ISM Middle East 2024 has wrapped up its most recent edition to date, focusing on the sweets, snacks, and confectionery industry in the MENA region. This year’s event attracted over 550 exhibitors from all over the world, showcasing their latest products and innovations to an audience of about 19.000 international visitors.

With a focus on innovation, quality, and emerging trends such as healthy indulgence, vegan confectionery, organic flavors, and traditional sweets, ISM Middle East offered an international platform for industry leaders and professionals to connect, collaborate, and discover new business opportunities.

"The decision to organize ISM Middle East 2024 within the new set-up was a strategic move, and it has been proven to be the right one when looking at the remarkable participation we’ve witnessed this year. The event saw an impressive turnout of both exhibitors and visitors, which clearly demonstrates that ISM Middle East is firmly established as the leading trade fair for the sweets and snacks sector in the MENA region. This level of international participation is a strong testament to the trust and value that the global industry places in this platform. We are incredibly proud to offer a space where meaningful connections and impactful business transactions can thrive," says Gerald Boese, president and CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH.

Feedback from exhibitors has reportedly been positive, with many expressing satisfaction with the quality of leads made during the event. The strong presence of international visitors—comprised of industry buyers, distributors, and key decision-makers—has led to networking opportunities.

Mark Napier, vice president – portfolio growth food & hospitality, Dubai World Trade Centre, adds: "The sweets and snacks industry is constantly evolving, and ISM Middle East 2024 has truly showcased the dynamic and innovative spirit of this sector. This year's event highlighted the increasing demand for healthier and more sustainable products, as well as the growing interest in ethical sourcing and personalized products. The turnout and the quality of contacts made during the event underscore the importance of ISM Middle East as a key platform for industry leaders to connect, collaborate, and discover new business opportunities. We are excited to continue driving innovation and excellence in the sweets and snacks industry and look forward to welcoming even more exhibitors and visitors in 2025."

This year’s event featured several key highlights:

• Expanded exhibition space: The exhibition space doubled in size compared to previous years, accommodating over 500 exhibitors from more than 50 countries, including Albania, Columbia, Denmark, France, Guatemala, Romania, and Vietnam represented for the first time, plus introducing popular domestic flavors and brands for the first time in the region.
• New product launches Leading brands used this year’s show to launch diverse new products, ranging from dark chocolate chickpea cakes from Lestello and vegan chews from Van Slooten to wax paper-wrapped candy balls from Confiserie Napoleon.
• Opportunities to learn: This year’s expanded show provided more immersive and holistic learning experiences across the three days with the introduction of The Expert Stage, with insights from global leaders such as Mars, General Mills, Kellanova, Bahlsen, and more, and the Festive Showcase, a targeted sourcing platform for distributors and retailers to source the most trending products for corporate gifting and to enhance their seasonal portfolio.
• Award winners: The ISM Middle East Awards recognized innovation in the industry through an elevated awards program, judged by a jury of leaders from Talabat, Trubell, and Big Basket, with awards for the best bakery product, hard and soft candy, chocolate product, healthy snack product, organic product, traditional product, and best brand story.

The next edition of ISM Middle East will take place from September 15–17, 2025 at Dubai World Trade Centre. For more information on next year’s show, visit ISM Middle East's website.

Related: ISM Middle East 2023 concludes with sizable attendance record