GULFOOD Trade Fair 2018
A record number of Greek companies participated in the international GULFOOD 2018 exhibition, the largest international food and beverage trade fair in the Middle East, demonstrating the growing export orientation of the Greek F&B sector.
Greek exports have been on a two year upswing, rising more than 13% in 2017 to €28.5 billion, thanks in part to growing exports of Greek food and beverage products. In the last two years, Greek F&B companies have been steadily increasing their presence in international markets.
In total, 63 Greek exporters – the highest number ever — participated in the Greek delegation to the fair, which took place in Dubai Feb. 18-23. The national stand also included eight companies marketing edible olives through the European table olives promotion program — “OLIVE YOU” – which is being implemented by the Panhellenic Association of Table Olives Processors, Packers and Exporters (PEMETE).
The international Gulfood trade fair is held annually in Dubai, attracting more than 90,000 visitors and more than 4,000 exhibitors from around the world.
At the inauguration of the exhibition, on Sunday, Feb. 18, the Greek delegation was honored by the presence of the Greek Ambassador to the UAE, Dionyssios Zois, and the Economic and Commercial Affairs Counselor Christos Stamboulopoulos.
Enterprise Greece CEO Elias Athanasiou, who led the Greek delegation, said in remarks: “The successful participation of Enterprise Greece at Gulfood 2018, the largest international food and beverage exhibition in the Middle East, represents part of our strategic activities to promote the export orientation of Greek businesses with the goal of developing the agro-food sector into one of the basic pillars of the country’s economic recovery.”
Over the five days of the exhibition, the Greeks exhibitors had thousands of business contacts with industry representatives who visited the 1,000 square meter Greek national pavilion.
With the goal of attracting investment, a total of 39 private meetings were held with companies and exhibitors from the Netherlands, India, Spain, the U.S. and from Arab countries. The aim of the meetings was to present the investment opportunities offered by Greece in the F&B sector and specifically in the cultivation and processing of nuts, olive oil production, dairy production, processing of fresh and frozen meat, and juice processing and production.
In addition, follow up meetings were also held with companies that had expressed an initial interest in investing in Greece during the previous Gulfood exhibition. The meetings showed a continued interest by investors in the Greek food industry, recognizing both its competitive advantages but also the fact that the Greek economy is on stable recovery path.
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/<p>A record number of Greek companies participated in the international <strong>GULFOOD 2018 </strong>exhibition, the largest international food and beverage trade fair in the Middle East, demonstrating the growing export orientation of the Greek F&B sector.</p>
<p>Greek exports have been on a two year upswing, rising more than 13% in 2017 to €28.5 billion, thanks in part to growing exports of Greek food and beverage products. In the last two years, Greek F&B companies have been steadily increasing their presence in international markets. </p>
<p>In total, 63 Greek exporters – the highest number ever -- participated in the Greek delegation to the fair, which took place in Dubai Feb. 18-23. The national stand also included eight companies marketing edible olives through the European table olives promotion program -- "OLIVE YOU" – which is being implemented by the Panhellenic Association of Table Olives Processors, Packers and Exporters (PEMETE).</p>
<p>The international Gulfood trade fair is held annually in Dubai, attracting more than 90,000 visitors and more than 4,000 exhibitors from around the world.</p>
<p>At the inauguration of the exhibition, on Sunday, Feb. 18, the Greek delegation was honored by the presence of the Greek Ambassador to the UAE, Dionyssios Zois, and the Economic and Commercial Affairs Counselor Christos Stamboulopoulos.</p>
<p>Enterprise Greece CEO Elias Athanasiou, who led the Greek delegation, said in remarks: “The successful participation of Enterprise Greece at Gulfood 2018, the largest international food and beverage exhibition in the Middle East, represents part of our strategic activities to promote the export orientation of Greek businesses with the goal of developing the agro-food sector into one of the basic pillars of the country’s economic recovery.”</p>
<p>Over the five days of the exhibition, the Greeks exhibitors had thousands of business contacts with industry representatives who visited the 1,000 square meter Greek national pavilion.</p>
<p>With the goal of attracting investment, a total of 39 private meetings were held with companies and exhibitors from the Netherlands, India, Spain, the U.S. and from Arab countries. The aim of the meetings was to present the investment opportunities offered by Greece in the F&B sector and specifically in the cultivation and processing of nuts, olive oil production, dairy production, processing of fresh and frozen meat, and juice processing and production.</p>
<p>In addition, follow up meetings were also held with companies that had expressed an initial interest in investing in Greece during the previous Gulfood exhibition. The meetings showed a continued interest by investors in the Greek food industry, recognizing both its competitive advantages but also the fact that the Greek economy is on stable recovery path.</p>/sddefault.webp)