18 March 2019
Published also in Business Mirror
TWENTY-FIVE Philippine companies bagged more than $83 million of export sales from over 1,163 foreign buyers when the country joined Gulfood at the Sheikh Rashid Hall, Dubai World Trade Centre, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from February 17 to 21, 2019.
Led by the Department of Trade and Industry, through the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM), the 25 local food producers and manufacturers showcased the country’s top halal-certified food selections in the country’s 14th participation in the event.
“Our country’s tropical selections once again delighted the palate of buyers across the globe under the Philippine pavilion in Gulfood, one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious events on food,” DTI-CITEM Executive Director Pauline Suaco-Juan said.
The Gulf Food Hotel and Equipment Exhibition and Salon Culinaire, popularly known as Gulfood, is considered one of the world’s biggest stages where the latest tastes, trends and innovations are unveiled. It is a trade and business platform that provides immense opportunities to buyers, exhibitors and notable personalities in the food and hospitality industries.
Among the best sellers under the FoodPhilippines pavilion were dried fish (herring and anchovies), fruit preserves, nuts, condiments from Pixcel Transglobal Foods Inc.; fresh banana from SL Agritech; tamarind mix and oyster sauce from Mama Sita’s; canned sardines from Phil-Union Frozen Foods Inc.; and sardines, tuna, frozen fish, canned vegetables and fruits from Mega Global Corp.
Also showcased in the pavilion were products from Alsons Aquaculture Corp., Brandexports Philippines Inc., Celebes Coconut Corp., Century Pacific Food Inc., Columbia International Food Products Inc., Fitrite Inc., Gem Foods International Inc., Krystle Exports Philippines Inc., Leonie Agri Corp., LTH Food Industries Inc., Mama Sita’s, Marikina Food Corp., Market Reach International Resources, Monde Nissin Corp., Philippine Grocers Food Exports Inc., Profood International Corp., Q-Phil Products International, Sagrex Foods Inc., San Miguel Pure Foods Co., See’s International Food and Super Q.
“Participating in this five-day event is strategic for us to sustain and strengthen the promotion of Philippine food products in the Middle East and North African [Mena] region, particularly in member-states of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” Suaco-Juan said.
The Philippine participation in Gulfood is also aimed at expanding the country’s market share in the global halal trade. According to Hexa Research, the global halal food market size is predicted to reach $2.55 trillion by 2024, driven by the rising demand for the consumption of halal meat.
“We also invite buyers and food enthusiasts with keen interest in Philippine and other Asian products to taste more of these in the upcoming edition of IFEX Philippines, where we will present the next big thing in Asian food under the theme ‘NXTFOOD Asia,’” she said.
This participation under FoodPhilippines is led by DTI-CITEM as part of the government’s unified effort to promote the Philippines as a source of quality food products in the global market.
CITEM is the organizer of IFEX Philippines, the country’s biggest export‐oriented food show, happening from May 24 to 26. IFEX Philippines 2019 will present “NXTFOOD ASIA” where it will showcase the next big thing in Asian food with the latest food innovations, trends and best practices in the Asian food industry.