New foods from Northern Ireland at Gulfood in Dubai

Grass-fed dairy products, snacks, coconut drinks, breakfast cereals and granolas from Northern Ireland will be showcased at Gulfood in Dubai from 26th February to 2nd March. Several companies will also be using the show to launch new products.

The showcase has been organised by Invest NI, the regional business development agency for Northern Ireland, which has had an office in Dubai since 1996.

Innovative foods will feature on the Northern Ireland stand, S-M22, in the World Food Sheikh Saeed Halls at the show which is now among the world's most important in the food and drink calendar.

Northern Ireland is a long-time participant at the show, which has helped many of the UK region's companies to secure sales especially with major regional supermarkets including Spinney's, LuLu, Carrefour, Choitrams and Waitrose.

Karl Devlin, Invest NI's Head of Business Development, Middle East & Asia, commenting on the Northern Ireland showcase, says: "The Middle East is now a hugely important market for our food and drink industry.

"From Jan 2015 to Dec 2015, for example, exports to the United Arab Emirates alone increased by an impressive 27 per cent, growth driven by new product development especially in sectors such as grass-fed beef and dairy, snack foods and free-from options for diet conscious consumers.

"Top chefs and journalists from the Middle East are now aware of the quality of food and drink readily available from visits we have organised to Northern Ireland, now increasingly seen as a gourmet travel destination," he adds.

Northern Ireland companies already doing business in the Middle East include Free-ist, a leader in sugar and gluten free foods, Evron Easibake, a specialist in bakery products, and Kestrel Foods Ltd, an innovator in dried fruit and nut snacks.

Three dairy companies with good business in the Middle East for products from Northern Ireland's grass-fed herds are also included - Greenfields Ireland, LacPatrick and Lakeland Dairies.

Glens of Antrim Crisps will be launching two new product ranges - Sweet Potato and Thick Cut Jacket Potato.

The full list of Northern Ireland participants is:
CocoMojo, Lisburn, county Antrim - drink from the finest young green Vietnamese coconuts. It will be launching a new low caffeine drink from coconut milk, coconut water and the finest Arabica coffee. Stand No S - N17.

Glens of Antrim Crisps, Cushendall, county Antrim, a potato processor which has diversified to produce Sweet Potato and Thick Cut Jacket Potato Crisps. Glens of Antrim Potatoes is a family run business for over 40 years which specialises in potato growing and packing for grocery multiples across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Stand No S - M18.

Greenfields Ireland, Belfast, county Antrim - dairy products for international markets. Stand No S - N23.

Just Live a Little, Portaferry, county Down - Husband and wife team David and Jill Crawford specialise in the manufacture, sales and marketing of Granola Cereals and Granola cereal bars. Stand No S - M20.

Kestrel Foods Ltd, Craigavon, county Armagh - snack foods including Forest Feast, the 'go to' brand for healthier dried fruit and nuts including the market leading mango.
'Baked Not Fried' savoury pouches feature premium nuts which are packed full of protein, fibre and essential fats. The Acti-Snack range of natural dried fruit, nut and seed snacks which maximise on the intrinsic values of each ingredient to meet individual sporting nutrition objectives - carbohydrates for fuel, a combination of proteins, healthy fats and carbohydrates for endurance or protein for recovery. Stand No S - M12.

LacPatrick, Coleraine, county Derry - high quality dairy products for retailers, food service and industry customers across the globe. The portfolio extends to a large range of quality milk, cream, butter, buttermilk, yoghurts and desserts. Stand No S - M26.

Lakeland Dairies, Newtownards, county Down - Pritchitts, the foodservice division of Lakeland Dairies, produces a range of UHT whipping and cooking creams including its marketing leading brand Millac Gold. Pritchitts' markets span the globe, supplying customers in over 70 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Stand No S - N11.

Evron Easibake, Craigavon, county Armagh - garlic bread and other bakery products for the retail, food service, wholesale and food-processing/manufacturing market sectors.

Free-ist, Belfast, county Antrim - an extensive range containing 20 sugar free and no added sugar products including cookies, chocolate bars, wafer biscuits, popcorn, marshmallows, marmalade and jams.

Heavenly Tasty Organics, Augher Co Tyrone - range of innovative baby and toddler organic snacks which are available in 14 countries worldwide.

Rule of Crumb Gluten Free, Antrim, county Antrim - gluten-free foods including chicken goujons, chicken kiev, breaded fish, muffins, cereals, muesli, bread rolls and garlic bread.

SHS Drinks, Belfast, county Antrim - premium brands including WKD, Shloer, Bottlegreen, Merrydown Cider, Farmlea and Maguire & Paterson matches.

Tayto Group Ltd, Tandragee, county Armagh - potato crisp snacks.