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As the March 29th deadline for the  the United Kingdom to exit the European Union (EU) looms, close to 80 British companies are attending the ongoing Gulfood – the world’s largest annual food and beverage trade exhibition, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to a statement released on Tuesday by Gulfood, among these British companies are food and beverage producers who are exploring new deals in the Middle East, Africa and Asia to offset potential revenue shortfalls in the event of a no-deal Brexit, a situation where the UK is unable to agree on a trade deal with the EU.  

A no-deal Brexit on March 29 will mean Britain will automatically fall back on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. Thus, British food producers that continue to export their products to EU member-countries after Brexit will face tariff hikes of up to 35 per cent.

“We are throwing the net out as widely as possible,” said Henry Openshaw, Export Director for Grandma Singletons – a family-run cheese maker based in North West of England. “If we lose our European business overnight, we will need to find a lot of new customers very quickly and that’s where Gulfood comes in.”

According to Gulfood, Phil Hadley, International Market Development Director at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) – a levy organisation funded by farmers, growers and other entities across the supply chain – was optimistic the food and beverage show can ease the strain of Brexit.

“There is a huge opportunity in the regional market and Gulfood is the platform to embrace that opportunity,” said Hadley, as the AHDB brought around 12 British meat producers to the 24th edition of Gulfood exhibition, taking place on February 17-21 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Over 98,000 professionals in the food and beverage industry from 193 countries are attending this week’s Gulfood.

Jonathan Eckley, Head of Asia Pacific Export for AHDB said, “Gulfood, and the stable it provides to emerging markets, now carries increased global significance for British food producers.”

Openshaw said his company was already having very positive conversations with buyers from Ukraine, Pakistan and across the Middle East.

Managed and hosted by the DWTC, the Gulfood trade show promises a wave of new services and innovations to reflect changes in consumer demand. It features over 5,000 exhibitors showcasing products across 8 primary market sectors: beverages; diary; fat and oil; meat and poultry; pulses, grains and cereals; health, wellness and free-from; power brands; and world food.