2012 Middle East: Retail Inbound Buying Mission

San Francisco, CA Los Angeles, CA Seattle, WA | United States of America

Tuesday, Nov 13 - Friday, Nov 16, 2012

Inbound Mission

Event Details

The Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA®), and the 13 Western State Departments of Agriculture, announce participation and registration in the following activity: ** NEW DATES ** 2012 Middle East Retail Inbound Buying Mission to: SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Nov. 13, LOS ANGELES, CA - Nov. 14, and SEATTLE, WA Nov. 15-16 ** NEW DATES ** Benefits from participating in the activity: • Meet one-on-one with Foodservice and Retail buyers from the Middle East • Showcase your products and gain information about importer/buyer preferences and demands of the Middle East market • Expand your foreign market sales into the Middle East • Learn about the opportunities, trends, and demands of the Middle East market This will be an excellent opportunity for companies to participate in the growing Middle East market. In the Middle East region, U.S. suppliers are finding the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC-5) countries [Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.)] an eager marketplace for consumer-ready foods, which make up 60% of the total agricultural imports. In 2011, the combined U.S. food exports to the GCC-5 countries reached a record level of $ 1.43 billion with the consumer ready products sector recording the highest growth. Unparalleled quality, innovation, growing popularity, and trusted food safety were the driving tools behind this growth. Moreover, the introduction of U.S. consolidators into the market, and their willingness to accommodate small orders for food importing companies, encouraged UAE small retailers and food distributors to enter into business relationships with U.S. exporters. New to the market companies must be export ready, and Halal Certification is recommended for this market region.