Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and organized by Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority (BECA), the second annual Food & Hospitality Expo, Bahrain’s biggest ever annual gathering of food, beverage, and hospitality industry professionals, opens on January 12 and will run to January 14, 2010 in Hall 2 of the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre with more than 100 percent growth in participation over the 2009 inaugural event.
Food & Hospitality Expo 2010 has drawn the participation of 81 exhibitors representing an increase of more than 100 percent over the 40 exhibitors that participated in 2009. These companies will feature a range of products and services related to all aspects of food and beverage, catering equipment, food processing technology, and packaging.
Lulu Hypermarket, the biggest hypermarket chain in the Gulf, takes pride of place on the 6,000-square-meter exhibition floor with a 320-square-meter stand – double the size of its stand in 2009. Also a major sponsor, the Lulu Hypermarket stand, will display premium brands at the expo.
A retail division of the multinational, Abu Dhabi-based EMKE Group, Lulu Hypermarket describes the partnership with BECA as a good fit with the chain’s retail model since they have always considered Bahrain as one of the most forward-looking and promising economies in the region. It is delighted to partner once again with BECA with a stand double the size of the one at the inaugural expo last year.
According to participants, Food & Hospitality Expo is Bahrain’s most important one-stop shopping platform that brings together an entire community of importers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and large-scale buyers including hotels and restaurants.
BECA’s Food & Hospitality Expo has launched new products and product enhancements since it debuted in January 2009 with the endorsement of Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry & Commerce. It is part of the events portfolio of BECA, which functions under the stewardship of HE Dr. Hassan A. Fakhro, Minister of Industry & Commerce, Kingdom of Bahrain, and chairman of the board of BECA.
According to Hassan Jaffer Mohammed, CEO of BECA, the authority will exert its best efforts to satisfy the thirst for innovation and new markets of the industry” ”Food & Hospitality Expo offers a tremendous opportunity for exhibiting companies in one of the world’s most lucrative markets. We are proud to partner with Lulu Hypermarkets for the 2010 Expo and will endeavor to deliver added value especially for retailers wishing to boost their sales through the many opportunities for partnerships that can be made at the show.”
BRITISH & THAI PARTICIPATION
An interesting feature of Food & Hospitality Expo 2010 is the Thai Pavilion organized and coordinated under the auspices of the Embassy of Thailand in Bahrain. It will showcase authentic Thai food and other products and services of Thai companies engaged in the culinary and beverage industry.
During the exhibition, UK-based Steelite International, a leading manufacturer of innovative and inspirational tableware for the hospitality industry and a first-time exhibitor at Food & Hospitality Expo, will be launching its new, Symbol Fine Bone China and Porcelain ranges along with Tablekraft 18/10 stainless steel cutlery to further enhance the tabletop experience.
Nestle Bahrain will also exhibit its products including Nescafé, Nestlé Cream, Nido Nestea, and Nestle bottled water alongside.
Babasons, Bahrain Modern Mills, Chinese Centre for Kitchen Equipment Co., The Diplomat Radisson BLU Hotel, Gulf Hotel, Moevenpick Hotel, Regency Inter.Continental Hotel, Noor Al Bahrain, Tamkeen (Labour Fund), Tariq Pastries, and Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry will showcase the latest innovations in the industry.
Na mgbakwunye, BECA na Tamkeen na-akwado ego ngosi maka ụlọ ọrụ nri Bahraini Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) nke a na-ahazi pavilion Tamkeen na mmekorita ya na Bahrain Business Women's Society.
Food & Hospitality Expo 2010 receives extensive support from sponsors Bahrain Airport Services and Coca-Cola, with Gulf Air as the official carrier. It has gained support from TUV Middle East (Member of TUV NORD Group), a German Inspection, Certification, and Training Body, which will provide workshops with the objective of raising the food industry’s safety standards, preserving consumer confidence in the products of Bahrain’s food industry, and complying with the requirements of international food safety management system standards.
For further information about the expo, please contact any member of the project team from BECA: Mohammed Yousif, head of sales and events on tel. 17558804; Amal Abdulla, senior sales officer on tel. 17558898; or Siddiqa Khalil, sales officer on tel. 17558815; or visit the website at www.foodexpbh.com .
