Emerging markets driving demand for cocoa and chocolate

Sales in traditional chocolate loving countries are levelling off, but sales in the Middle East and Asian regions are resisting downturns.

Figures released by AC Nielson's Retail Audit estimate the UAE chocolate market at Dhs546m with a growth of 27% by value and 14% by volume.

According to Dubai World Trade Centre, co-organisers of the region's only trade show for sweets and confectionery, the established culture for chocolate in the Middle East is seeing rising levels of sophistication.

Sweets Middle East 2008 will run from 3-5 November at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre and includes an impressive line up of chocolate and cocoa products from both regional and international manufactures in addition to sweets, confectionery, bakery, snack food and ice cream goods.

Joanne Cook, Industry Group Manager - Exhibitions & Events Management at Dubai World Trade Centre, said:

"The Middle East market for chocolates, sweets and confectionery is rapidly expanding. Some of the growth factors include the influx of more foreign chocolate products, as markets open up to foreign businesses. There is also an increasing preference for 'luxury' desserts offered by most hotel chains across the region"

Internationally, industry analysts have seen rising numbers of award winning European chefs, hoteliers, caterers and manufacturers look for innovative ways to capitalise on the 'chocoholic' nature of burgeoning markets.

Further efforts to increase product appeal and sales have resulted in several large chocolate manufacturers experimenting with traditional regional ingredients like dates, ginseng and green tea.

Meanwhile in Europe, figures released by the German confectionery retail and industry association in August show chocolate and confectionery sales rose only 2.3% to 632,200 tonnes in January to June this year - sales by volume rose by 5.4% to EUR4.283bn. These figures are indicative of why western chocolate manufacturers are looking to markets where growth is starting to accelerate.

Naveen Kumar Seth, Managing Director of Candica Industries Ltd, local high end sweet manufacturers, said:

"Sweets and confectionery manufacturers from the USA and Europe are looking to facilitate growth by entering into markets in the East. Sweets Middle East 2008 offers several advantages that make it an ideal platform for manufacturers to connect with Asian and Eastern markets."

Many international products and brands will be on display at Sweets Middle East from stand alone exhibitors to companies participating in the 9 national pavilions. These include Belgium, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the USA, as well as two new pavilions from Cyprus and Malaysia, which ranks in the top ten of the world's cocoa producers.

Sweets and confectionery trade shows have been a successful institution across international markets and Dubai World Trade Centre is set to position Sweets Middle East as leading specialist industry show in the region.

Sweets Middle East will run from 3-5 November in halls 7&8 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The exhibition is for Trade and Business Professionals only and will be open from 10am - 6pm daily. General public and persons under the age of 18 will not be permitted entry. Registration is available onsite or alternatively visitors can pre-register in advance at Sweets Middle East website.