DAFZ to Showcase Its Portfolio of Services and Competitive Investment Advantages at Gulfood 2024
Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ), a key player within the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), is gearing up to mark its presence at the 29th edition of Gulfood 2024. Known as the world’s largest gathering for food and beverage suppliers, Gulfood 2024 is set to unfold from February 19th to 23rd at the distinguished Dubai World Trade Center. This participation highlights DAFZ’s commitment to reinforcing its standing as the preferred gateway for businesses aspiring to penetrate and thrive in regional markets.
In the spotlight at Gulfood 2024, DAFZ will present a comprehensive array of services and unmatched investment benefits, illustrating why it remains a prime choice for companies in the food and beverage sector. By doing so, DAFZ aims to fortify its reputation as the ideal hub for businesses to set roots and explore the vast opportunities across the UAE and beyond.
Visitors to the event will find DAFZ located at pavilion No. CCR-57, conveniently placed near the entrance of Hall No. 7. Here, attendees will be treated to a showcase of DAFZ’s world-class facilities, exceptional handling services, and enticing business incentives. Specifically crafted for the food and beverage industry, these offerings include tailored customs facilities, logistical services, and innovative storage solutions.
Maitha Al Mheiri, the Director of Marketing and Business Growth at DAFZ, shared her thoughts on the event: “Our participation at Gulfood 2024 underlines our dedication to promoting Dubai as a flourishing global investment center. It is a strategic move to bolster the commercial ties between Dubai and international markets. Furthermore, it accentuates DAFZ’s role in linking key markets in the Middle East, Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and the Far East, thereby nurturing growth and prosperity.”
“Gulfood presents a stellar platform for DAFZ to engage more international companies, showcasing the advanced facilities and premium services we offer. It allows us to connect with the food and beverage industry, helping us to stay in tune with its evolving trends. These insights are invaluable as they help us cater to our clients’ present and future needs with unmatched quality and excellence,” Al Mheiri concluded.
DAFZ is home to numerous renowned companies in the food, beverage, and agricultural commodities sectors such as Heinz MEA, Red Bull Asia, Haribo ME, and Kägi Söhne AG, among others. The free zone’s activity in Gulfood 2024 mirrors the event’s global stature, expecting to draw over 5,500 exhibitors and attendees from more than 190 countries. This participation comes at a time when the value of food product trade in the UAE has notably increased, with AED 130 billion recorded in 2022, showing a 24% growth from the previous year and emphasizing the critical role of food trade in the UAE’s economy.
With projections showing consumer food service outlets in the UAE potentially reaching sales of AED 86.4 billion by 2027, and retail food sales in supermarkets expected to hit AED 19.7 billion in 2026, the outlook is promising. The food service sales at restaurants in the UAE also highlighted a strong market with AED 32.5 billion in sales in 2022 alone, reflecting the vibrant dynamics of the country’s food and beverage sector.
