Food and beverage firms to learn of opportunities served up by Expo 2020 Dubai

Expo 2020 Dubai has announced a session targeting small and medium sized enterprises, SMEs, in the food and beverage sector to explore opportunities and the benefits of taking part in the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.

The next BusinessConnect session, which will be held on 10th July, will highlight the wide range of food and beverage opportunities available to SMEs, including ones within the Expo 2020 Dubai F&B supply chain.

At peak, up to 85,000 meals are expected to be served per hour during the Expo, across 30,000 square metres of front-of-house space for F&B. In addition to this, an estimated five million meals will be needed to keep the event's workforce fed during the six months of its running.

Expo 2020 Dubai estimates that visitors attending Expo from 20th October 2020 to 10th April 2021 will generate approximately AED2 billion in food and beverage sales onsite.

Expo 2020 Dubai is committed to supporting the SME sector across the region as part of its plans for a lasting economic legacy. Last year, it announced that 20 percent of direct and indirect spend for the Expo will be awarded to SMEs.

Manal AlBayat, Senior Vice President, Business Development and Integration at Expo 2020 Dubai, said, "This is a major opportunity for SMEs in the food and beverage sector to engage with Expo 2020 Dubai and find out how they can become part of our plans to showcase the many cuisines and cultures within the UAE to millions of visitors from around the world.

"Our commitment to SMEs is about connecting with them and building relationships that will help them grow and benefit from the opportunities available before, during and after Expo 2020 Dubai."

The F&B session will be the latest edition of the BusinessConnect series, which has been developed by Expo 2020 Dubai to connect with businesses and encourage conversation, exchange ideas, share expertise and deliver the best solutions.

The series aims to shift the traditional model of procurement to one based more on the value of collaboration, with each edition delivered in the format of an open dialogue and focused on a specific aspect of Expo 2020 Dubai.

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