Gulfood 2024: Beverage innovation focuses on shelf stability and convenience

27 Feb 2024 --- The growing trend for functional ingredients, new flavors and leveraging agri-food tech is driving beverage innovation in the UAE as consumers in the Middle East embrace health, well-being and sustainability. 

The Middle Eastern beverage market is brimming with a variety of innovations in ambient drinks, mocktails, new flavor formats and functional ingredients. These concepts, as well as the latest consumer trends and market dynamics in UAE markets, were highlighted at the Dubai World Trade Centre event (February 19 to 23).

Food Ingredients First spoke with packaged product and raw material suppliers on the show floor to better understand the opportunities for exporters to the Middle East, specifically the United Arab Emirates. The UAE currently imports about 80% of the food and beverage necessary to feed its growing population and the millions of tourists who visit every year. 

Less than ten years ago, it was almost 99%. The country is investing heavily in agriculture technology to grow local food production, but it is not even close to making a dent in what’s required. 

“Our national food strategy aims to enhance local production sustainability through the use of modern technology,” said Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, during opening remarks at the co-located Inspire Conference.

“This year, on our national environment day, we focused on collaboration and started working together for sustainable local products. We invite all our relevant stakeholders to join efforts in empowering local products.”

The UAE currently imports about 80% of the food and beverage necessary to feed its growing population and the millions of tourists who visit every year.Save money by not exporting water
The primary imported packaged products are specialty foods and global brands, along with raw materials to manufacture packaged products in the Emirates and neighboring countries. For example, milk powders are a big import business. These get hydrated into fluid milk and processed into perishable dairy foods. 

Innovative dried beverage mixes present a big opportunity in this market. West Bay International Food and Beverages, for example, is ready to start exporting Yogoody instant yogurt smoothie packets from its home country of Portugal. The 1.2.3.Yog product “is a twist on yogurt,” according to Anabela Ferreira, founder.

“It’s perfect for on-the-go consumption or for countries and places where logistics and store refrigeration may be a challenge,” she highlighted.

“The idea arose from the need to present a richer and more functional nutritional formulation, similar to traditional yogurt, but in powder format to add water,” she said. “The product took 12 months to develop, aiming to guarantee the quality, flavor, texture, viability and longevity of the yogurt cultures.

“Products like this are blazing the trail for the future of sustainable transformation in the agri-food system,” she added. “We are simultaneously enhancing the health and well-being of consumers while also improving the planet.”

The range includes original and high-protein formulations, which are dairy-based, along with a vegan line. Each single-serve 30-gram packet is also loaded with probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, minerals and flavor. Consumers may simply add the packet to a bottle of water, shake and drink. The mix has a 12-month ambient shelf life, which ensures viability of the cultures.

Providing value in RTD 
Specialty ready-to-drink beverages are also a big import for many Gulf nations. This was the second consecutive year for carbonated beverage manufacturer Al Jameel of Saudi Arabia to participate. The company just entered the soft drink category a year ago and today its Kinza cola can be found throughout the Gulf region.

The company is adding new flavors to its carbonated line, including pomegranate and sugar-free lemon. There’s also a new line of mocktails.

The brand resonates with younger Middle Easterners, a demographic who want to embrace culture and the essence of their land. In other words, as one clerk at a Carrefour supermarket told Food Ingredients First: “It’s about keeping it local and close to home.”

In Arabic, “kinz” means “treasure,” suggesting the brand represents the spirit of young Arabs who have the desire to open up to the world while remaining authentic and true to themselves. And the message resonates.

Dr. Morgaine Gaye, food futurologist, presenting at Gulfood 2024.“During the Gulfood exhibition, we signed partnerships to enter ten new markets,” said Bandar Akrin, founder and CEO of Al Jameel. “We are also in negotiations with a number of commercial partners to open factories and license manufacturing in further new markets.”

Better-for-you and the planet
Health and wellness beverages are just starting to show up on the shelves of UAE retailers. That will likely change soon, as the exposition featured numerous brands highlighting better-for-you benefits, some for the consumer, some for the planet and many for both.

Ehrmann, Germany, made its worldwide debut of Foodie at Gulfood. The line of shelf-stable, on-the-go meal replacement drinks come in 400-milliliter bottles in five flavors: Choco-licious, Coffee Macchiato Style, Pistachio Style, Vanilla and Vanilla Blueberry.

Once opened, they require refrigeration. One bottle contains 30 grams of protein (from milk and milk protein), 20 grams of fat (from dairy and vegetable oil), 18 grams of sugar (from dairy) and 6 grams of fiber (from oats). The drinks are lactose-free, gluten-free and have no added sugar.

Shelf-stable pouches were abundant at Gulfood. Futuremeal, Spain, showcased its extensive line of Me Milk offerings, including vitamin-enriched flavored lattes and protein-powered yogurt smoothies. And, Yabon of France gave attendees a sneak peek at its new ambient skyr-style yogurt pouches. The high-protein, low-sugar product will be available during the summer of 2024 in lemon, plain and vanilla flavors.

Coffeenade of Switzerland used Gulfood to debut its namesake effervescent coffee-infused beverage. The shelf-stable, all-natural energy drink comes in recyclable aluminum cans and has an ambient shelf life of 18 months.

The initial concept was developed by CEO Sandro Tughushi in 2015 as part of his graduate studies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided to bring it to fruition. The package is an important part of the brand, as Tughuski is striving to use 100% recycled packaging by 2025.

“It took two years to find the right balance of carbon dioxide with coffee to keep the product stable,” he told Food Ingredients First. “There were more than 200 prototypes of the recipe and even more cans that were tested to make sure the drink did not blow up.”

The first variety is a coffee lemonade made with the juice of lemons imported from Sicily. Two additional flavors—matcha and red berries—will be available by the summer of 2024, and there’s a matcha yuzu variety in the works for Japan. All of the varieties are slightly sweetened with beet sugar.

Specialty ready-to-drink beverages featured at the show are a big import for many Gulf nations.“The coffee is a proprietary blend of robusta and arabica beans without much bitterness,” said Tughushi. And we use water sourced from the Swiss and Austrian Alps, which has a distinct taste that helps keep added sugars at a minimum.”

Another coffee innovation at Gulfood was from Myra Food Factory of Turkey. The dry mix company developed a single-serve paper cup that includes instant coffee. Simply peel back the lid and add hot water. The coffee is compressed to the bottom of the cup and sealed with foil. This enables the cups to be stacked for shipping. The cup is not limited to coffee. There are also tea, soup and mashed potato options.

The UAE has a highly regulated alcohol industry, as the majority of citizens do not consume. They are, however, very interested in the plethora of mocktails and no-alcohol beers that have been growing throughout Europe.

Twisst, Austria, received the Best New Non-Alcoholic Beverage Award from Gulfoods. The brand recently added passion fruit mojito and strawberry daiquiri to its offerings, joining caramel cream, mojito and pina colada.

The Best Health and Wellness Product went to the Estonian oat drink producer Yook. The range is made from whole grain oats and includes a gluten-free barista drink, an organic drink and an oat drink enriched with vitamins and calcium.

“Yook has won the Gulfood Innovation Award, which can easily be called the Oscar of the food world,” said Katre Kovask, CEO of Yook. “We are very proud and happy to keep Yook and Estonian food in the spotlight and promote it.”

By Donna Berry, reporting from Gulfood, Dubai