ISM Middle East Doubles in Size for 2024 Edition
ISM Middle East 2024, the region’s sole sweets and snacks trade event, takes place in a larger event space than ever before this year. Meeting increasing industry demand in the region, particularly ahead of the busy end of year holiday season, ISM Middle East cements its place on the regional industry calendar by moving to September, offering a larger, more dynamic platform for the sweets and snacks sector. This year’s event, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from September 24-26, not only boasts a bigger exhibition footprint, but also an unprecedented amount of content, activations and networking opportunities.
ISM Middle East 2024 showcases over 50,000 trending and in-demand confectionery products and innovative snack foods, from the broadest-ever cross-section of the manufacturing industry. Sectors represented include chocolate products, confectionery, snack foods, biscuits and cakes, ice cream & desserts, and more, with an impressive line-up of over 500 exhibitors from more than 50 countries covering double the exhibition space of previous years.
Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre commented: “ISM Middle East continues to solidify its position as the premier platform for the global sweets and snacks industry, especially in the rapidly-growing MENA region. The significant expansion of our exhibition space and introduction of new features like the ISM Expert Stage reflect our commitment to fostering innovation and providing unmatched opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing. We are excited to welcome both returning and first-time exhibitors, and we look forward to seeing the groundbreaking products and insights that will shape the future of this vibrant industry.”
Reflecting ISM Middle East’s ever-increasing global reach, 16 countries – including Indonesia, France, Vietnam, Ukraine and Colombia – will be represented at ISM Middle East for the first time, with new and returning exhibitors including Zar Group, Wawel, Gumlink, Guatemalan Candies, Eastern Sweets, Confiteca, Confiserie Seidel, Farolin, SIAFA, Alreem Chocolate and Chocolake.
ISM Middle East is a joint venture between Dubai World Trade Centre and Koelnmesse GmbH.
Gerald Boese, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH, commented: “As we continue our long-standing and successful collaboration with Dubai World Trade Centre, ISM Middle East has become a crucial hub for the sweets and snacks sector in the MENA region. This year’s event sees a significant step change in scale, with an expanded footprint, a diverse range of exhibitors, and the launch of new features that cater to the evolving needs of the industry. Our commitment to excellence in trade fair management ensures that ISM Middle East remains at the forefront of industry trends, offering unparalleled opportunities for businesses to connect, innovate, and thrive in a dynamic market”.
With over 30,000 wholesalers, distributors, importers, retailers, and foodservice professionals from across the MENA region attending, this premier event offers unparalleled opportunities for
sourcing the best sweets and snacks in the MENA region. These buyers, and sweets and snacks manufacturers from around the world, will also have multiple opportunities to establish new
professional connections and strengthen existing ones through the ISM Middle East Meetings Programme, which is designed to connect exhibitors directly with relevant and hand-picked buyers
on the show floor. The programme offers personalised connections with key figures in the industry, initiating an anticipated 2,000+ quality meetings and creating business networking opportunities.