Gulfhost to feed needs of fast-growing foodservice market

Dubai / Emirates Business

GulfHost 2018, the complete hospitality equipment and sourcing expo for the Middle East, Africa and Asia, opens at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Tuesday amid an expanding regional industry and sweeping shifts in consumer preferences as high-end hotels and mid-level options fight for market share with quick-service restaurants.
The industry-shaping expo, which runs from October 30 to November 1, is co-located with DWTC’s trio of bespoke food shows. It will host 2,500 brands showcasing more than 8,000 products across six core sectors: Front of House, Back of House and Tableware, as well as new-for-2018 sectors Café & Bar; Gelato & Bakery and HORECA.
With the latest innovations transforming the foodservice and hospitality industries on display, seismic shifts in consumer habits will be debated at the GulfHost Restaurant Development Conference. Powered by the International Center for Culinary Arts (ICCA) in Dubai and the Middle East Food Forum, the conference is an open-door, transformative learning platform hosted by the shining stars of the regional F&B industry.
With Allied Market Research revealing a buoyant regional foodservice equipment market growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.4 per cent, heavy investment by commercial food outlets is driving demand. Top of the shopping list for full-service restaurants, hotels, quick-service restaurants is automated equipment which boosts process efficiency via smart,
high-quality equipment solutions.
“Consumer preference has shifted from high-end luxurious hotels to mid-level and quick-service restaurants, owing to an increase in demand for value-for-money food products. Thus, the development of the hospitality industry is anticipated to continue driving market growth in food service equipment sales,” said Shankar Bhandalkar, Sr. Research Analyst, Foods & Beverages at Allied Market Research.
ACP Inc., a US affiliate of Italian industry heavyweight Ali Group, will demonstrate how it is meeting the needs of an evolving foodservice equipment market with its new New Menumaster Xpress IQ MRX oven.
““ACP has decades of experience in servicing the industry with best-in-class equipment and GulfHost has emerged as an important event for ACP,” said Al Brown, Sales Director, ACP. “With the regional hospitality market rising, driven by new opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the constantly evolving UAE sector, the show offers a great platform to engage with the key hospitality decision makers and meet their foodservice needs.”
Running alongside GulfHost will be DWTC’s trio of tightly-targeted food product trade shows: The Speciality Food Festival, yummex Middle East and SEAFEX Middle East. Show floor opportunities will be augmented by a full schedule of onsite features and training initiatives supported by major culinary associations.

German firm HOBART, a world leader in commercial warewashing technology, will demonstrate its latest developments including a new GP glasswasher, which combines extremely low operating costs with impressive operator comfort to make daily dishwashing as easy as possible. Eliminating the escape of steam during washing, drying and opening the dishwasher, the machine ensures an agreeable room climate.
“We recognise the need for innovative hospitality equipment for efficient service to meet the shifting demands of the consumer and changing industry dynamics. Technology and innovation are at the core of our business and GulfHost 2018 presents HOBART with a tailor-made opportunity to connect with our target buyers and the key hospitality players,” said Elias Majdalani, Sales Manager Middle East.
While the headline sectors of Front of House, Back of House and Tableware will be firmly on the radar of many of the tens of thousands of visitors who descend on DWTC for GulfHost 2018, the introduction of the three new zones will draw new attention, say show organisers.
“As the regional home for hospitality equipment sourcing, GulfHost 2018 will further service a vibrant region that continues to expand with fast-growing hotel, restaurant and innovative catering segments. The show provides industry heavyweights and new players with a unique opportunity to highlight how they are meeting rising demand for innovative equipment across a competitive foodservice sector,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions and Conferences, DWTC.
“Exciting new concepts will be unveiled across the show floor while the challenges and opportunities facing the region’s hospitality industry will be addressed in an expansive conference programme featuring top-level thought leaders spanning the GCC sector.”
Running alongside GulfHost will be DWTC’s trio of tightly-targeted food product trade shows: The Speciality Food Festival, yummex Middle East and SEAFEX Middle East. Show floor opportunities will be augmented by a full schedule of onsite features and training initiatives supported by major culinary associations.
Another major draw will be the ICCA World Chefs Education Theatre hosted in partnership with the World Association of Chefs Societies. This drop-in kitchen space offers quickfire culinary guidance to chefs and aspiring foodies alike. All-day tasting sessions will demonstrate an array of traditional cooking techniques such as front cooking Stations, electric clay oven, sous vide cooking, spit roasting, combi steaming and pizza making.
The comprehensive agenda also includes the UAE National Barista Championship; the second GulfHost Innovation Awards, which will recognise progressive technologies shaping the future of hospitality equipment solutions across the MENA region; and the Gelato Campus, which is gearing up to turn competitive gelato creation into an immersive, multisensory show experience courtesy of Carpigiani, the global leaders in gelato production and technology. House of Tea is another new feature presented by ICCA and Dilmah School of Tea across all 3 days.
Meanwhile, the Chef’s Theatre, a unique theatrical display of fine culinary skills by Michelin-starred chef from eight countries, alongside the UAE’s rising talent and pizza, will be a showstopper at The Speciality Food Festival.
GulfHost 2018 is a trade event open strictly to business and trade visitors. The show is open 10 am – 6 pm from October 30 – 31 and 10 am – 4 pm on November 1.