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Sascha Dutta
Markets: UK EU MENA
Sascha is a Marketing & Social Media Strategy Consultant with a wealth of experience managing marketing projects in the UK and internationally.
View profileEnter Middle East F&B Markets with Local Expert Guidance
The Middle East is a promising market for F&B, thanks to the diverse and affluent population keen to try out new products.
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What we help with
Enter a new market
Identify the right markets, partners, and routes to entry with local F&B experts who've done it before.
Restructure your market
Fix an existing local team, distributor network, or route to market with a senior in-market expert.
Innovate with local insight
Develop products and propositions that fit local tastes, culture, and regulatory requirements.
Unique Characteristics
Middle East
A diverse and growing consumer base of locals and expats, with fast-growing disposable income
Import
80-90% of food is imported
Increased government support
Improved food security, safety, sustainability, and infrastructure
Rich food traditions
In tandem with growing interest in modern formats and experiences
Challenges of Middle East
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Complex market which needs a strong understanding of consumers, social norms, and local cultures
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Language can be a barrier, despite English being the standard language for business
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Finding a local sponsor or partner
The GourmetPro Difference
Discover the Flavor of Opportunity
Home to some of the wealthiest countries, the Middle East is a fascinating and promising market for food and drink businesses, especially since the region is heavily dependent on food imports and has a diverse population keen to try out new products. Across the region, governments are looking at increasing self-reliance on food through modernization and tech-forward innovations, opening up several opportunities for different types of F&B players.
Savor Success with GourmetPro Experts
Experience and local expertise are invaluable in these situations. That's where our GourmetPro Collective of experts comes in. Each of our local experts has decades of experience spanning every aspect of the food and beverage industry, just to help you craft an effective growth strategy for market entry, expansion, or innovation in each step of your journey.
Hire GourmetPro Talent
Our Middle East experts have decades of on-the-ground F&B experience to help you enter, expand, and innovate.
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Ryan Varga-Clark
Markets: MENA GCC ME US
Ryan is a highly skilled leader with extensive experience in multi-billion-dollar businesses on a global platform. With over ten years in the international arena, he has launched and managed multi-national projects across the MENA markets, Turkey, UK, Kazakhstan, and Russia. As the Business Head at Emirates Group, Ryan transformed the Hospitality and Catering Business Unit from a negative 30% to profit in six months. Previously, as the Director of Strategic Procurement, Culinary, and Manufacturing at Americana Group, he managed over 2,000 restaurants, established NPD and culinary functions, and oversaw teams across four production sites. Ryan is a valuable asset for companies aiming to boost commercial and operational activities in the GCC region.
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Jim White
Markets: Indonesia APAC
Jim has extensive experience in sales, marketing, and business development in international F&B markets.
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Konstantinos Apostolou
Markets: ME
Konstantinos, an accomplished executive, excels in end-to-end marketing and high-profile budget management, consistently improving market share.
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Denis Boursier
Markets: APAC EU ME NA
With three decades in the food and beverage industry, Denis has consistently driven organizational transformation and performance excellence. His strategic leadership has led to customer-centric growth, market expansion, and successful brand introductions in competitive landscapes. Denis is renowned for his expertise in strategic planning, marketing innovation, and business development, evident in his successful setup of sales and marketing operations in Paris, Hong Kong, and New York. Beyond his consultancy, Denis indulges in flying as a private pilot, showcasing his penchant for detailed planning and precise execution.
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Lorenzo Livi
Markets: EU South America ME
Lorenzo is an accomplished Senior Executive with a proven track record in leading profitable businesses globally. He brings strategic vision and exemplary leadership honed through roles at multinational firms like Ferrero, Danone, Lactalis, and Nestlé. With expertise spanning marketing, export strategy, retail, wholesalers, business development, trade marketing, and consultancy, Lorenzo thrives in international environments, driving forward business development initiatives with a results-oriented approach. His comprehensive skill set includes Global Brand Management, Controlling, Innovation Development, Marketing Mix Optimization, Advertising Strategy, Market Research, Multimedia Communication, Brand/Range Rationalization, P&L Optimization, Export, and Operational Planning, reflecting my profound understanding of the FMCG sector.
View profileReady to unlock your next business opportunity?
Schedule a CallNo obligation. Bring the target market and outcome; we'll route you to the right expert path.