Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition to begin on December 6

ABU DHABI, 29th November, 2022 (WAM) -- Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), ADNEC Group is organising the activities of the first edition of Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE).

The event is held in cooperation with ADAFSA, and in partnership with the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, from 6th to 8th December, in conjunction with the 8th edition of the Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition.

Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), said, “In Cooperation with Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), we will be participating as a strategic partner in launching the first edition of the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE). This collaboration will highlight Abu Dhabi’s position as the most thriving and fastest-growing market across the food industry in the Middle East and the world.

“ADIFE is an ideal platform for start-ups and entrepreneurs operating in F&B and hospitality. It provides them with the opportunity to learn from a wide range of global experts about different operating models to enhance food security, safety and health, as well as ways to contribute to achieving the ambitions of our wise leadership in becoming a global leader in this sector,” he added.

“We are committed to launching a series of strategic programmes and initiatives related to food and its safety. During our participation, we will be signing several agreements with our key partners from the government and private sectors, as well as from civil society institutions. The exhibition is expected to witness the signing of many other partnerships and deals, as well as agreements between many governments and private sector entities. In addition, it will hold a series of bilateral meetings between buyers and sellers in various supply chains within the Buyers Programme initiative,” he said in conclusion.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and CEO of ADNEC Group, said, “The Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition is in line with the directives of ADNEC Group for diversifying its business and portfolio of activities by focusing on several vital sectors of strategic importance in the UAE. This event is an exceptional addition that consolidates ADNEC Group’s efforts to provide positive revenues to the national economy. It provides an ideal platform for domestic companies to showcase their efforts in supporting the food security system and concluding joint cooperation agreements with major international companies in this sector, in accordance with our wise leadership's aspirations to support these vital sectors and advance the reality and future of national industries for the next 50 years.

“This opening edition is witnessing exceptional participation rates regarding the number of companies, countries, and national pavilions. It takes place on 31,000 square meters, witnesses the participation of 445 companies and more than 1,200 companies and brands from 31 countries around the world, and includes 14 national pavilions, he added.

"Under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour, the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation (KIDPAI) is privileged to be the Strategic Partner of the 8th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE), in cooperation with ADNEC Group," said Dr. Abdel Wahab Zayed, Secretary-General of KIDPAI.

"The event is part of KIDPAI’s portfolio of more than 40 international exhibitions and festivals on the national, regional and global levels, spanning the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Morocco, Mauritania, and Mexico. This was possible thanks to the unwavering support of Sheikh Mansour, and the close follow-up of Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Award," he added.

"The KIDPAI General Secretariat takes pride in all the milestones achieved over the past 15 years, especially in developing the necessary infrastructure for palm cultivation, date production, and agricultural innovation at the national, regional and international levels. Driven by the vision of our wise leadership, we have successfully enhanced the added value of Arabian dates, reinforced its reputation, improved demand for its products in international markets, and established its stature as a key pillar of the food security equation and sustainable development efforts." Dr. Zayed said in conclusion.

The event features several accompanying events including the Global Buyers Programme. The programme provides an opportunity for meeting suppliers and making new trade deals, in addition to having a dedicated pavilion at the exhibition to help global buyers meet with a specific set of exhibitors to sign strategic partnerships with active players in the supply chain through a series of interactive sessions.

The exhibition will also feature the 2nd edition of the World Gourmet Show in Abu Dhabi, where professional chefs will provide educational sessions for visitors and compete for valuable awards. The event will be held at the unique World Gourmet Show Kitchen, which has an aquaculture garden, providing guests with valuable information about this gardening style that uses water and nutrients instead of soil. It also features a drinks lab featuring many luxury drinks and coffee. The show is held for seven hours each day and will see educational sessions and shows, and exciting competitions among participants.

The first edition of the exhibition will also host the ADIFE Panels, a diverse number of dialogue panels held for three days during the event in the presence of international chefs and senior officials in the sector.

The event will also host the ADIFE Innovation Awards, a platform for showcasing the most innovative and distinguished products in the food and beverages sector, allowing visitors to keep up with new global trends, and emphasising the role of investing in innovation in outlining the future of the sector. Exhibitors can sign up to participate in the awards, supervised by specialists and a panel of judges of sector veterans, providing the exhibitors with a special opportunity to showcase their new products to thousands of attendees.

Another event during the exhibition is the International Latte Art Championship, one of the most important international competitions in this field. This exclusive edition will be attended by Luigi Lupi, founder of the Latte Art Coffee School and the creator of the school’s grading system and its globally-recognised certificate.

ADIFE will also shed light on the rapid growth in the coffee sector as the most widely-consumed beverage in the world, featuring two championships certified by international coffee associations: the UAE National Coffee Championships, and the Gourmet Championship which serve as qualifiers for the International Coffee Championship 2023.

ADIFE is expected to witness the announcement of many contracts and deals and the signing of partnership agreements between a wide range of government institutions and private sector companies, in addition to a series of bilateral meetings between buyers and sellers in the various supply chains.

The event will include various accompanying activities and events that highlight the most important issues related to food production, various hospitality and food services and a number of international workshops and competitions.