Munch!Stage

Health, wellbeing, salt and sugar levels, fair trade, traceability, quality, novelty… Heightened consumers expectations are disrupting confectionery and bring their lot of challenges to be tackled together with brand new opportunities to be seized.

This is an exciting time for the confectionery & snacks landscape! This October, join the crème of the industry at Munch! stage to hear about the latest trends, developments, regulatory updates and innovations to help you sustain your competitive edge and have your products sell like hot cakes!

*Registered visitors gain free access to the conference

Welcome and opening address

10:45 | 15 mins

Farah Sawaf, Managing Partner - Soul Communications

Mapping the sweet opportunities

Get expert updates about the sweets and snacks industry with a view to gain a competitive edge as well as adjust or strategize for a profitable future.

11:00 | 30 mins

Zulfiqar Razvi, Executive Director, BASES Leader, Africa and Middle East - Nielsen

'Better for You': Harnessing a new generation of shoppers

Delving into snacks premiumization and flavor adultification methods – from ingredients to packaging- to develop and retain customer base well into their adulthood.

11:30 | 30 mins

Ananya Narayan, Managing Director - Hunter Foods – UAE

The Future of Snacking

Beyond the stigma of quality and taste when it comes to snacking, practicality and healthier options are what consumers are looking for at the dawn of the 21st Century. Join this session to know more ...

12:00 | 30 mins

Mohamad Al Durr, Gulf Managing Director - Mondelēz International

Harnessing the Power of Media

Brand Licensing and co-branding are powerful tools when it comes to reaching to new customers and creating new revenue streams. Join this session to find out how you can leverage these practices in th ...

12:30 | 30 mins

Ali El Hagar, Commercial Director MENAT - Warner Media | Boomerang | Cartoon Network

Fireside Chat: Keeping up the pace

An open conversation covering the different trends in confectionery and snacks and how they impact the market. Find out what brands are doing to keep up the pace in a landscape that, while set in ston ... Fadi Cachecho

13:00 | 30 mins

Fadi Cachecho, GM Partnership Markets - Hershey's

Recipe for wholesomeness

The Middle East nurtures its history and tradition, including culinary arts. Let us talk about the virtues of camel milk and how a whole new type of chocolate made in UAE is storming the shelves or st ...

13:30 | 30 mins

Patrick Dorais, Director of Sales - Al Nassma Chocolate

Balancing great taste and wellness

In this session, we discuss the challenges and share tips in making sure ice cream enthusiasts stay healthy and fit as they indulge.

14:00 | 30 mins

Vasco Valenca de Sousa, Chief Innovation Officer - Jelly Belly Ice Cream

Innova Market Insights presents: Top 10 Food Trends 2019 for sweets and snacks

Leading trends driving development in snacks and confectionery are “Discovery: the Adventurous Consumer”, “Alternatives to All” “Eating for Me” and “I Feel Good”. Discover the latest market trends by ...

14:30 | 30 mins

Hector Parra, Insights and Innovations Analyst - Innova Market Insights

Snacking in orbit: When sky used to be the limit

This session, while taking us to the stars will explain the strategic importance to send great food into space with astronauts and discuss the technical challenges that come with creating tasty snacks ...

15:00 | 30 mins

Ekaterina Afanasenko, Head of International Projects - Space Food Laboratory

Yummex ME Innovation Awards

Ceremony honouring the most innovative new product ideas submitted by yummex exhibitors for the award at yummex Middle East.

15:30 | 30 mins

Innova Market Insights presents "Snacking: the Definitive Occasion "

For most consumers, snacking is a part of daily life and always has been. What is changing, however, is the way people think about snacking and what is considered a snack. Snacking is no longer the op ...

11:00 | 30 mins

Hector Parra, Insights and Innovations Analyst - Innova Market Insights

Euromonitor’s Confectionery Sales Forecast

Global confectionery sales boast a positive forecast over 2019-2024. Growth is picking up pace as consumers in developed countries seek greater quality credentials from their chocolate treats. Yet con ...

11:30 | 30 mins

Monique Naval, Senior Research Analyst - Euromonitor International

Fireside Chat: Coupling great craftsmanship and storytelling

Customers are increasingly regarding and sometimes critical on ingredients provenance. Here is a business owner and wholesomeness wizard joining Munch! To explain how important it is to source the rig ...

12:00 | 30 mins

Kathy Johnston, Chief Chocolate Officer - Mirzam Chocolate Makers

Protein bars: A financial godsend?

Healthy snacking is on the rise and is expected to keep growing in the MENA region ' As currently most products are imported, there could be large commercial opportunities for regional players to take ...

13:00 | 30 mins

Joe Katterfield, Business Development Manager EMEA - Arla Foods Ingredients

Sustaining the appeal

Reviewing trends in brand-building, marketing for confectionery and snacks brands to weather a challenging context and stay ahead of the curve.

13:30 | 30 mins

Ahmad Abu Zannad, Regional Strategy Director - Leo Burnett

Clean label: The road to a holy grail

A lot of businesses strive to achieve the clean label status because there is a huge push from better informed and more demanding customers for authenticity and transparency. But what is it exactly an ...

14:00 | 30 mins

Kantha Schelke, Senior Lecturer, Regulatory Science and Food Safety Regulation - Johns Hopkins University

Bright ideas

From the frozen peaks of Switzerland to the Argentinian pampa, Dancoise Koechler has been baking all around the world and is sharing her findings in an inspiring session explaining the concept of valu ...

14:30 | 60 mins

Dancoise Koechler, Owner and Creative Director - The Cake Lady

Fireside Chat: That's a wrap!

Our final session will explore the added value and strategic importance of sweets and snacks in cinemas. Find out which food categories get the Oscar for Movie-Goers Favorite.