest annual event gathering key stakeholders from the food and beverage sector, has opened focusing on food security and sustainability, innovation and consumer wellbeing.

 

Organised by UAE Food & Beverage Business Group (F&B Group) under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Economy, Dubai Chamber, and supported by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Food Tech Valley, the event at Le Meridian Hotel Dubai is hosting over 800 participants, including top executives from the F&B sector, key officials from government and business councils from across the world over the coming two days. 

 

The Forum was opened by Abdulla Al Saleh, the Under Secretary of Foreign Trade and Industry at the UAE Ministry of Economy.  

 

Trends and challenges

With the core theme, "Inspiring Sustainable Well-being", various panels and presentations will discuss trends and challenges in investments, innovation, and food retail to enable solutions that ensure end consumers' holistic health and well-being. 

 

Thought-provoking panel discussions at the event will focus on critical issues of food security and environmental sustainability, highlighting initiatives that are fostering a self-reliant food supply and the role of Agri-Tech in enhancing food security in the Middle East.

 

The first day of the event hosted focused sessions on India and KSA to discuss topics, such as the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is poised to strengthen food security and sustainability and create a resilient food system through collaboration between stakeholders in both countries. 

 

Collaborations and opportunities 

“We are proud to have the support of our partners and sponsors; their commitment to advancing the food and trade sectors in the UAE is commendable. With their support, we are able to create a platform like Future Food Forum, which allows interaction between important stakeholders to discuss collaborations and opportunities in building a resilient and sustainable food ecosystem for the region,” commented Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food and Beverage Business Group.

 

He added: “In addition to gaining insights on regulations, market trends and innovation, the Forum will take a deep dive into consumer behaviours and nutrition strategies, food reformulation, and the role of the private sector in driving healthier food innovation. We also have the ‘Free From Food’ exhibition under the event, highlighting this part. Various sessions will look into strategies for promoting locally-grown produce.  With the Forum taking place a few weeks before COP28, we hope to address challenges in food security due to climate change impact and look into opportunities to foster a circular economy.”

 

With support from leading organisations and participation from leading business councils worldwide and organisations, such as the International Islamic Food Processors Association (IFPA), the Forum will lay the roadmap for enabling the food sector's trade ecosystem to achieve economic and climate sustainability goals in the UAE.

 

Key sponsors

The event is supported by DP World and key sponsors from the sector, including IFFCO, AGTHIA, Al Ghurair Foods, Almarai, SGS, Emirates Development Bank, Sadia, and Hayatna as leading partners and industry organisations such as IFPA. 

 

Meanwhile, Free From Food Dubai will spotlight the thriving Healthy, Organic, Vegan, Plant-Based, Functional, and Free-From food sectors across Middle Eastern countries.-- TradeArabia News Service