Twelve (12) Philippine food producers and manufacturers are set to take on the demand of the global market in the country’s return in the 10th edition of Salon International de l’Alimentation (SIAL) Middle East at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai on December 9-11, 2019.
Led by the Department of Trade and Industry through the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM), the country’s delegation under the FoodPhilippines country brand will showcase food products across various segments that are certified as Halal in the Philippines.
Part of the SIAL Network, SIAL Middle East is backed by more than 50 years of experience, industry know-how and a broad international network of 8 leading B2B events. SIAL Middle East is jointly organized by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) and Comexposium.
“Our product lineup includes fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, seafood products, ethnic and gourmet products, non-alcoholic beverages, confectionary, biscuits, and pastries, among others,” said DTI Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman, who heads the agency’s Trade Promotions Group (TPG).
Part of the country exhibits are selections of coffee, baking and dairy products, banana chips, peanuts, dried chips, calamansi and dalandan concentrates, cooking mixes and spices, and a variety of coconut products, among others.
The Philippine food companies exhibiting in SIAL are Edna and Rebecca’s Banana Chips & Coated Peanut, Filipinos Oro de Cacao, Inc. (Auro Chocolate), Fruits of Life, Inc., JNRM Corporation, Mapagmahal Foods, Marigold Manufacturing Corporation (Mama Sita’s), Miguelitos International Corporation, Mira’s Turmeric Products, MS3 Agri-venture Corp., Prosource International Inc., RPO Fine Foods Corporation and See’s International Food Mfg. Corp.
“As a member of the Muslim community and someone who only eats halal food, I can assure you that the food products from these 12 companies are of high quality and full of flavors,” he added.
Featured under the Philippine pavilion in SIAL is the recently awarded Filipino chocolate brand, Auro Chocolate, which was lauded in the International Cocoa Awards (ICA) of Salon Du Chocolat last October for producing one of the top 20 best cacao beans in the world—the first recognition for a Philippine brand.
“Another good find in our pavilion is the Instayum Mushroom Chips from JNRM Corporation, which reinvented mushrooms into tasty and nutritious snacks. This product won the SIAL Middle East Innovation Bronze Award last year,” Macatoman added.
Philippine culinary demonstration and food sampling
Another highlight of the FoodPhilippines exhibit is the cooking demonstration and food sampling activities conducted by UAE-based Filipino chefs under the FILFOOD Program, which is a collaboration of food and beverage operators to innovate Philippine food and ingredients for residents, global citizens and tourists in the UAE.
“Dynamic cooking demonstration will be conducted under the FoodPhilippines pavilion to highlight our flavorful offerings,” Macatoman added. “Among the food that will be served in our three-day food sampling are fresh vegetable spring roll with peanut sauce, beef sirloin steak wrap, chocolate-covered fruit delight, chicken satay, and chocolate oatmeal and peanut cookies—all of which will highlight the use of the products displayed in our pavilion.”
The tasting menu was prepared by Filipino chef Edward Dinoso, who is a Corporate Chef of Asia Gulf Companies, along with other culinary icons under the FILFOOD program.
DTI aims to strengthen food promotions in UAE
Led by DTI Undersecretary Macatoman, the Philippines will lead an Outbound Business Matching Mission (OBMM) at the Novotel World Trade Center in Dubai, UAE on December 8.
He also shared that the DTI is planning to conduct the first in-store promotion for Filipino food products in Carrefour in February 2020.
“The in-store promotions in Carrefour shall further highlight new and existing Philippine foodsproducts catered for both the Middle Eastern market and the large Filipino community that resides across the UAE,” Macatoman explained.
“We want to take advantage of our promotion momentum to launch the PH Food Promotion Program and form valuable alliances with sustainable global and regional organizations in the UAE in time for the Expo 2020 Dubai,” he added.
This participation under FoodPhilippines is led by DTI-CITEM in partnership with Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Dubai and the Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC), Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), the Philippine Exporters Confederation (PHILEXPORT) and the Philippine Embassy in UAE as part of the government’s unified effort to promote the Philippines as a source of quality food products in the global market.
DTI-CITEM is committed to developing, nurturing and promoting globally competitive small and medium enterprises (SMEs), exporters, designers and manufacturers by implementing an integrated approach to export marketing in partnership with other government and private entities.
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