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Kraft Foods, the world's second biggest food company, has called for the UAE Ministry of the Economy to start an open dialogue with manufacturers and retailers about how to deal with surging global commodity prices. Vishal Tikku, the managing director for Kraft in the GCC, said manufacturers had experienced stiff opposition from governments across the region this year about upping prices, which was hurting the company's profits. The prices of sugar, wheat and dairy products have all been increasing in the past year, affecting the cost bases of food manufacturers such as Kraft. The company produces global brands such as the British confectioner Cadbury, Kraft cheeses, Tang juices and Ritz crackers.

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In our reportage of Gulfood 2011, RetailME has referred to several success stories or local companies making it good in the highly competitive F&B marketplace, including Masafi, Al Ghurair Foods, Agthia Group and Federal Foods We look at a couple of other local companies to get a better sense of product innovation in homegrown enterprises and the high degree of optimism they display about their future in the F&B sector.

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In "More than enough to chew over" (March 2, page b 7) we said Kraft had to close its plant in Yemen. Kraft does not have a plant in Yemen, but had to close its plant temporarily in Bahrain. The National regrets the error.

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Advertising spend in the fastmoving consumer goods (FMCG) industry has been steady in the region despite the recession, and will continue to grow in 2011, says Vishal Tikku, the GCC managing director for Kraft Foods, one of the largest food, beverage, and confectionery companies in the world. As a major part of the FMCG industry, Kraft has ambitious plans.

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Even in difficult times, food is the last thing to drop off the average consumer's shopping list. Selling everyday foods, such as juice mix and processed cheese, continued to be big business last year for Kraft Foods, based in the US, whose net revenues were US$13.8 billion (Dh50.68bn), up 30 per cent from the previous year. The multinational company's profits increased by 21.6 per cent to $4.8bn. You have to take a call whether this is long term or short term. So, some in the industry have taken the call that this is long term … the soft drink industry have taken a significant price increase. They have gone from Dh1 to Dh1.50 on a can of Pepsi or Coke. You can take some prices increases where possible, and the rest you have to manage through a diluted margin. Profitability of food companies will be under pressure.

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Kraft Foods, the global snacks powerhouse with revenues in excess of USD49 billion, will be introducing an extensive range of new global bestselling products at the Gulfood 2011 edition from February 27 to March 2.

According to reports by Euromonitor, the sales of packaged foods in key GCC markets such as Saudi Arabia and UAE are expected to reach over USD16 billion and USD2billion by 2014 respectively, and the region continues to remain important growth markets for large multinational food companies. During the exhibition, Kraft Foods will be showcasing a range of newtothemarket products including biscuits, chocolates, coffee, nuts, corn snacks, sauces and mayonnaise. These products are seeing an increase in demand and consumption amongst consumers in the region, and the company is optimistic that the new products will generate interest amongst key distributors in the region. The brands include Kraft condiments, A1 Steak Sauce, Planters nuts, Cote D'Ore chocolates, Fonzies and Chachos corn snacks. "Despite a slump in 2009, the market is on the mend and sales have begun to rebound.

Consumers in this region are favouring high quality, imported food products, especially in categories such as confectionary, snacks, condiments and sauces. Reports indicate that key markets such as Saudi Arabia and UAE are expected to see a 25 percent increase in the sale of packaged foods by 2014, and salient food categories with the highest growth potential include many products that are currently manufactured by Kraft", said Ian Buchan, Kraft Foods General Manager for New Markets in the Middle East and North Africa.

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Kraft Foods, the global snacks powerhouse with revenues in excess of $49bn, will be introducing an extensive range of new global bestselling products at the Gulfood 2011 edition from February 27 to March 2. According to reports by Euromonitor, the sales of packaged foods in key GCC markets such as Saudi Arabia and UAE are expected to reach over $16bn and $2bn by 2014 respectively, and the region continues to remain important growth markets for large multinational food companies. During the exhibition, Kraft Foods will be showcasing a range of newtothemarket products including biscuits, chocolates, coffee, nuts, corn snacks, sauces and mayonnaise. These products are seeing an increase in demand and consumption amongst consumers in the region, and the company is optimistic that the new products will generate interest amongst key distributors in the region. The brands include Kraft condiments, A1 Steak Sauce, Planters nuts, Cote D'Ore chocolates, Fonzies and Chachos corn snacks.

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It may have left an aftertaste in some quarters, most notably in UK's government circles, but as far as Kraft Foods is concerned last February's takeover of Cadbury has been nothing short of delectable. Now, the US food major is rolling out the grand strategy to make sure the wider audience feels the same. In the Middle East and Africa, the process has already seen the completion of the leadership structure to seek out new growth areas for the combined Kraft Foods and Cadbury business. Overseeing all this from a uniquely vantage point is Sanjay Khosla, executive vicepresident and president of the developing markets at Kraft Foods. The Cadbury acquisition struck at $19.6 billion (Dh71.98 billion) and in turn creating the world's second largest food company after Nestle now presents an opportunity for Kraft Foods, and Khosla, to further its prospects in the developing markets, which organically saw revenues grow at 13 per cent on average since 2008, while the rise in operating income was 24 per cent. The developing markets were the growth engine with $13 billion.

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The 15th edition of Gulfood opened to an overwhelming response from the food and beverage trade, generating positive results, reports Lawrence Pinto

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At a workshop on food safety and quality organised by the Dubai Municipality on Thursday, Kraft Foods experts will be sharing their expertise and global best practices with the food regulatory authorities in Dubai. This new initiative reflects cooperation and partnership with food regulators and inspectors in the UAE. The workshop, which takes place at the Dubai Central Laboratory is a result of discussions between the Dubai Municipality and Kraft Foods during last year's Dubai International Food safety Conference (DIFC).

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