ABU DHABI: Day two of the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE) witnessed business deals reaching over AED 1.8 billion alongside the showcasing of some of the latest creative offerings from the Food Beverage (FB) industry to potential buyers and sellers.

This amount adds to AED 716 million worth of deals and agreements of day one, bringing the total value to over AED 2.6 billion.

Throughout the exhibition’s second day, agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed by leading FB brands and organisations. Capital Catering + Services, a subsidiary of the ADNEC Group, signed 11 agreements with partners amounting to a total value of over AED 120 million alone. Present at the signing was Ahmad Shaker, Interim CEO Capital Catering + Services, in the company of industry leaders, government officials and FB experts from both local, regional and international brands and companies.

Saeed Albahri Alameri, Director-General of ADAFSA, signed three agreements for the Authority. Additionally, Royal Horizon, Alsamarat and ADAFSA signed further agreements with key stakeholders, while Royal Horizon signed two MoU’s with Al Jassar Perfume and Al Roya Al MushtarKah. The Department of Economic Development also concluded agreements with the Abu Dhabi Agricultural Club.

With the Hosted Buyers Lounge having returned for its second edition at ADIFE, the feature continues to be a tremendous success in bringing together buyers and sellers into a unique area built for networking and business-focused discussions. On ADIFE’s second day, thousands of on-site meetings took place within the lounge on Day Two that led to a total deal discussion estimation of AED 112 million.

Present in the Hosted Buyer Lounge were key international buyers including LSG GROUP from Thailand, Dusit Thani from Cairo, AzerSun Holding and Gomla Market Company. Additionally, airline groups were also strongly represented in the Buyers Lounge, with Bangkok Air Catering and Thai Airways Catering showing their interest in new and upcoming sellers as they presented their products and offerings.

One of the exhibition’s main aims is to promote new and upcoming small and medium-sized enterprises to potential buyers by providing a platform for networking and demonstrating their produce. In this way, ADIFE aims to nurture and grow local and regional startup businesses by generating interest and facilitating meetings between potential buyers and sellers from the FB industry.

With the total value of deals discussions reaching 1.9 billion on day two of ADIFE, the exhibition’s active role in bringing FB buyers and sellers to Abu Dhabi and facilitating networking and business opportunities was highlighted once again.

Held under the patronage of by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), and organised by ADNEC Group in strategic partnership with ADAFSA, the second edition of ADIFE at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre witnessed the participation of brands, exhibitors, and industry leaders.