Increased participation by U.S. dairy companies at Gulfood 2016, despite current market conditions, testifies to the industry’s commitment to be a long-term partner. As the appetite for gourmet and trendy food grows in the Middle East and globally, U.S. Dairy is best positioned to deliver a steady, reliable supply of high-quality cheeses and dairy ingredients.

Gulfood is one of the world’s largest food and hospitality events. With over 90,000 visitors from 170 countries, this show continues to grow each year, fueled by the Middle East market’s exponential demand for new imported products, including dairy.

This year, the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) expanded its presence with an enlarged booth in the USA pavilion as well as culinary demos at the Salon Culinaire. Twenty-two U.S. dairy suppliers, including 10 within the USDEC pavilion, came to showcase cheeses, dairy proteins, whey products and many other quality U.S. dairy products.

In addition to its pavilion on Sheikh Saeed Hall, USDEC, alongside the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), hosted its first “Taste of the U.S.A.” culinary event. Mark Todd, better known as “the cheese dude”, and executive chefs Joe Truex and Robin Gomes demonstrated the cuisine-ready potential of U.S. cheeses and other U.S. agricultural products in a variety of healthful and delicious dishes. The event successfully displayed the wide array of possibilities the U.S. has to offer as a “one stop shop” for international chefs and buyers looking to source the finest products for their own culinary masterpieces.

As a longtime supporter of the Emirates Culinary Guild, USDEC also continued its sponsorship of two classes in the Emirates Salon Culinaire chef competition. USDEC congratulates all 64 chefs who competed in these two classes and would like to pay special recognition to the Best-in-Class winners:

• Class 11 – Four Course Vegetarian Menu: Joseph Fernandes from Al Qasr Madinat Jumeirah hotel
• Class 12 – Tapas, Finger Food and Canapés: Annada Sankar Das from Ritz Carlton Hotel AD

Visit ThinkUSAdairy.org to learn more about the U.S. dairy industry, get inspired and look for a U.S. dairy supplier.