The prestigious Gulfood has just concluded, a world-leading trade fair in the food & beverage sector. Carlo Aliverti flew to Dubai, where the fair was held, for a five-day immersion that brought him into close contact with trends, customers, and inspirations.
“This is the third year that we have participated in Gulfood as RBA Design,” says Carlo, “and, as always, I find it to be an unmissable event for various reasons. First of all, Dubai has undoubtedly become one of the world’s commercial capitals, supplanting cities like New York. It is in Dubai that trends are born, and it is in Dubai that you can already experience that future that, in the rest of the world, has not yet arrived.’
With its 8,500 exhibitors from 130 countries, and nearly 150,000 visitors from 190 countries, Gulfood is a real magnet for industry professionals, as Carlo confirms: “This fair is a great way to connect with an impressive number of brands from all over the world, and to demonstrate that it Italian Touch remains a strong point of interest.’.
“I have noticed that local brands greatly appreciate our dual focus on design and, of course, on quality food. By combining these two elements, agencies like RBA Design present themselves in the Middle Eastern market as highly valuable partners.”
In fact, the agency is developing several business activities with Saudi Arabia and Singapore, collaborating with companies with an international vocation that, thanks to our contribution, want to strengthen themselves in a genuine and tangible way.
The westernization of branding and design is present in some places in Arab countries, and Italianity is at the forefront, as Carlo states: ’Both at Gulfood and in local supermarkets, Italian brands – or those inspired by Italian design – are extremely widespread and appreciated. At Gulfood, for example, I had the opportunity to visit the stands of some of our customers, who are enjoying great success in these countries.“
Precisely because of the ever-increasing globalization of the food & beverage sector, Carlo noted that at Gulfood, trends tend to be worldwide rather than specific to a particular country.
“As I witnessed during my five days at Gulfood, the healthy food world is also continuously growing in the Arab countries. Protein bars, legume snacks, on-the-go dried fruit: attention to a healthy lifestyle is also a top priority here.
“Furthermore, branding is becoming increasingly uniform wherever you are. Even at Gulfood, the emphasis is placed on packaging that is not only aesthetically appealing but also able to convey a storytelling with great emotional impact, for strong consumer engagement.”
We thank Carlo for these insights, which our creative hub will treasure in its present and future collaborations.
Stay tuned for more!
