Gulfood Manufacturing 2026 opened in Dubai today, bringing together manufacturers, technology providers and industry decision-makers for three days of trade running from November 3 to 5.
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, inaugurated the 12th edition and toured the exhibition floor.
Held under the theme “Powering Food Security Through Manufacturing Innovation”, the show runs alongside ISM Middle East, GulfHost and Private Label Middle East. The four-show platform spans 21 halls and hosts 2,500 exhibitors from 79 countries, including first-time participants Argentina, Mauritania, the Philippines, San Marino and Slovakia. Major names such as Cargill, Bühler Group, Tetra Pak, Nestlé suppliers Givaudan and Symrise, and Krones are among those exhibiting.
New products took centre stage. Bunge is showing CBT Gold, a chocolate alternative that cuts costs by up to 70 per cent, and FlexiBetter, a bakery fat that reduces CO₂ emissions by 82 per cent compared with dairy butter. Ishida Middle East unveiled the QX-500 tray sealer, which has a 46 per cent smaller footprint and uses 50 per cent less energy than earlier models. SACMI is demonstrating cap production technology capable of up to 240,000 caps per hour.
The opening day also featured a Global Leaders Series roundtable organised by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Former Unilever CEO Paul Polman, John Elkington of Volans and UC Berkeley’s Ken Goldberg discussed who will finance the next generation of factories and how the Gulf can lead industrial transformation.
The FoodTech Summit focused on localising the UAE’s food supply chain and strengthening logistics. Tomorrow’s sessions will turn to consumer trends, including snacking, flavour science and health-led product development.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
