RIYADH – Saudi Arabia ranks as the biggest coffee consuming country in the world, where coffee is a symbol of the Arabic generosity and hospitality, as well as a daily irreplaceable drink. 

 

According to an academic study by Dr. Firdaus Bukhari, King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the biggest coffee consuming country in the world. The imported quantities of coffee – used to prepare Arabic coffee – on an annual basis in the Saudi markets is estimated at 10,000 tons.  

 

The study showed also that the consumption of coffee per capita amounts to 3 kg per year. According to the same statistics, Saudi people spend annually more than SR1 billion for the preparation of coffee and its components. The Kingdom imports on an annual basis more than 26,000 tons of cardamom, ginger and saffron with a total value exceeding SR4.5 billion, while the number of coffee shops in Saudi Arabia increases more than 10 percent per year.

 

As for the chocolate market, financial reports indicate that GCC countries acquire 40 percent of the global chocolate market, considering this percentage one of the factors that have made Saudi Arabia one of the strongest markets in the Arab world, and indicating that the Kingdom occupies the first place in the consumption of chocolate in the aforementioned region.

 

According to “Euromonitor” and global market studies, the chocolate regional market is experiencing a strong growth and it is expected to close deals worth of $5.8 billion by 2016.

 

In the light of the above, The International Coffee & Chocolate Exhibition (coffeechoco-expo.com), the first of its kind in the Kingdom, is set to open its gates on Dec. 15-17, 2014  in Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski, Riyadh with the participation of local and international companies.

 

The 3 day-long event, organized by Heights Agency, will showcase the best equipment, services and products from regional and international producers and suppliers while delivering the most progressive global industry-related products and services to the region and provide exhibitors the chance to develop long-term business relationships as well as find the perfect platform for expanding business in Saudi Arabia.

 

The International Coffee & Chocolate Exhibition will give the perfect opportunity for interesting parties to reach key independent and chain buyers, as well as set meetings with hosted buyers.During the exhibition, a number of activities will be held in order to define these two products of major importance, and learn about the latest global trade trends, the latest innovations of coffee and chocolate and technical developments in this field under one roof. — SG