Arabian Gulf: Gargee’an Gulf

U.S. candy and snack food exporters will be able to boost their business prospects in the Arabian Gulf region during an upcoming virtual trade event hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

Gargee’an Gulf, which will take place January 12-14, 2021, is named for the local celebration of Gargee’an, when children go door-to-door collecting sweets and nuts. During the virtual trade event, FAS staff from the region will arrange business-to-business meetings between participating U.S. exporters and interested local buyers and will also offer insights into the trade and economic conditions in the prosperous and culturally rich Gulf nations. 

• Bahrain, a dynamic gateway to the Gulf region, is a small market focused on being a manufacturing and distribution platform, especially for eastern Saudi Arabia.
• Kuwait imported $174 million in U.S. consumer-oriented products in 2019 and is a stable market with a strong preference for quality goods.
• Oman has a free trade agreement with the United States and a young population eager for new products.
• Qatar is home to a burgeoning food scene and host of the 2022 World Cup.
• Saudi Arabia, home to 32 million consumers, imports more than $1.3 billion of U.S. food and agricultural products annually – including $50 million of snack foods and $130 million of tree nuts. Some multinational confectioners here also import ingredients to produce their products locally.
• United Arab Emirates is the most diverse market in the region, importing more than $1 billion in U.S. food and agricultural products each year.

Importers here are always looking to introduce new and innovative food products to a wealthy, multicultural consumer base.

For more information, please contact virtualtradeevents@usda.gov.