Highly Successful First Day of Global Food Week Sees Deals Exceeding AED 2.5 Billion

Abu Dhabi: The opening day of Global Food Week in Abu Dhabi set a strong tone for the international event, with total deals surpassing AED 2.5 billion. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the event highlighted Abu Dhabi’s growing role as a hub for global food trade and innovation.

The first day saw 18 major deals signed, worth a combined AED 1.8 billion, alongside 1,353 one-to-one meetings between exhibitors and leading international buyers. These meetings, held as part of the enhanced Hosted Buyers Programme, explored additional business opportunities estimated at AED 750 million, bringing the total value of engagements to AED 2.55 billion.

The Hosted Buyers Programme is regarded as one of the premier platforms for networking and fostering commercial partnerships within the food and beverage sector. Hosted in the UAE capital, it attracts senior executives, decision-makers, and industry leaders from around the world, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a strategic global centre for agri-food collaboration.

This year’s edition focuses on expanding avenues of cooperation and trade exchange by facilitating targeted, results-oriented meetings between food and beverage suppliers and major buyers across critical sectors including aviation, manufacturing, import and export, and logistics. A dedicated meeting lounge served as the hub for networking and dialogue, while private meeting rooms enabled detailed discussions on future partnerships and expansion strategies.

Participants hailed from across the UAE, Gulf region, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa, reflecting the event’s international appeal and practical impact on global trade connectivity.

Last year’s edition of World Food Week recorded deals valued at AED 6.2 billion over three days, along with more than 1,600 bilateral meetings and multiple Memoranda of Understanding and cooperation agreements. The continued success of this year’s Global Food Week underscores its growing influence in promoting international partnerships and advancing the global food and beverage industry.