The traditional French breakfast is gaining a global following

Tasty and delicious, the traditional French breakfast is a popular favourite on tables and buffets in starred Middle Eastern hotels. Andrésy Confitures’ little jars of jam are proud to feature alongside the finest pastries and the most original dishes.

Andrésy Confitures at Gulfood 2018 in Dubai

Andrésy Confitures wouldn’t dream of missing Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food trade show, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), where it is a regular attendee.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to make new contacts in the Middle East and look for business opportunities,” explains Chief Executive Laure Cassan. “We are on a complex market with a customer base that is very demanding when it comes to product quality and – a big point in our favour – very keen on French gastronomy.” Laure Cassan and Emilie, Andrésy’s brand ambassador in the Middle East zone, were guests on the Safco stand throughout the show. Safco, which is specialised in the upmarket hotel and food business, is the family company that distributes Andrésy’s products in Dubai and the Middle East.

Gulfood is an impressive event: from 18 to 22 February, 5,000 exhibitors presented their products and services to 97,000 visitors from 150 countries! Every sector of the food trade was represented: packaged food, beverages, dairy, fats & oils, meat & poultry, pulses, grains & cereals, and organic food.

A global meeting place for international buyers in search of the best, the show is a prime venue for making contacts and forging partnerships. It draws hotel and food service professionals, distributors and importers, mass retail decision-makers and journalists from Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, India and Pakistan.

Andrésy Origines, served with French breakfasts

Andrésy met a lot of useful contacts, including chief executives and pastry chefs from 5* and luxury hotels. These establishments, which adore French gastronomy and pastries, give them pride of place on their menu and on their breakfast buffets. Many of them also recruit French and European chefs.

A growing number of hotel chains (Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton, Hilton) are turning to a clientele of European and Anglosphere business people. They are offering them imaginative, inventive, delicious breakfasts, laid out in stunning settings. This first meal of the day is the most important one. It is a wonderful way to create a loyal customer base by providing a memorable experience that gets the day off to a great start.

Western guests are very partial to the traditional French breakfast. They love the French pastries, toast, pancakes, muffins, crêpes and waffles, on which they spread jams in the classic apricot, strawberry, orange and fig flavours, or honeys from Europe. For savoury dishes, they choose spicy mustards and savoury mayonnaises.

Anglosphere travellers prefer milder-flavoured condiments, such as molasses (or treacle) and chutneys.

Sweet breakfasts for a Middle Eastern clientele could include rose-orange jam with a touch of cinnamon, and savoury dishes could be livened up with a touch of hot spicy harissa or ras-el-hanout.

The Andrésy Origines collection has gradually built itself a reputation in this part of the world and Andrésy has become a yardstick for luxury, service and superior products. Starred hotels serve Andrésy products for breakfast and brunch. The brand has managed to break into the airline catering sector and Emirates Airlines now includes Andrésy products in the breakfasts served to first-class passengers.

New prospects in the Middle East

Gulfood has once again been a profitable exercise for Andrésy. Whereas local producers tend to cater for a price-driven market, Andrésy stands out for customers in search of exceptional quality. The show provided an opportunity for numerous meetings, lots of tastings, discussions about the company’s love of fruit and jam-making, traditional know-how, defending quality and French gastronomy, respect for the customer, the services offered by Andrésy… and partnership prospects, notably in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.