Second edition of Saudi Food Show surges in size, expanding global reach and influence

Building on the phenomenal success of its inaugural 2023 edition, the second Saudi Food Show – the largest global F&B sourcing event in the Kingdom – promises to surpass the first on every level. Taking place from 21-23 May at Riyadh Front, this year’s edition will be packed with exhibitors, buyers, expert speakers and features making their debut at the show, as the Kingdom continues to point the way for the F&B industry from its preeminent regional position.

Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of KAOUN International, commented: “As the Saudi F&B industry expands and evolves, so we have taken The Saudi Food Show to a record scale for its second edition, on the back of outstanding levels of business transactions from the last edition, with tremendous new orders.”

Over 90% of exhibitors international, marking the most global event yet

Over 1,000 exhibitors, more than double the number from the launch edition, including renowned industry giants ABP (Pepsi) Al Jomaih Bottling Company, Almarai, Americana, Aujan Beverages, Bidfood, BRF, First Mills, IFFCO, JBS, Lactalis, Nadec, Sadafco, Savola and many more are already confirmed. The show has also expanded in terms of global participation with diverse new country representation at the show for the first-time including Brazil, Poland, Switzerland, Spain, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Mexico, France, South Korea, Switzerland, Cambodia and many more offering a tantalising array of new tastes. With 94% of exhibitors coming from outside the Kingdom, Saudi Food Show 2024 will be a truly global F&B showcase.

Three days of carefully curated, actionable content

The Saudi Food Summit will be back, an opportunity to get invaluable expertise and actionable insights into the Saudi regulatory landscape and regional F&B trends, directly from over 90 government representatives, thought leaders and the F&B brands leading the way in the region, through engaging talks and dynamic panels. On the opening day, curated by The Saudi Food Show Strategic Partner MODON, attendees will hear from senior Saudi policy makers from across the Kingdom’s government on the strategic initiatives in place to expand the country’s F&B industry, and thus its contribution to the National Investment Strategy and Vision 2030. The second day of the Summit, driven by the Saudi Restaurants and Cafes Association, Qoot, will take a deep dive into the evolving F&B retail landscape in the Kingdom, with the leadership of key brands including Panda and Yalla Market confirmed to give their insights.

The final day will be centred around Saudifoodpreneur, a new series of workshops that will lift the lid on the dynamism and creativity in the F&B sector both in the Kingdom and across the GCC, and equip Saudi entrepreneurs to scale up their businesses. Curated by Homegrown CPG, Pitch Lounge, and Marketing Strategizer, the workshops will cover investor readiness, pocket-friendly and stress-free brand-building, and tips on how best to scale an F&B start-up, delivered by industry experts including Deepak Kaul, General Manager of The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Saudi Arabia.

Celebrity chefs to inspire culinary creativity

Top Table Saudi has once again brought together a star-studded line up of renowned international chefs, and local cooking icons, for the largest-ever gathering of celebrity chefs in the Kingdom. The 80+ chefs will captivate audiences with a series of exciting masterclasses unveiling innovative techniques, and showcasing both the international cuisines that have made their way onto menus in the Kingdom, as well as traditional local dishes, all the while exploring the cutting edge of cuisine.

Among the line-up of Michelin-starred chefs revealing their signature techniques and flavours at Top Table Saudi will be Simon Rogan, 3-Michelin starred chef of L’Enclume in the UK and a pioneer of the UK’s farm-to-table movement; Fatih Tutak, Chef and Owner of TURK, Turkey’s first 2-Michelin starred restaurant in Istanbul; Mona Mosly, one of the region’s most recognisable female celebrity chefs, renowned for her creative and innovative twist on classic dishes;  multi-award winning chef and restauranteur Sami Tamimi, co-owner of six London restaurants and author of several best-selling cookbooks; and Rakan Aloraifi, award-winning chef and Founder of KIt catering company.

For the first time outside of the studio, Top Table Saudi will also bring together the star chefs from popular reality TV show Top Chef Middle East to bring their unique take on Arab and Levantine cuisine to a wider audience, exploring both traditional and modern regional cuisine in all its uniqueness and diversity.

Empowering up-and-coming chefs

The YouthX Saudi Young Chef Challenge, designed to empower and showcase young talent working in Saudi hotels to a global audience, will this year take place in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  Through their ground-breaking ‘Recipe of Change’ initiative, the Challenge will amplify awareness of food waste and provide vital support to the public, the F&B and HORECA industries in realising UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, which aims to halve food waste by 2030. Teams of three chefs from some of the Kingdom’s leading hotels will compete for the chance to take part in the international finals in February 2025 at Gulfood, the world’s biggest food and beverage sourcing event.