The second edition of the Future Food Forum, hosted by the UAE Food & Beverages Manufacturers Group, is set to take place this October 19 and 20 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo 2020 Dubai, bringing together more than 500 industry leaders to discuss future trends that will shape the F&B manufacturing sector.

The two-day event will feature keynote addresses from UAE leadership and global brands on wide-ranging topics that will emphasise the vital role of F&B manufacturing in supporting economies.

Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food & Beverages Manufacturers Group, said: “The Future Food 2021 has an important role in driving dialogue and tangible action to support localized F&B manufacturing, which is critical to enhancing national food security. The event is specifically curated to complement the vision of the UAE to build localised manufacturing capabilities through the ‘Make it in the Emirates’ initiative and to build a strong F&B supply chain.

He added: “According to research by Dubai Chamber, the UAE has been making steady advancements in the Global Food Security Index, and is the best performer in the GCC. However, the pandemic has impacted the industry, especially the SME sector, and with the UAE being the first in driving economic recovery, we have a strong opportunity to build the sector bigger, better and stronger. In this the drivers of growth will be a focus on innovation, digital transformation of process, smart supply chain management, efficient last mile delivery, and ensuring sustainability as a core function. These themes will be discussed at length at the Forum.”

Several distinguished personalities will address the event, including H.E. Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, UAE Minister of  Climate Change and Environment; Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO & Managing Director, DP WORLD, UAE REGION & JAFZA; Tamer Mosalem, VP and GM Gulf and Levant Foods, PEPSICO; Paul Epperson, Vice President, Global Chief Commercial Officer-Manufacturing, GE DIGITAL; Grazielle Parenti, Global VP Corporate Affairs, Reputation and Sustainability, BRF; Duncan McCulloch, General Manager, MARS WRIGLEY Middle East & Africa; Andrey Dvoychenkov, Managing Director, NIELSEN Arabian Peninsula & Pakistan; Andrew Taylor, President Growth Markets, TATE & LYLE; Kate Goodman, President, Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan, Mondelēz International and more.

Sumeet Mathur, Conference Chairperson, and Managing Director, of FrieslandCampina, Middle East &North Africa, said: “The first edition of the Future Food held in Dec 2019 generated a lot of interest. We continued to host a full series of webinars addressing key topics during the pandemic. Now as Dubai is opening up, we are happy to be welcoming you back at a physical event at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, one of the first events at the Expo 2020 Dubai. We will bring all the relevant stakeholders of the food ecosystem together under one roof to look at all of the opportunities and ideas to drive the industry forward. The topics we see relevant to the industry today are regulatory, sustainability, manufacturing, consumer trends, e-commerce, people, women in food and innovation.”

H.E. Mariam Bint M. Al Mheiriwill deliver a keynote on the future of F&B business and the government’s commitment to manufacturers, and panel discussions will be held on wide-ranging topics including the tariff and regulatory situation, F&B manufacturing leadership amidst a global pandemic; reducing packaging and waste; sustainability across the F&B business,new consumer trends, and why innovation is the answer, among others.

To register to attend, visit www.futurefoodseries.com.