Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has announced that Gulfood, the largest annual food and beverage sourcing event in the world, will take place from 19-23 February 2024. As the future of the food industry comes into focus, Gulfood continues to be the gold standard event for the global F&B community, with a record 5,500+ exhibitors and visitors from over 190 countries, and a footprint spanning 24 halls.
International policymakers and F&B industry leaders have their sights firmly fixed on global food systems, and how they can be transformed to feed an ever-growing global population, while simultaneously building resilience and mitigating the impacts of climate change, to avoid future crises. Innovations in ag-tech (a market set to almost double in size between now and 2030), the increasing use of AI in food production, reducing food loss and waste (which currently accounts for over a third of global food production), public-private partnerships, and investment in alternative proteins such as cultured meat can all help reduce food deprivation and feed the world through to 2050 and beyond.
“Gulfood will be the first opportunity in 2024 for the global F&B industry to convene, and gain insight from some of the world’s leading food futurists into where the global food industry goes next,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre. “Gulfood will be the only platform to identify the business opportunities and forge the business partnerships brought about as the industry enters a new era, defined by paradigm-shifting technology such as AI.”
“By accelerating innovation and speeding the spread of trends, technology has transformed the food market from end-to-end,” agreed Tom Cheesewright, Applied Futurist and Inspire Conference Speaker. “The next decade will see this transformation continue. Technologies like AI will accelerate our understanding of human health, and influence consumer behaviour, and shifting demographic patterns will create new centres of cultural power. It’s a fascinating time to look to the future of food.”
Gulfood 2024 will be a showcase for real food and a platform for real business. Under the theme ‘Real Food, Real Business’, the event will bring together global brands and as thousands of new exhibitors – to showcase authentic food products, ingredients, and culinary practices, make real business connections and seal in excess of USD 12 billion in commercial deals.
