Trio-event sets trends in food packaging

Saudi Arabia's 14th International Event for Food, Beverages & Catering, Hotel Equipment, Supplies and Services incorporates three events: Food/Hotel/ Propac Arabia. The show has always been the premier international exhibition on processing & packaging in Saudi Arabia, and aims to address the needs of the post-harvest and food technology, processing and packaging industries. Scheduled to take place on 24 - 28 May, 2009 at the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this annual event has been considered as the region's best networking platform where suppliers present their products and services to the broadest spectrum of trade visitors from throughout the Kingdom and neighbouring Gulf States. With its location in Jeddah, the gateway of 80% of all foodstuff imports as well as the Kingdom's commercial and tourism centre, the show provides an unrivalled access to the largest food and beverage market in the Middle East. On exhibit are processing machinery, food packaging & beverage bottling, packaging machinery & supplies, pharmaceutical, printing & labeling, cosmetics, paper & corrugated box technologies, automation & control, flexo printing technologies for paper & flexible packaging, testing & measurement, pumps & valves, process technology, materials handling, conveyors, sorting, bagging & storage, post-harvest technology, powder & bulk solids handling. The visitors are food processing manufacturers, beverage production, laboratory, canner, pharmaceutical manufacturers, frozen food manufacturer, quality controllers, preserved food manufacturers, dairies, contract packaging, machinery importers and distributors, retail packaging, seafood processing manufacturers, refrigeration, general food manufacturer, food exports, packaging material manufacturers. Dynamic food industry demands new packaging. Saudi Arabia's rapidly growing food and beverage processing industry has increased remarkably in importance over the years. High population growth, rising incomes, lifestyle changes and the ambitious development plans financed by oil revenues have all contributed to the industry's rapid development. The industry is described as Saudi Arabia's third largest economic sector and has seen huge investment in recent years. The Kingdom now accounts for over half of those companies involved in the Gulf's food and drink industry. In the same manner, trade of food products has emerged to become a thriving sector. Importing over 60% of its food from over 200 countries, Saudi Arabia's import of foodstuffs have increased by an average of 19% between 2004 and 2007 with a total value of US$12 billion in 2007. With the rise in the food and drink industry, bigger demand for packaging products, including highend plastics packaging, has been noted. Saudi Arabia imports nearly all of its catering and hotel equipment & supplies. To conform to current trends and design and to cater for today's discerning tourist and diner, the Kingdom is seeing a continual program of refurbishment of existing hotels, restaurants and catering establishments (such as educational and business cafeterias) through the modernization and upgrading of both equipment and interiors. "Saudi Arabia's rapidly growing food and beverage processing industry has increased remarkably in importance over the years." Previous edition ended with resounding success. The show's organizers are expecting a successful 2009 edition of the show, in the same way the 2008 ended with over 12,000 visitors from across Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries. These visitors viewed the exhibits of 250 companies from 26 countries. The event was held under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture and with the support of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO). Islamic Center for DevelMen's Sneaker Hub Online