Suppliers

SIXTY SECONDS WITH MAZEN NOUREDDINE UFOOD

U-Food, a distributor of international FMCG products, has established itself as a market leader over the past 27 years. The firm imports goods from over 20 countries and represents around 50 renowned multinational food companies. Here, Mazen Noureddine, general manager of U-Food, tells us more about the road to success and upcoming projects.

Besides Lebanon, U-Food is also present in Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait. What characterizes these markets?

Jordan is a stable market with limited change and slow growth, while Qatar has a lower population with high purchasing power. As for Kuwait, it is the largest and most competitive market but with limited availability of high-end products due to strict import regulations. Do you have plans to expand further?

Our last expansion dates back a few years, with the opening of our Kuwait branch. We are currently concentrating our e orts on improving the service we deliver in our four existing markets in the Middle East. Furthermore, we are developing sales at U-Group, our export company based in France. u-foodsal.com

Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com

IN BRIEF

Nespresso unveils Nespresso World Explorations Nespresso World Explorations, a new co ee range by Nespresso, will allow co ee lovers to discover and enjoy diverse co ee tastes of the world. The co ee range builds on the popular Lungo collection, which showcases distinct co ees inspired by the cities of Cape Town, Tokyo, Stockholm and Vienna, with the addition of two new cups inspired by Shanghai and Buenos Aires. buynespresso.com

Ixsir Grande Réserve Rosé 2018 named the best rosé wine in the world The Best Wine of the World Competition (BWW) was recently held on the world’s largest wine information service - Tastingbook.com. The Best Wine of the World was awarded to Château Mouton Rothschild 2018, Bordeaux, France. Lebanese Ixsir Grande Réserve Rosé 2018 won the Best Rosé Wine in the World. ixsir.com

Bacardi’s limited-edition Bombay Sapphire Sunset Bacardi has expanded its Bombay Sapphire range with a new limited-edition aromatic gin inspired by the heat and glow of the setting sun. With a unique aromatic flavor expression, the limited-edition gin is said to be ideal for cocktail creativity. It also features a slighter higher ABV of 43%, allowing for a heightened concentration of spices. bacardi.com

Tell us more about Meker’s organic waste bio-disposers

These are small machines that can transform any organic waste into a fertilizer within 24 hours. Their use is very straightforward: you open the lid of the machine, you throw in the daily capacity of food waste and will have fertilizer after 24 hours.

Which sectors do you cater to and how can hotels and restaurants benefit from the line?

We have machines that cater for a wide range of sectors. Some machines are

MEKER ENVIRONMENT: HOW WASTE BIO-DISPENSERS CAN BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS

Meker Environment was created in early 2018, as a response to the garbage crisis that Lebanon has been facing since 2015. It is a subsidiary of Société Meker pour l’Industrie, one of oldest (50 years) kitchen manufacturers in Lebanon. HN spoke to Ramy Mehanna, sales director, to learn more about their o erings and services.

specifically developed for food waste that can be used in houses, buildings, cafeterias, hospitals, malls, resorts, banks, cruise ships, hotels and military camps. We have another machine that is geared more toward compost production using any type of organic input (manure, sludge, vegetables and fruits) and that can produce mature compost in 24 hours. By how much can this product decrease the daily waste in a property since decomposition can be done with a 24-hour cycle?

The machines reduce the weight of the input by up to 90 percent. You need a 24- hours cycle. After that, and depending on the input type, you can reuse it as a fertilizer in small percentage. You can also mix it with green waste and water, and make a secondary composting for a wider use. meker.com