SAUDI ARABIA-COFFEE/CHOCOLATE EXHIBITION First time host Riyadh holds International Exhibition of Chocolate and Coffee

Record ID: 189558

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-COFFEE/CHOCOLATE EXHIBITION First time host Riyadh holds International Exhibition of Chocolate and Coffee
  • Date: 16th December 2014
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (DECEMBER 15, 2014) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MAN CHECKING COFFEE BEANS COFFEE BEANS FALLING IN A CUP BIG ADVERTISING, READING (Arabic and English): "DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF HANDCRAFTED COFFEE AND LATTE ART FROM OUR EXPERT BARISTAS" VISITORS GATHERING AT ONE OF THE COFFEE COMPANY'S SECTION VARIOUS OF ROASTING HOUSE COFFEE COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE SHOWING VISITORS ONE OF THE SPECIAL WAYS TO PREPARE COFFEE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAUDI ECONOMIST, HAJER AL-FADHEL, SAYING: "Many people think that the Kingdom is only importing coffee, that is not true as the city of Jazan is number one in the exporting of coffee where it has more than 700,000 coffee trees. According to the study, which we have done, Jazan is considered one of the leading cities that exports coffee. Saudi Arabia is also considered a leading coffee and chocolate consumer, where it occupies the first position in the Middle East and third globally." VISITORS TOURING THE EXHIBITION CHOCOLATE COMPANY EMPLOYEE PREPARING CHOCOLATES FOR VISITORS COMPANY EMPLOYEES OFFERING CHOCOLATE TO VISITORS VISITOR PICKING UP CHOCOLATE FROM COUNTER CHOCOLATE ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MARKETING DIRECTOR OF AANI & DANI CHOCOLATE COMPANY, MAZEN MATTAR, SAYING: "The demand for chocolate in Saudi Arabia has increased by 20% for the year 2014. For this reason, the number of chocolate companies in the Saudi market has increased, and we, as a company, have 11 branches and are working to open our 12th branch." VARIOUS OF SALESMAN TALKING ABOUT HIS COMPANY'S PRODUCTS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EXHIBITION VISITOR, ABDULLAH RAMAH, SAYING: "I came to the exhibition and found new types of coffee that are different from the ones I tried in the past. I tasted several types of coffee and it looks like I will become addicted to it." VISITOR LISTENING TO CHOCOLATE COMPANY OWNER WOMAN SERVING COFFEE TO VISITOR VISITOR TASTING CHOCOLATE WITH COFFEE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPANT, FATIMAH, SAYING: "At first, we started our business at home and developed it. We started with chocolate we call ceramic chocolate; now we make different types of chocolate, Thank God we have achieved success." FRAME READING (English): "KEEP CALM AND EAT CHOCOLATE" VARIOUS OF MAN SHOWING COFFEE MACHINES SAUDI WOMEN DRINKING COFFEE VISITORS TOURING THE EXHIBITION ARABIC COFFEE COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE SERVING COFFEE FROM HIS PRODUCT TO VISITOR VISITOR DRINKING COFFEE ADVERTISING BANNER SHOWING TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND READING ARABIC (FAST PREPARE ARABIC COFFEE) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF THE EXHIBITION, EBTIHAL AL-AZAZ, SAYING: "As you know, the Saudi market is huge and promising in the field of coffee and chocolate and for this reason we have organised the International Exhibition of coffee and chocolate for the first time in the Kingdom in Riyadh. The exhibition aims to gather consumers and investors under one roof to exchange beneficial ideas." POSTER READING (Arabic and English): "DRAWING BY COFFEE ACTIVITY" WOMAN TAKING PICTURES WITH MOBILE PHONE FOR ARTIST DRAWING WITH COFFEE VARIOUS OF SAUDI ARTISTS DRAWING WITH COFFEE SKETCH DRAWN WITH COFFEE VISITORS AT THE EXHIBITION
  • Embargoed: 31st December 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9C8U1074O80B08KIU5CQSYJU4
  • Story Text: The world's leading coffee and chocolate companies descended on Riyadh this week as Saudi Arabia hosted the International Exhibition of Chocolate and Coffee.
    It is the first time the kingdom has hosted the annual event that started on Monday (December 15).
    Several Saudi Arabian coffee and chocolate producers and leading Arab companies are using the three-day exhibition to promote the kingdom's position as a coffee producer and stimulate support for the growing sector.
    The nearby mountainous region in Jazan province is one of the oldest coffee-producing regions in the world.
    "Many people think that the kingdom is only importing coffee, that is not true as the city of Jazan is number one in the export of coffee where it has more than 700,000 coffee trees," Saudi economist Hajer Al-Fadhel told Reuters.
    "Jazan is considered one of the leading cities that exports coffee. Saudi Arabia is also considered a leading coffee and chocolate consumer, where it occupies the first position in the Middle East and third globally."
    Saudi Arabia is considered one of the largest markets for chocolates in the Middle East. Annual sales have crossed 500 million Saudi riyals (133 million dollars), event organisers said.
    Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha are considered the best occasions for the chocolate traders.
    Leading foreign brands of chocolate produced in Switzerland, Belgium, USA, UK, France, Turkey and Malaysia also do brisk business.
    Chocolate producers say the appetite for their product is growing.
    "The demand for chocolate in Saudi Arabia has increased by 20% for the year 2014. For this reason, the number of chocolate companies in the Saudi market has increased, and we, as a company, have 11 branches and are working to open our 12th branch," said Mazen Mattar, Marketing Director of the Aani & Dani Chocolate Company.
    Saudi Arabia boasts one of the youngest populations in the region -- and coffee is getting increasingly popular with this demographic.
    "I found new types of coffee that are different from the one I tried in the past. I tasted several types of coffee and it looks like I will become addicted to it," visitor Abdullah Rammah joked.
    Small Saudi chocolate businesses are also doing well.
    "We started our business at home and developed it. We started with chocolate we call ceramic chocolate; now we make different types of chocolate. We have achieved success," said Saudi chocolatier, Fatimah.
    Organisers said coffee sales in the country are forecast to post a growth of 77.7 percent in terms of value between 2011 and 2016.
    "The exhibition aims to gather consumers and investors under one roof to exchange beneficial ideas," said exhibition director Ebthihal Al-Azaz.
    The estimated size of the Saudi coffee market is 50 million Saudi riyals, according to exhibition organisers. But with coffee sales expected to outperform tea sales in terms of growth over the next year, Saudi Arabia is poised to capture a rich share of the market.
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