Dubai: H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee, today inaugurated the 11th edition of Gulfood Manufacturing being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 6th November.

The world’s leading food and beverage manufacturing event, Gulfood Manufacturing 2025 brings together an unprecedented number of food and beverage producers, innovators, technology leaders, and industry experts from around the world.

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed said that Gulfood Manufacturing 2025 serves as a pivotal global platform for accelerating the smart and sustainable transformation of the food industry. He noted that this year’s record international participation reflects the world’s confidence in Dubai and the UAE’s ability to lead food innovation and build resilient, future-ready supply chains.

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor commended the innovative and environmentally friendly solutions presented by leading companies and participating nations, including smart manufacturing systems and sustainable technologies. He noted that the event reflects a spirit of collaboration and innovation and serves as a strategic platform for shaping a more secure, inclusive, and sustainable food future for all.

Gulfood Manufacturing 2025 brings together the latest technologies and billion-dollar opportunities at a time when the Middle East is consolidating its position as a global powerhouse in AI-driven production, through the implementation of advanced and interconnected Fourth Industrial Revolution systems, in line with the UAE’s goal to increase local food production by 30 percent by 2030.

During the tour, H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed visited several leading company and country pavilions participating in the exhibition.

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor began his tour at Symrise (Germany), where he was briefed on the company’s latest innovations in flavours and sustainable food ingredients, followed by a visit to Chocolake (Jordan), which presented environmentally friendly production and supply solutions. He also visited Givaudan (Switzerland) to learn about its AI-powered technologies in flavours and food fragrances, and Middleby (USA), which showcased advanced food processing equipment designed to enhance production efficiency and safety.

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor then toured IMCD (Netherlands), which focuses on specialised ingredient distribution supporting innovation in the food sector, and Tetra Pak (Switzerland), where he viewed the company’s latest sustainable packaging technologies, including recyclable solutions that help reduce carbon footprint.

The tour also included visits to several country pavilions, among them France, which brings together companies specialising in organic products and advanced manufacturing technologies; Germany, featuring firms operating in precision food technology and digital systems; and Italy, which highlights sustainable practices and contemporary reinterpretations of traditional products.

The current edition of the exhibition features a series of specialised events, most notably the FoodTech Summit, which brings together global leaders and experts from major international companies such as Mars, Titan Capital, Unilever, and Hive Capital to explore the future of the food industry, the intersection of innovation, investment and policy, and the event’s role in shaping the food manufacturing landscape for the next decade.

The exhibition comes at a time when the global food processing market is projected to grow significantly, reaching US$318.29 billion by 2034, with artificial intelligence driving growth through automation and machine learning across all stages of production.