Gulfood 2010 exhibition opens in UAE

Dubai: United Arab Emirates (UAE) Finance Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Sunday inaugurated here the world's largest exhibition of food and beverage industry Gulfood 2010, WAM news agency reported.

The four-day event is organised at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), where a record 3,500 companies from 81 countries are participating.

Tens of thousands of visitors from the Middle East and North Africa visited the stalls on the first day of the exhibition.

"The phenomenal response the industry has accorded to the event is testament to Gulfood's indisputable standing as one of the world's best food events for generating business and industry networking," said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of the event.

This year's show, marking its 15th edition, indicates strong market growth for all sectors of the food and beverage industry, he said.