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RIYADH: The Saudi Food Show 2025 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center from May 12–14 transformed the space into a vibrant hub as thousands explored, tested and experienced cutting-edge products and innovations.

The event was designed to showcase and elevate the nation’s billion-dollar food market.

Among those to gather were top business leaders and buyers from around the world who joined experts in the capital to embrace new opportunities and fuel the country’s food sector.

At a time where the Kingdom’s F&B market is projected to reach $24.29 billion by the end of this year, Fawaz Shakaa, CEO of Farm Dairy Company and board member of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, said that he was seeing the benefits of participation.

“Consumption patterns in the country are clearly evolving, as more consumers show a growing preference for international products. At the same time, the Kingdom is growing rapidly and is attracting different tourists from around the world, making it a key market. As such, the Saudi Food Show allows us to network and do business with one another, benefitting both Saudi and Jordan,” he said.

Bandar Okrin, CEO of Saudi-born Kinza, said that consumers were at the forefront of its strategy.

“We focus more on the consumer’s preferences as we believe they are key to success in the future. We are placing more emphasis on utilising Saudi ingredients in our products, which is a top priority, while empowering local talent to grow our brand and contribute to the Vision 2030 strategy.”

Guadalupe Miranda, CEO of Mexico’s iAURA, said that they engaged with more than 100 potential buyers, generating significant interest in its portfolio of products, and confirmed they will return next year after being impressed with the scale of the event.

He said: “We have already decided that we will return every year as we have seen strong interest from businesses in our chickpeas, which are exclusively produced in Mexico. This is no surprise as it is widely used for hummus — one of the most popular dishes in this region.”

At the Saudi Food Summit, the audience gained a fascinating insight into the trends and growth opportunities in the retail sector from expert speakers in the public and private sectors.

Justin Emmanuel Steinbach, CEO of IFFCO Professional, Manuel Garabato, marketing director of Global Emerging Markets, General Mills, Bobby Rajendran, CEO of Tamimi Markets, and Jens Sievert, director — international design and branding — Daymon, spoke about why organizations needed to embrace AI in their day-to-day operations, explaining how it could speed up experimentation, simulation and decision-making.

The interactive Top Table Saudi continued with both Saudi and international chefs delivering engaging masterclasses, and showcased signature dishes while providing a glimpse into the future of gastronomy.

Top Chef Middle East participant and esteemed Saudi cuisine ambassador, Areej Al-Shareef, was among the highly influential culinary experts present, captivating the crowds with her expertise and showcasing the rich, authentic flavors of the Kingdom.

“Cooking is my passion, I don’t really focus too much on recipes and I try to give the real flavour but with a different kick,” she said. “There are so many fresh ingredients in ������Ƶ which I use, and people will now know which they can put in their dishes.”

Another chef, Azzam Al-Sowayan, sous chef at the Fairmont Riyadh, said: “Saudi cuisine has incredibly rich and abundant ingredients. Blending global cuisine with Saudi flavours may seem easy to attempt but can be challenging to perfect. My advice for anyone wanting to become a chef is that patience and endurance are key to overcoming the challenges that go side-by-side to becoming a successful chef.”

Matthews Matthew, managing director of Matt Media LLC and editor of Food Business Gulf & Middle East, Gulf Agriculture, and Livestock and Poultry Middle East Magazine told Arab News: “Saudi Food 2025, the region’s premier F&B exhibition, was an exceptional platform for networking and relationship-building. We connected directly with industry leaders, including manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and decision-makers. It also strengthened our media partnerships, enabling us to build collaborations with event organizers.”

The winners of the Saudi Food Excellence Awards were also announced. Euroaliment Proveedor Alimantos Calidad took the best gourmet product prize for their Pons Janiroc Lecciana Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Neon Sanayi Ve Gida won best coffee innovation for their Turkish Coffee Mocha with Orange Essence. Best Innovative Packaging went to Le Bonheur for their set of three pralines featuring a musical barrel organ.

Coppola Foods won best food innovation for their Fabulous Organic Hazelnut and Cocoa Spread. Best Saudi-made went to Gandour’s Tamria cakes, crafted using premium dates sourced exclusively from Saudi farmers.

Spice Affair/Nutrivilla Foods Inc. was named winner of best health product for their Golden Booster Latte & Smoothie Mix, while Parmafood Group won best plant-based product for their cashew “Tina” plant-based ricotta cheese alternative.

Best dairy product went to Gundogdu for their Poucheese Bohca Peyniri. Best beverage product was awarded to Habso Drinks for their Black Seed Sparkling Infusion; and best snack product went to Nestle for their Fitness Fiber no-added-sugar cereal bar.

The food show, which ended on Wednesday, was inaugurated on Monday by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor-general of KSrelief, who was accompanied by Majed bin Rafid Al-Argoubi, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, or MODON, as they toured the exhibition.

Speaking at the food summit, Al-Argoubi said that the Kingdom’s efforts to localize the food industry and ensure food security reflected its commitment to contributing to global food security by empowering research, development and innovation, and strengthening supply chains — positioning ������Ƶ as a vital partner in securing food for the world.

He added that the number of food manufacturing facilities within MODON’s cities has surpassed 1,400 factories, contributing to the creation of more than 90,000 jobs.

The food show, held in partnership with MODON, has attracted more than 1,300 exhibitors from around the world. The first day saw the signing of several food industry and logistics contracts exceeding SR600 million ($160 million), with Kudu and Yousef Abdul Latif Jameel Group among the organizations to put pen to paper.