Highly successful first day of Global Food Week sees deals exceeding AED 2.5 billion
Abu Dhabi 22 October 2025: The opening day of Global Food Week, 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), saw the completion of 18 deals worth AED 1.8 billion, alongside 1,353 one-to-one meetings at the enhanced Hosted Buyers Programme. between exhibitors and elite buyers, during which business opportunities valued at AED 750 million were discussed. This brought the total value of deals to AED 2.55 billion.
The Hosted Buyers Programme is one of the leading platforms for networking and commercial cooperation within the food and beverage sector. Taking place in the UAE capital, the Programme attracts broad participation from top decision-makers and CEOs from around the globe.
This edition aims to enhance opportunities for cooperation and trade exchange by organising direct and effective meetings between food and beverage suppliers and major buyers from vital sectors such as aviation, industry, import and export, and logistics. The dedicated meeting lounge served as a central hub for discussion and idea exchange, while private meeting rooms hosted in-depth sessions on plans for cooperation and expansion.
The Programme attracted participants from the UAE, the Gulf region, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa, including top executives and decision-makers. This added a practical and dynamic dimension to the event, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a global centre for collaboration in the food and beverage sector.
It is worth noting that last year’s World Food Week saw deals worth around AED 6.2 billion signed over its three days, with more than 1,600 meetings held between buyers and exhibitors from across the world. Several Memoranda of Understanding and agreements were also signed between participating companies, underscoring the pivotal role of this event in boosting international cooperation and developing the global food and beverage sector.
