UAE, get ready to indulge in new healthy foods

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UAE, get ready to indulge in new healthy foods
Different varieties of grapes on display at the Australia stand during Gulfood 2018.

dubai - Consumer demand is evolving, particularly towards healthier options

by

Rohma Sadaqat

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Published: Thu 22 Feb 2018, 6:46 PM

Last updated: Thu 22 Feb 2018, 9:07 PM

Evolving consumer demand, particularly towards healthier options, means that the UAE will be seeing a wealth of new food products being introduced into the market, experts at Gulfood 2018 noted.

Global Food Industries, part of Albatha Holding, showcased their healthy chicken burgers and nuggets, which will be available in retail outlets in March this year.

Jacek Plewa, general manager of Global Food Industries, described the new products as an indulgence in fast food.

Similarly, Anchor Food Professionals showcased their new range of dairy products at the show. With the Middle East and Asia (MEA) dairy market expected to grow at 4 per cent compound annual growth rate between 2017 and 2022, the region is predicted to outperform world sales, according to a report by Euromonitor International.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Alastair Bruce, GM of GCC Foodservice, Anchor Food Professionals, said: "Consumers are much more careful about what they are eating. As consumers get busier around the world, the demand to eat high-quality food out of home is rising quickly, making the food service sector the fastest growing food category in the world. Driven by a growing class of young, educated and rich consumers, F&B outlets are challenged to meet increasingly sophisticated demands."

Simon Penfold, general manager for the Middle East and Africa at Fonterra, said the region is slowly maturing when it comes to healthy food and lifestyles.

"Most of this is due to the rise of several social media personalities who are sending out the message of healthy eating and active lifestyles. We have a broad range of dairy ingredients that we are showcasing here today to suit different consumer demographics. We can see demand for sports nutrition, infant nutrition and high protein beverage solutions is increasing, and we expect interest in these solutions to continue to grow."

- rohma@khaleejtimes.com


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