Restaurant investment reaches all-time high in Middle East

To support suppliers operating in this dynamic sector, organiser Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has launched Restaurant & Café Middle East 2008, a premier exhibition showcasing the latest innovations in interiors, equipment, supplies and services.

Held alongside Gulfood, Restaurant & Café Middle East is a specialised trade exhibition taking place from 24-27 February 2008 in Hall 1 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC). The show has been created to provide innovative and practical solutions to Architects, Baristas, Executive Chefs, Designers, Food and Beverage Directors and Proprietors.

"The restaurant and café sector is one of the most dynamic areas of the food and hospitality industry, with a marked rise in both the number of restaurants operating within hotels and the number of independent outlets in the past five years,"

said Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, DTWC.

"Given the strong growth potential, now is the right time to launch a dedicated show aimed specifically at this part of the industry," he added.

Response from the international industry has been extremely positive, with many of the leading suppliers opting to use Restaurant & Café Middle East 2008 as a platform to launch new offerings for the Middle East market.

Participating companies include Al Accad, BASF, IFI, ISA, Profisys, Russel Parternship and Villeroy & Boch showcasing the latest products and services in interior design, tableware developers, contract furnishing suppliers, flooring, kitchen and cooking equipment.

Research from global group BIS Shrapnel suggests that families in the region spend US $9.5 billion annually on food consumed outside their homes, creating significant opportunities for the operators of new food outlets at all levels of the market.

Industry reports also indicate that around 175 new hotels are due for completion by 2010 in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, with a significant proportion operating in the five-star sector.

The introduction of the dedicated Restaurant and Café section is part of Gulfood's wider strategy of sectorisation, offering specific areas for products and services for exhibitors and visitors. This year will also see the launch of a specialist area for Beverage and Beverage Equipment which is accompanied by a series of Beverage Opportunity Workshops, organised by Zenith International.

The 13th Gulfood Exhibition is organised by Dubai World Trade Centre and will be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 24-27 February 2008.

Gulfood and Restaurant & Café Middle East are strictly trade-only events and are open to business and trade visitors from within the industry only, proof of which must be provided at registration. General public and persons under the age of 21 will not be allowed into the exhibitions.