The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia is returning to Jeddah for its 6th annual edition this week (April 10-12). Various live kitchens will be set up across the show floor demonstrating the latest local and international products and trends in the F&B (food and beverage) sector.
The Inter-Hotel Culinary Competition will also return for its second edition, which is endorsed by Worldchefs, the Saudi Arabian Chefs Association and culinary partner Unilever Food Solutions.
Unilever will have its own dedicated kitchen where various new products and recipes will be revealed to the Saudi market during live demonstrations.
Chef Jean Van Der Westhuizen, executive chef Middle East, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Unilever, said: “The Saudi food industry grows differently to other markets. There has always been a growing popularity for imported international brands in the Kingdom and we can see that these brands have started to adapt more closely to the unique needs of the Saudi diners.”
“We want to cater to the specific needs of the customers in HORECA and their guests. Being at The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia gives us the opportunity to interact with the industry to identify their needs and wants, and share the latest local and international trends and insights.”
Chef Westhuizen added: “We are seeing that owners and managers of high-end hotels, restaurants, and business-class travel are searching to enhance their guest experience through high-quality natural flavors, and they also care about every detail of the service. Pure Leaf, a premium tea brand, popular in the United States, is a great fit for this purpose.
“Less sugar-based beverages are increasingly important. Thus, our launch of Lipton Freshly Brewed Ice Tea offers a great alternative to soft drinks for the more health-conscious diner.”
Unilever will also use The Hotel Show as a platform to highlight its latest product in its foods portfolio — the “Knorr Tomato Powder” — a product which transforms 88 dehydrated tomatoes into 6.7 liters of rich tomato sauce in just one minute.
The Unilever Food Solutions team will also share advice for Ramadan at the Jeddah event, focusing on areas such as inspirational buffet recipes, monitoring dish consumption to manage costs, and reducing waste.
The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia 2018 will be held on April 10-12 at the Jeddah Center for Forums and Events.
Chefs to demonstrate latest trends in F&B in Jeddah show
Chefs to demonstrate latest trends in F&B in Jeddah show
25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum
The Social Development Bank concluded the second edition of the Entrepreneurship and Modern Business Practices Forum — DeveGo 2025 — announcing the achievement of high-impact outcomes that further reinforced the forum’s position as the largest national platform in the region dedicated to entrepreneurship, innovation, and freelance work in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
The forum witnessed broad participation from local and international experts, investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of local, regional, and international institutions.
Over three days at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the forum drew 25,000 participants and visitors, who benefited from over 45 specialized workshops and over 2500 advisory sessions delivered by more than 70 consultants and experts.
The sessions covered key areas including entrepreneurial planning, business models, venture capital, digital platforms, freelancing, and emerging technologies.
The forum also featured 20 panel discussions with leading local and international speakers, addressing major global trends in entrepreneurship, including the future of artificial intelligence, the creative economy, digital transformation, and venture investment.
The forum saw the launch of the Saudi Empretec Fellowship, in the presence of Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
The partners in success within the Social Responsibility Portfolio supporting entrepreneurs were honored.
It also saw the honoring of 13 winners of the Handicrafts Competition, representing various regions of the Kingdom, the announcement of winners of the Salam Award for Promising Projects, and the recognition of leading entrepreneurial projects fund under the Enterprises Track.
In addition, the NEXT UP Challenge concluded on the third day of the forum with 20 startups presenting their projects to more than 500 investors, enhancing opportunities for networking and partnership building.
As part of efforts to strengthen the support ecosystem, the forum witnessed the signing of 51 agreements, along with the launch of a suite of new financing products. These included the Capital Expansion Product with a ceiling of up to SR10 million, the Payroll Product with a ceiling of SR2 million, and the Rental Product with a ceiling of SR1.5 million, aimed at supporting enterprises in asset development and covering operational costs.
This reflects the bank’s direction toward offering more specialized financing tools that respond effectively to market needs.
The forum concluded by reaffirming its role as a unifying national platform for entrepreneurship, where accompanying activities and events provided direct engagement opportunities between entrepreneurs, investors, and experts.
The forum also highlighted success stories and practical experiences that reflect the scale of entrepreneurial momentum in the Kingdom and the growing role of the Social Development Bank in supporting a national economy driven by innovation and knowledge.
