Preparations underway for Gulfood’s 28th edition

Gulfood, the world’s largest F&B and hospitality show, is set to host its 28th edition from February 20-24, 2023.

Driving creativity and change, the forthcoming edition will continue to unite food and beverage communities in Dubai and act as a springboard for new ideas. Returning to Dubai World Trade Centre, the renowned event will bring together more than 5,000 companies from 120 countries. An impressive line-up of industry thought leaders and top chefs from around the world will be present to share their know-how and chart the way forward. Established in 1987 as a dedicated platform for imported products, Gulfood has grown significantly over the past decade. While the primary finished foods event attracts over 5,000 exhibitors and 90,000 visitors per year, a series of sector-specific spin-offs have seen the Gulfood brand expand, with dedicated platforms for manufacturing, hospitality equipment, confectioneries, seafood and gourmet products. The show’s evolution has taken place in parallel with the widespread transformation of the F&B industry. With robust participation from national trade entities, government-backed industry bodies, organizations and country pavilions, Gulfood has consolidated its position at the forefront of the industry. Maintaining this momentum, the fiveday trade show will highlight the latest innovations, disruptive trends and visionary products in eight primary show sectors: beverages; dairy; fats and oils; health, wellness and free-from; meat and poultry; power brands; pulses, grains and cereals; and world food.

Gulfood will, once again, look toward the future of food and address what matters with industry experts. Taking this approach, the show will explore a range of topics that are built around five central pillars: markets, lifestyle, government, technology and marketing. gulfood.com

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KITCHENS OF THE FUTURE

Luminescenza has plenty of experience in assisting foodservice clients. Georges Haddad, the firm's owner, shares his insights on the future of commercial kitchens and how technology is redefining the way they operate and improve both food quality and outcomes in restaurants.

Novel solutions have automated everyday kitchen processes. Indeed, the advent of the IoT has enabled equipment like refrigerators, ovens, pans and grills to communicate and share highlevel networks, eliminating the need for human intervention. Foodservice companies must find ways to reduce costs without sacrificing food quality or customer experience. For this reason, many restaurateurs are using technology, automation and even robotics to improve daily kitchen operations. Predictions Considering the potential disruptive factors of foodservice equipment, we predict that sustainability will become more important, kitchen equipment will become smarter and delivery will remain a driving factor. We forecast that: Back-of-house operations will become fully automated as costs fall, and flexible, reprogrammable robotics will become more sophisticated.

The restaurant of the future will be smaller with more automated kitchen equipment, and the typical kitchen layout may change. Artificial intelligence with knowledge of cooking techniques, food chemistry and recipes will be capable of delivering new culinary and beverage experiences. Through technological advancements, more restaurants will be designed to reduce the use of energy and water, as well as minimizing waste. In order to keep your commercial kitchen ahead of the curve, below are some key future-proof kitchen automation features to invest in:

A back-of-house solution that can integrate with all the devices in your restaurant is a smart choice. As a restaurant operator, you will no doubt want to create a more efficient and profitable restaurant. This is where kitchen data becomes essential. A number of kitchen display systems (KDS) are now starting to gather data from every stage of the guest’s dining journey, creating a more personalized experience from the first contact until they leave your restaurant. With this data to hand, restaurant operators can use it to create marketing campaigns and identify bottlenecks. In addition, a number of kitchen automation systems offer a business intelligence app for restaurant owners. Through the app, operators can set alerts for when a particular metric falls below standards.

Apart from automated kitchen features, there are a number of automated kitchen appliances of note:

Automated controls and cooking processes cut labor and eliminate safety issues while boosting the quality and consistency of fried foods. Combi ovens make it possible for chefs to perform an impressive array of functions. Energy costs in the foodservice sector are three times higher per square foot compared to other industries. Therefore, it is important to install a system that can monitor HVAC energy usage, as well as provide real-time alerts when problems arise. Restaurateurs who invest in the right kitchen technology will benefit from higher profits and growth, not only in the coming year but well into the future.

Who is Luminescenza? With nearly 10 years of experience, Luminescenza is driven by the philosophy that a successful project is the result of a systematic approach to addressing its customers' needs with optimal functionality. The company offers solutions to challenges within the foodservice industry by creating facilities that aesthetically engage customers and provide an enhanced workplace environment for the people who operate them. Luminescenza provides services including design, project management, consultancy, QA/QC and risk management.

For more information, contact consultant@luminescenza.info