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Gulfood 2026 Dubai: PH food makers flex Pinoy flavors, seek Middle East market
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Several food manufacturers from the Philippines are stepping up efforts to enter the Middle East market, laying stakes in this city through the Gulfood 2026 international food show to kickstart their expansion in the region.
Gulfood—touted by organizers as the world's biggest food show—is being held over five days this year in two major venues here: the Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC) and Expo City. Festivities kicked off on Monday, January 26, with a diverse range of food industry participants from all over the world.
Some 25 Filipino exhibitors have set up their booths at the Philippine pavilion at Expo City.
Ambassador Alfonso Ver, head of the Philippine mission to the United Arab Emirates, Consul General Ambrosio Brian Enciso III, Philippine Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Leonila Baluyut, and Trade Commissioner Vichael Roaring were among the Philippine officials who visited the booths on opening day to show support and check the featured Pinoy products.
Enciso said Filipino food products have been "growing in popularity internationally, not just because of the Filipino diaspora, but because the world is starting to discover the wonderful flavors of Filipino cuisine and our homegrown snacks."
Baluyut, who flew from the Philippines for the event, said part of her mission in Dubai is "market sensing" to help small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines establish themselves in the UAE and parts of the Middle East.
"I have with me the regional director for Region VIII and micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Region II. We will do a market sensing, meeting with distributors, importers and even with big Philippine retailers based here in Dubai, so we would know what the other products they would need from the Philippines. We can align on how to assist our MSMEs," Baluyut told GMA News Online.
Baluyut also said the Department of The Trade and Industry (DTI) is also looking at enhancing the halal certification process so that food manufacturers from the Philippines can sell their products in Islamic countries like UAE and the rest of the Middle East.
"We assist our MSMEs to have halal certification. We also assist them in terms of market access and in terms of improving and expanding their market," the DTI official said.
Halal, which means lawful or permitted, refers to adherence to Islamic rules in preparing food.
Cocoong
Meanwhile, among the Philippine MSMEs present at Gulfood is a manufacturer of anchovies–without the shrimp paste–made instead from coconut meat left over after extracting the coconut milk or gata.
Cocoong, which is listed on Gulfood website as among products to check out at the food show, was named the most innovative product by the DTI MIMAROPA.
"Ginawa ko ito nung 2019 (I started doing this in 2019)," said Elmer Marbello, the food company's general manager, who hails from Marinduque.
"Condiment siya, puwedeng palaman sa tinapay, puwedeng pang-kanin, puwede sa pasta, puwedeng salad, manggang hilaw, sinangag, puwedeng kare-kare," he added.
(It's a condiment. You can use it as a spread, mix for rice, pasta, unripe mango, fried rice or stew with peanut sauce.)
A one of its kind food product and based only in Marinduque, cocoong will be entering the UAE market.
"It's our first time and we are hoping we can market it here," said Marbello, adding that there have been Gulfood participants trying the cocoong.
He said his product reaches Manila through online sellers.
Banana chips
Another Marinduque-based producer is Rowena Globio, a sales and marketing officer of a homemade banana chips manufacturer.
Her company received its halal certification last year and is a first-time participant in Gulfood.
"I think it's the right time to market the product here. The certification can have a big impact," Globio said in a mix of English and the vernacular.
She said their firm has almost 100 banana farmers directly turning over their harvest to them, aside from its own plantation.
"We have inquiries. Hopefully, we can connect. Maraming banana growers kaming matutulungan (We can help a lot of banana growers)," she said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
