Organic Natural

Conference Summary

2025

Organic Industry Conference

15+

Workshops & Panel Discussions

30+

Speakers & Industry Experts

Agenda

Day 1 – Food & Beverages & Agriculture

17th November 2025
Food & Beverage
TIME DURATION SESSIONS SESSION TOPIC POTENTIAL SPEAKERS
11:00 - 11:15 15 min KeyNote Aligning With Global Standards: Dubai's Role in International Food Safety & Security
  • Dubai Municipality(TBC)
11:30 - 12:15 45 min Expert Insights The Future of Food is Natural & Halal: Reimagining F&B with Organic Value
  • Tomas Guerrero, Director, Halal Trade & Marketing Centre
  • Dr. Mohammed Alyoun, Food security consultant
  • Mr. Mohammed Banat, Rawteen, Founder
  • Ismail Naguib, Expert in Halal Industry & Islamic Economy
12:30 - 13:00 30 min Feature Session Harvesting The Invisible -Sustainable Water Generation from Air & Food Waste
  • Joe Edwards, Founder, Mayee Water
  • Iva Vilenica, Senior Vice President For International Sales, Mayee Water
13:00 - 14:00 60 min Lunch Break
14:00 - 14:45 45 min Feature Session Food Security & Sustainable Trade - Ministry of Agriculture China
  • Dr. Chua Kien Hui, Ministry of Agriculture China
15:00 - 17:00 120 min Country In Focus Russia

Day 2 – Health, Wellness & Beauty

18th November 2025
Beauty & Cosmetics
Health & Wellness
TIME DURATION SESSIONS SESSION TOPIC POTENTIAL SPEAKERS
11:00 - 11:15 15 min KeyNote Navigating UAE Laws: Clean Label, Organic & Natural Products: Registration Pathways & Compliance
  • Dr. Sanjay Vyas, Health Consultant & VP, Leaf healthcare venture group
11:30 - 12:15 45 min Expert Insights The Future of Mother-Baby Wellness: Integrating Science, Nutrition, and Lifestyle
  • Dian Ng, Dcare Sdn. Bhd, Director
  • Saumya Mishra, Beyond Scale, Founder (Moderator)
  • Bouchra Izaabel, Ferticlinic Fertilization Center, Clinic Manager
  • Dr. Pooja Jaisal, Obs-gynae, Fakhee University Hospital
12:30 - 13:15 45 min Expert Insights The Future Of Beauty Retail: Trends Shaping Consumer Choices
  • Mohammed Shakeel, Apparel Group- Beauty Fragrance & Private Label
  • Nousheen Mukhtar, Impact Group and Stylefemina Magazine, CEO(Moderator)
  • Dr. Sade James, Founder, UAE Fine Fragrances(TBC)
  • Dr. Rashmi Nandkishore, Founder & CEO, Riva Group(TBC)
13:15 - 14:00 45 min Lunch Break
14:00 - 15:00 60 min Feature Session The Conference and Display Trade Fairs of Jinggangshan Agricultural Products Regional Public Brand from China
  • Chen Qingshou, Deputy Mayor, Jiangxi Municipal People's Government
  • Luo Feng, Director, Director, Jiangxi Provincial Agricultural and Rural Industry Development Service Center
  • Zhang Houkai, Director, Director of Jiangxi Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affair
  • Zhang Chenling, CEO, Yilu Group
15:15 - 16:00 45 min Feature Session Free From
  • Free From
16:15 - 17:00 45 min Expert Insights Preserving the Functionality of Edible Bird’s Nest Glycopeptides in the Extract and Freeze-Dried Products
  • Dr. Chua Kien Hui (BSc, MSc, PhD), Aerogalaxy Malaysia

Day 3 – Sustainable Living, Eco Friendly

19th November 2025
Sustainable Living
TIME DURATION SESSIONS SESSION TOPIC POTENTIAL SPEAKERS
11:00 - 11:15 15 min KeyNote The Rise of Eco- Conscious Products
  • Dubai Chamber
11:30 - 12:15 45 min Expert Insights Global Trade Opportunities In Eco -Fiendly Products : Building & Raising Consumer Trust
  • Meghna Lakhani, One Modern World, CEO
  • Shaifali Mishra, Founder, Al Tabee'ah
  • Chanda Lokendra, Founder, Lizzom
12:30 - 13:00 30 min Exhibitor
13:00 - 14:00 60 min Lunch Break
14:00 - 15:30 90 min Investor Spotlight Free From Scaling Beyond Borders: Startups Go Global
  • Sir Malachi Halliday, CEO & Founder, HFS
  • Sascha Dutta, Founder, Foodpreneurs Collective
16:15 - 17:00 45 min Country Briefing

Key themes to be discussed

Food and Beverages
  • Tea & Coffee
  • Saffron/Dry fruits
  • Vegan, plant based and free from
  • Fresh produce, perishables
  • Halal Economy and opportunities
Beauty, Health, and Wellness
  • Beauty, cosmetics, skincare, and haircare
  • Health and Medical
  • Nutraceuticals, supplements & probiotics
  • Mom, baby & child
Agriculture, Sustainable Farming and Technology
  • FarmTech
  • Agriculture and Farming
  • Sustainable living & environment
Group 11 1

Why Attend ?

The Organic and Natural Conference brings together retailers, distributors, HORECA experts, wholesalers, re-exporters, from the following industries:

  • Food & Beverage
  • Tea & Coffee
  • Honey
  • Vegan, plant based and free from
  • Fresh produce
  • Superfoods
  • Dairy
  • Beauty, cosmetics, skincare, and haircare
  • Nutraceuticals, supplements & probiotics
  • Mom, baby & child
  • Sustainable living & environment
  • Organic & sustainable farming
Group 13 1

Who Should Attend?

Attend the Organic and Natural Conference 2024 to:

  • Discover the latest Organic and Natural trends in the Middle East and what the future holds for the sector
  • Hear from C-suite leaders from across the region speak about retail, distribution, and re-export strategies
  • Connect with exporters who’re keen on expanding into the Middle East to source unique products
  • Get an exclusive opportunity to network with organic and natural industry professionals across the globe to be a part of the organic community

Stay ahead of the market by predicting and debating upcoming product trends, innovation and unique insights into the future of the organic and natural industry

Organic and Natural - Where are we headed for 2023?

11:00 AM – 11:40 AM

In the past 4 years, there has been a 60% increase in shelf space in the MENA region. In 2022, the organic and natural F&B market is said to be worth $18.42 billion. Similarly, with natural and organic beauty, the per capita spend on beauty is more than 240$ in the region, a lot more than the global average and the market is currently valued at $5billion. As we fast approach a post-pandemic world, organic and natural is no longer a niche, it’s on its journey to become mainstream.

MENA’s major outlook on organic and natural – breaking down opportunities worth $20 billion

Major organic and natural product suppliers in the Middle East have registered a 300-400% rise in the demand for their products, majorly driven by conscious consumers who are regarding it as preventive medicine. Consumers today are more conscious today than they’ve ever been about what’s on their plate and what they apply on their bodies.

Are we witnessing an organic and natural revolution in the post pandemic world?

  • Appraising the demand for vegan, plant based and free from products along with a closer look on beverages, honey, and superfoods
  • Catering to MENAs need for clean beauty, cruelty free and vegan cosmetics for a conscious yet beauty
  • Nutraceuticals, supplements, and probiotics for a health-conscious Middle East population
  • Sustainable living and environment products for the Middle East to achieve its sustainability targets and eco-friendly environmental practices
Ann Marie Mcqueen

Ann Marie Mcqueen

Founding editor-in-chief,
Livehealthy


Tony Colley

Tony Colley

Co-founder,
TACCT Group


Ms Elena Panichi

Elena Panichi

Head of Unit, Organics, European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
 
Katarina Cheslarov

Katarina Cheslarov

Managing Director,
Midway Middle East
 
 

EU Organic farming - Opportunities for consumers and business

11:50 AM – 12:50 PM

Discover how your business can benefit of the opportunities arising from the EU organic farming. The European Union (EU) is stepping up efforts to introduce food and hospitality professionals in Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) to the unique benefits of quality European food and drink – this time with a special focus on organic.  

A true expert in her field, don’t miss this opportunity to hear first-hand from Elena Panichi to gain valuable insights into the organic farming processes that consumers increasingly care about, and what these mean in terms of product quality and real-world business opportunities. 

Ms Elena Panichi

Elena Panichi

Head of Unit, Organics, European Commission,
Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Elena Panichi joined the European Commission in 2007. For the last five years, she has held the position of Deputy Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development. In her role, she has been particularly active in finalising the legislative reform of the organic sector, fighting fraud in organics and promoting European organic products in third countries. Prior to that, she worked for several years as Trade and Market Analyst in different departments of the Commission. She is an Italian national and an agronomist by education, holding a PhD from the Polytechnic University of Marche.

Vegans, flexitarians, the meat-free revolution and what not...

01:30 PM – 02:10 PM

The Middle East, primarily the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been leading the vegan and free from revolution. From ice-cream to confectionary, bakery, pastry, and snacking, vegan and meat free is impacting them all. However, in the Middle East, growing consumer demand is primarily motivated by health concerns which include preventing and reducing obesity. Between the years 2022-2027, MENA’s vegan market is said to grow at an astounding 6.01% (CAGR). Is veganism evolving from a mere fad a few years ago to a way of life in the new normal?

Vegan and plant-based products expand its stomach share amongst MENA’s health conscious

Middle East has been synonymous with meat eating. In a post-pandemic era, the focus is on consuming healthy food and maintaining high levels of immunity. Infact, both UAE and Saudi Arabia, 2 of the biggest GCC economies, are the highest per capita consumers of meat but it has duly been noticed that there is a growing yet unfulfilled demand for vegan products.

Understanding MENA’s growing appetite for vegan and free from products

  • Tracking and understanding the shift consumers have been making from meat based-products to plant-based products and the need for more vegan products that aim to enhance health and wellbeing
  • Enhancing shelf life of vegan and plant-based products to encourage adoption, consumption, would also help supermarkets and modern trade outlets to stock more options
  • Discussing new upcoming trends and the future of the vegan, plant-based products in the Middle East
Mahmoud Adham

Mahmoud Adham

Founder & CEO, munchbox.ae
Head shot scaled e1668787364678

Carly Dubery

Founder, Not Just For Vegans

Maikel Cooke

Maikel Cooke

Commercial Manager, JMFoods
Maazen Kannan

Mazen Kanaan

 CEO, House of Pops

ProGsterol : New Dietary Ingredient Synthetic Peptides, Deglusterol, Controls Healthy Blood Sugar

02:20 PM – 02:50 PM

Diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, thanks to our fast-paced lives, poor dietary intake and unhealthy lifestyles. However, in the Middle East it’s reaching the tipping point. Diabetes is very close to being considered an epidemic. In 2021, 73 million adults in the Middle East were living with diabetes, by 2030, that figure is said to rise to 95 million. Caregen a leading global company with world class technology in the field of biomimetic peptide synthesis is here to solve Middle East’s diabetic woes through it’s newly formulated natural dietary ingredient, ProGestrol.

ProGsterol: New Dietary Ingredient Synthetic Peptides, Deglusterol, Controls Healthy Blood Sugar it helps maintain healthy blood sugar, big concerns of pre-diabetic and Type II diabetic patients.

As it does not cause hypoglycemia, ProGsterol can be taken anytime by anyone whoever concerns blood sugar. Thanks to “Fast Acting” and “24 Hours Lasting Effect”, ProGsterol will be good resolution for diabetes and Type II pre-diabetes!

  • Increasing insulin receptor sensitivity and decreasing insulin resistance
  • It up-regulates insulin sensitivity signal for glucose uptake, and down-regulates insulin resistance signal which is induced by the inflammations of accumulated free fatty acid in diabetes
  • Introduction of Deglusterol, is world’s first New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) as synthetic peptides which is approved by US FDA.
Dr. Yong Ji Chung 1

Dr. Yong Ji Chung

CEO, Caregen Co. Ltd

Post Doc. Northwestern University, Hormonal & Dietary gene modulation in Breast cancer cells
Ph.D. Animal Science, Cornell University, BRCA Research in Bovine mammary gland
M.S. Biochemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio
B.S. Genetic Engineering, SungGyunGwan University, Korea

The changing cosmetic landscape – Clean beauty makes major inroads across the Arab world

03:10 PM – 03:50 PM

MENA’s clean beauty market is said to be worth a whopping $2.6 billion by 2025. Well-being today extends to beyond what we eat or consume, millennials today are increasingly conscious on what they apply their skins and bodies. Conscious consumers are increasingly opting for toxin free makeup and cosmetic products that contain ingredients that are natural, sustainable and sourced ethically.

MENA is redefining its beauty goals – is simpler, cleaner better?

What started as a cult, later turned into a movement has now become an obvious lifestyle choice. Holistic choices and solutions have now turned mainstream. People are now spending more time curating natural skincare, and makeup routines that reduce excessive consumption of products that contain chemicals and toxins. There’s also a renewed focus on sustainability.

What’s the deal between millennials and cosmetics/personal care?

  • The rise of greenwashing and the importance of transparency & simplicity when it comes to ingredients within cosmetics, skincare, and haircare products
  • The growing influence of slow beauty, minimalist products, and the need for companies to associate themselves with social causes and impact
  • Introduction of raw beauty ingredients such as nuts, oils, liquorice etc that are functional and contain active properties
Minal Siyal

Minal Siyal

Founder & CEO, Beauty Binge
Malini Orhi

Malini Ohri

Founder, Saante Selfcare
Anuradha Dhawan

Anuradha Dhawan

General Manager, Al Ghurair Retail
Aisha Chishti

Aisha Chishti​

CEO & Founder, The Skin Concept

Fresh Produce – Fresh, organic, and ripe, that’s how MENA likes it

04:15 PM – 04:50 PM

When it comes to consumer demand in a post pandemic world, the demand for fresh produce is now more than ever. People are increasingly opting for healthier options that contain no pesticides, harmful chemicals and non- GMO. Infact a whopping 58% of respondents from a Euromonitor health and wellness survey said that the top reason they consume organic food is that there are no GMOs or pesticides. Food service companies too on the other hand are increasingly noticing a demand for organic produce, as sectors like HoReCa continue to cater to a conscious clientele.

Fresh, fresher, and freshest – Organic fresh produce arrives at Middle East’s doorstep

As the Middle East develops an appetite for organic produce, dining tables increasingly feature salads, freshly squeezed juices, and other dishes that are made using fresh produce. Leafy greens, cucumbers, bananas, berries, avocados, chillies are just some of the many fresh produce items that are in hot demand. However, challenges do exist when it comes to logistics and pricing.

Will organic be the norm soon?

  • Importance of certification, correct labelling along with stringent laws to ensure better education and spreading of the word
  • Focusing on quality, consistency, and the right pricing to capture a major share of the fresh produce market
  • E-commerce and its impact on the fresh produce landscape, how is it changing the way people shop for their groceries
Olga Smirnova

Olga Smirnova

Vice President Quality & Product Development, Fresh on Table
Prapthi Rai

Prapthi Rai

Head of Quality & Strategic Initiatives, Barakat
Loubna Kias

Loubna Kias

Influencer & Food Blogger
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