UAE's beverage sector innovates on healthy life-style, organic products

Visitors at the Swiss stall during Gulffood 2019 at Dubai World Trade Center. - Photo by Neeraj Murali

A focus on healthier lifestyles and rise in consuming organic products have paved innovation across the beverage industry, experts at Gulfood 2019 said.
The five-day exhibition, which drew to a close on Thursday, drew the participation of companies and brands from over 120 countries who showcased the latest range of products across the F&B market sectors.
NZMP, the global dairy ingredients and solutions business of Fonterra, marked their return to the event by showcasing their new 'protein water' made with SureProtein Clear WPI. Simon Penfold, NZMP general manager - Middle East and Africa, said that the new product was designed to address the needs of a growing number of consumers who are wary about what they are consuming and closely monitoring their daily intake of nutrients. He also noted that the product would be an ideal fit for consumers in the UAE and the GCC, who are always looking for something innovative in the healthy food and beverages category.
"This isn't a new product, by any means, and many health conscious consumers will recognise this sort of product as being extremely popular in places such as the US," he said. "What we have done is develop these proteins into a form that can be added to a variety of drinks such as juices and even flavoured water. You can't see it and you won't even be able to taste it, but drinking it will give you all the benefits of dairy protein and hydration in a clear, refreshing low-calorie drink, that tastes great."
Penfold also noted a growing awareness around health and fitness in the Middle East region, that have led to several initiatives by governments to promote healthy lifestyles. "The value in health and wellness products is rising rapidly across the Middle East and Africa, this is also evident in reports from Euromonitor. We expect this trend will continue. At the same time, demand grows for affordable nutrition and dairy ingredients that can meet the varied needs of consumers in the Middle East and Africa."
Riccardo Codognola, head of marketing at Lavazza, also spoke about the importance of innovation in staying in line with consumer expectations. One area that has really emerged as an important focus for the coffee brand, he said, is sustainability.
"Consumers today are very well informed about products and the ingredients that go into them," he said. "This provides us with an opportunity to showcase our expertise and innovation in the field. We know that tastes are very different in different countries and we have to pay close attention to that when coming up with new products. We have to look at acidity, strength, fragrance, and a lot of different things when creating a blend."
While coffee and tea remain popular beverages in the Middle East, coffee still accounts for a bigger chunk of the UAE's total hot drink sales. A recent study shows that the hot drinks market will be valued $1.01 billion in 2019 from the $774.5 million recorded in 2015. Lavazza currently holds the leading position in the GCC market in the R&G sector with a 14.2 per cent market share.
"With its dynamic lifestyle and economy, the GCC presents many opportunities and challenges, and we are proud to say that our brand recognition has greatly increased over the past few years and we are eager to increasingly meet our customers' expectations in the Gulf," said Codognola.
"The GCC represents a highly important market for our brand and we're delighted to be present at Gulfood 2019 sharing the infinite palette of coffee experiences we can imagine with our passion and expertise in coffee." - rohma@khaleejtimes.com