French agri-food exports to Middle East are on a spectacular rise

This growth is in line with the expanding Middle Eastern food service market as it continues to develop rapidly due to a rising population with increasingly discerning tastes, purchasing power, and a robust hospitality sector. 90% of food items in the GCC alone are being imported, France is the fifth largest supplier to the Middle East and has seen a 13% increase in demand.

France is the world's second largest exporter of farm and agri-foods products, with €46.6bn turnover in 2007, just behind the USA. The Middle East ranks as France's 10th world client for agribusiness product exports in 2008.

The two main markets in the region for French food & beverage exports are KSA and the UAE, who together represent 57% of this turnover. They have respectively imported for €182m and €148.5m worth over the first 10 months of 2008. Historically French exports to the Middle East were essentially made up of poultry and dairy products. Today however the offering has become much wider, with also significant exports of apples, biscuits and chocolates, mineral water and other beverages.

French food exports to the Middle East massively benefit from the excellent reputation and quality of French food products, as well as the increase of global consumption in the region where a taste for western-style products is growing and the restaurant and fine-dining sector is thriving. To boast its success in the region, France's presence on Gulfood 2009 is in line with the growth of its exports.

This year 64 exhibitors will be animating the 741 square meters, French Food Pavilion, organised by Sopexa (French Food marketing Board) with the support of the French Ministry of Agriculture. The event will bring together an excellent selection of France's genuine high quality food and beverages products.

The French Pavilion will not only showcase a profusion of products but will put them in action with live cooking sessions performed by a French Chef. France, strengthens its presence on Gulfood with the sponsorship of the Dubai International Food Safety Conference by French Poultry and that of the Emirates Salon Culinaire by Dairy Products from France, both of which will be held during Gulfood 2009, taking place from 23rd to 26th February 2009 at the Dubai World Trade Center, and the French Pavilion will be present in the Sheik Maktoum Hall - Sopexa stand ME 18 & MF 17.

Since its creation France has not missed a single edition of Gulfood and over the years the French presence has kept growing: in 2006, 19 brands were promoted; in 2007, 39; in 2008, 53 and at this year's exhibition, 64 French companies will be displaying their products on the French Food Pavilion. The large number of participants simply illustrates the rich variety of products that France has to offer.

At a crossroads of cultural and climatic influences, France has an incredible diversity of landscapes and vegetations that are all reflected in the diversity of its food products. The presence of the Brittany region on the Pavilion with its wide array of specialties, as well as the cornucopia of dairy products, confectionary, seafood, coffee, pastry, bakery, meat, delicatessen products, fruit and vegetables, condiments, tapenades, beverages and other delights, will be the perfect illustration of this gastronomical wealth, bringing visitors a taste of the best of what France has to offer.

Eric Santier, Managing Director for Sopexa, Middle East comments, "We are very proud to present such an abundant variety of French foods at Gulfood this year. The ever-growing number of participants from one year to the next illustrates the efficiency of Gulfood as an influential business development platform providing a strategic launch-pad to access the vibrant Middle Eastern food market. French exports to the Middle East are on the rise, which definitely encourages us to develop sales and explore the lucrative Middle Eastern market even further. The French Pavilion builds on the diversity of France's high quality food products, and is the perfect opportunity to create awareness, forge new relationships and benefit from the dynamics of this growing industry."

He adds, "Furthermore the French agro-industry is definitely committed to support the current food safety issues as well as to comply with the world-renowned standards of hospitality and cuisine that are being offered in the Middle East through respectively its involvement in the DIFC and the Salon Culinaire."

The major novelty on the French Pavilion this year will be live cooking sessions performed by a French Chef during the first three days of the exhibition. French products will be used to cook both French and local recipes, demonstrating how they can be prepared in many different ways and revealing how perfectly suited they are for international and oriental cuisine. Many traditional products will be used even though the Chef will make a special focus on French dairy products producing some tantalizing cheese and cream recipes. The live cooking will take place at the Sopexa stand and will give the visitors a chance to taste the great quality and variety of French food, as well as acquire a few culinary secrets.

What's more, the French Export Poultry Board is sponsoring the 4th Dubai International Food Safety Conference (DIFSC), organized by Dubai Municipality and one of the most awaited events in the food safety calendar in the Middle East. This year the conference will focus on the theme 'Food Safety in Light of Food Security'. As the gold sponsor, the French Poultry board proves its commitment to current food safety and production issues and its will to enhance safety of the food supply chain.

France further asserts its involvement in the food sector as the 'Dairy Products from France' association will be yet again one of the main sponsors of this year's Emirates International Salon Culinaire, a four day event dedicated to the culinary arts and the celebration of food organized by the Emirates Culinary Guild. During this event, Even, Elle & Vire, Boursin and Kiri will sponsor four cooking demonstrations.

French Agri-Food: a dynamic sector

Both agriculture and the agri-food industry are huge assets of the French economy, making France one of the world's leading producers and exporters of foods and beverages. Today, France is the world's third-leading agricultural power and Europe's leading producer of farm and agri-food products, representing one-fifth of the added value of the European agri-food sector.

The agri-food industry is France's leading industrial sector. In 2007, the country's agri-food sales rose sharply (+7%), reaching €154bn, i.e. more than 500 Airbus passenger planes! With 420,000 employees, agri-food is also France's second leading employer, after the engineering industry. The sector, with some 13,000 firms, is composed of very large food corporations (Danone, Lactalis, Bongrain, Pernod Ricard, Terrena and others) alongside a multitude of small companies throughout the country (70% have fewer than 20 employees and only 5% have more than 250).

Faithful to tradition, to the soil and to the pursuit of quality, French food and beverage companies are also modern and innovative, key factors of success to dynamism and competitiveness. These dynamic firms have helped France become the European Union's leading exporter of food and beverage products.

Some key figures for France:
• World's no. 1 exporter of processed food products.
• More than 1,500 new products launched every year.

Furthermore research and innovation are important factors to the agri-food sector's success. In France, agri-food generates the largest share of industrial added value, i.e. 15% of all French industry. In addition to traditional production, which has always expressed the sector's creativity, the French agri-food sector is known for its great commitment to research and innovation.

Whether it be in new products, processes or marketing, nearly 60% of French food and beverage companies innovate. The research expenditure of the agri-food industry increases twice as fast as that of businesses in other sectors. Food and beverage companies devote an average of 7% of their sales to funding innovation.

As in most countries, the French food and beverage market is constantly changing and it strives to keep in pace with the major changes in society such as urban development, population trends (blending of cultures, aging, etc.), sustainable development (respect for the environment, etc.) and new consumer needs and desires (practical foods, health benefits and more).