Middle East to champion food and beverage innovation

The awards will celebrate the people and companies behind the region's exceptional food and drink industry with 21 categories designed to reward and champion innovation and excellence.

Gulfood is the region's largest and most important industry event of the year and a strategic platform for buyers and sellers to conduct direct business face-to-face. The exhibition is a showcase for manufacturers, distributors and suppliers from around the world, representing all of the key sectors within the food and hospitality trade.

"The meteoric growth in the foodservice market is evident at Gulfood, now one of the world's leading exhibitions and the biggest food and hospitality event in the MENASA region. With more than 3,500 companies participating at the 2010 event and over 45,000 visitors expected, we felt it was high time the people, brands and companies driving innovation and quality were recognised for the contribution they have made to the region's international reputation for excellent food and beverages."

said Mark Napier, Director, Exhibitions & Events at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organiser of the exhibition.

"We are looking forward to working with FoodBev Media to bring these awards to the industry," he added.

Entries are open to products and initiatives launched since 1 March 2009 and will be judged by an international panel of independent industry experts who will announce the winners at a special awards ceremony and reception during the Gulfood exhibition to be held 21 - 24 February 2010 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Just some of the 21 categories include • Best new non-alcoholic beverage • Best new functional food or drink • Best newcomer brand or business • Best new Halal food • Best new health food or beverage ingredient • Best health education initiative • Best packaging innovation - food • Best packaging innovation - beverages • 'The Gulfood Barista Award' - in association with Restaurant & Café Middle East • Best foodservice product innovation • Best foodservice technical innovation • Best environmental initiative.

"Gulfood is the premier event for food and drink innovation in the region and these awards recognise and celebrate the best new ideas on a world stage," commented Richard Hall, Chairman, FoodBev Media Chairman. "The winners will have played an important role in helping build a market valued at $10bn in 2009 in GCC food imports alone."

"As Gulfood provides a unique global platform for those in the foodservice and hospitality industries to meet decision makers and influencers from across the entire Middle East, Africa and Indian Sub Continent, we felt this event is the only one that can provide the scale and appropriate international profile. We are delighted to partner with DWTC to organise these important awards," he added.

For full entry details and criteria for each category visit the website. Interested trade visitors are advised to pre-register online where they can qualify for free entry.

Business professionals food industry will be able to buy either a Day Pass, or a Four Day Pass on the day of the show. Gulfood is open from 11am - 7pm Sunday 21 February 2010 to Wednesday 24 February 2010 and from 11am - 5pm on Thursday 25 February 2010.