Dubai – UAE: 19 February, 2018 –  Dubai Wholesale City (DWSC), the global hub for trade and manufacturing, is showcasing its latest comprehensive products and services portfolio catered to the food industry at Gulfood 2018, the world’s largest annual food trade show.

DWSC significantly expanded its offering to the food industry with the launch of Dubai Food Park (DFP) in July 2017, and it now provides a full range of services to both food manufacturers and traders through its two innovative parks; DFP and Dubai Industrial Park (DI).

DI offers a fully integrated infrastructure and facilities for light and medium food manufacturers, while DFP, the first park of its kind in the region, is developing a state of the art central wholesale market for food traders. It will also provide dedicated warehousing, areas for handling goods and complementary services like packing, repacking, and food processing.

Commenting on the participation, Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer at DWSC, said: “Gulfood is one of the most important global exhibitions for the food industry. It is the ultimate platform for us to showcase our latest offerings, attract investors, and meet F&B players from around the world. It is also a valuable opportunity to expand our network and connections with industry leaders within the food sector.”

He added: “The food industry is one of the main pillars of Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, which was launched to increase productivity and efficiency in the non-oil sectors.”

The food industry is the second biggest non-oil sector in the UAE. The sector is expected to continue witnessing high growth rates, triggered by population growth and development of the tourism sector. According to an analytical report by UAE Federal Customs Authority, the volume of food trade in the UAE amounted to AED320 billion from 2013 till end of 2017. The value of imports reached about AED238.4 billion, while exports amounted to AED41.6 billion.

DWSC offers a fully-integrated platform which enables business partners from the food industry and other sectors to set up their business, grow and reach their target markets, while benefitting from Dubai’s world-class infrastructure in land, marine, and air transportation.

Belhoul concluded: “DWSC is fast becoming a destination supporting the growth of the food sector in Dubai and the wider UAE. We will continue to enhance our innovative offerings to contribute to the diversification of our economy and to support the Made in UAE label.”

Between Dubai Industrial Park (DI) and Dubai Food Park (DFP), Dubai Wholesale City has more than 700 business partners.