Innovative products awarded at yummex ME

The 13th yummex Middle East, the number 1 for sweets and snacks in the MENA region, was held from 29-31 October 2019 in Dubai. Every year, the event showcases an array of new and popular confectionery and snack products and processing technologies.  

The yummex ME Innovation Awards picked four of the leading innovations.

The Best Chocolate Product award went to United Confectioners Ltd for its Dark chocolate Eco botanica with lemon and peppermint extract. Made in Russia, the botanical ‘Eco’ bar promotes health and wellness. The dark chocolate is enhanced with lemon and peppermint extract and is free of sugar, gluten and palm oil.

The Best Hard and Soft Candy award recipient was UK-based Valeo Confectionery for its Frulo Very Cherry Fizzies, a vegan-friendly candy that is made with fruit juice and does not contain artificial colours or flavours.

The Best Bakery Product award was bagged by Fiore di Puglia Srl for for its new 100% organic taralli cracker, an alternative to taralli or crackers, in general. The vegan cracker uses only organic farm-to-table ingredients and comes in sustainable, recyclable packaging.

The Best Snack Product award was POOK Sticky Rice Chips from Germany’s PookSpaFoods GmbH. An alternative to potato chips, POOK Sticky Rice Chips are made of sticky Thai rice soaked in watermelon juice to act as a natural binder and include a touch of sweetness.

yummex ME conducted by ISM and Gulfood, was organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre and Koelnmesse GmbH. It expected 260 exhibitors – nearly 95% international – from 40 countries presenting new products from all segments of the sweets and snacks industry. There were 19 pavilions. At the show were providers Hershey Brazil, Jelly Belly (USA), Saudi Ice Cream (Saudi Arabia), Trolli (Germany) and United Confectioners (Russia), to name a few. There were companies came from Canada, Moldavia and North Macedonia.

The sweets and snacks industry is the most rapidly growing F&B category in the MENA region. Opportunities are in producing products that use healthier ingredients but do not compromise on taste.

Ideal innovation platform

For many exhibitors, yummex ME is an ideal innovation and business platform for a targeted and successful market breakthrough into the MENA region, with the aim of finding new sales possibilities and distribution channels, or as an international springboard for their latest product innovations. Other participants rely on yummex ME to generate valuable information and market reactions to their new products in a targeted fashion in an international environment. The event returns next year, from 3-5 November in Dubai.