SA business delegation arrives in UAE for Gulfood exhibition

Published Feb 18, 2019

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PRETORIA – The South African business delegation that will take part in the Gulfood Exhibition from February 18 to 21 has arrived in Dubai in the United Arab Emirate to showcase and promote their products, the trade and industry department (dti) said on Sunday.

"Gulfood has been hailed as the leading food and beverage exhibition in the Gulf region, bringing together exporters, importers, distributors, retailers, wholesalers, food producers, and restaurateurs from more than 100 countries," the dti said in a statement.

The exhibition drew about 5000 exhibitors and more than 100,000 visitors from 120 countries annually. 

Speaking ahead of the official opening in Dubai, the owner of Cape Town-based Art of Taste the House of Amir, Leonard Arangies said his range of grape and rooibos tea infusion was previously available in the UAE market and sold in most hotels before their contract with their distributor ran out.

“We are here again to remarket the brand, but this time around we are looking for a big distributor with more reach. We are hoping to meet with Bidfood people and also other companies who are into the value-chain of agro-processing from retail, events, corporate gifts, and online shopping,” said Arangies.

The commercial manager of Africa Rhodes Food Group Quentin Stanfliet said their aim for Gulfood was to exhibit their range of products to the globe, existing and potential customers.

“Some of the companies that we will meet are coming from Mozambique, Ghana, Kenya, and these meetings are to continue building and looking for opportunities within Africa and to establish South Africa as a world-class manufacturing hub for agro-processing,” said Stanfliet.

Africa Rhodes Food Group currently offered convenience meals solutions in South Africa and Swaziland. The company manufactured canned fruit and meat, juice, baby food, as well as fresh and frozen meals, the dti said.

In a separate statement, the dti said Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Bulelani Magwanishe would travel to the United States on Monday to participate in the 22nd Annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit in New York from February 20 to 22.

The theme for the summit was “400 Years Later: Closing the Wealth Gap, Expanding Opportunity”. The event would focus on how to expand wealth opportunities; supplier diversity opportunities; and diversity and inclusion for minorities and women, the dti said.

African News Agency (ANA)

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