COEX, President, Jo Sang Hyeon has launched the first ‘2026 K-Premium Products Fair in Dubai’, taking place from September 29 to October 1 at InterContinental Dubai Festival City in Dubai, to support promising Korean SMEs in entering the Middle Eastern market and expanding their export channels.
Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade for the United Arab Emirates, graced the occasion with his presence and delivered the keynote address.
Lee Won-ik, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United Arab Emirates and Mr. Jonghoon Han, Director of COEX, were also present at the event.
Jo Sang Hyeon, President of COEX, said, “This event, the first COEX is presenting in Dubai, is meaningful as both an initiative to support Korean SMEs entering the Middle East and a starting point for expanding COEX’s overseas business into the region. We aim to support promising Korean SMEs by facilitating direct consultation with local buyers and enabling them to assess consumer responses so that they can practically evaluate their potential to enter the Middle Eastern market. Going forward, we will continue to expand export channels for Korean companies across the GCC and throughout the Middle East by leveraging our global exhibition and buyer networks.’’
This is the first event being organized by COEX in Dubai and marks its first exhibition in the Middle East as COEX expands its overseas business operations following Vietnam and Indonesia. It connects Korean consumer-goods companies with buyers from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—and connect the companies with local market local market validation and sales opportunities.
A total of 50 promising Korean consumer-goods companies have participated across categories including beauty and fashion, living and interior, food and beverages, and other consumer products. A key feature of the event is its one-on-one export consultation program, connecting participating companies with distributors and purchasing representatives from major retail networks across the GCC markets, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
COEX has leveraged its global buyer network and local agents to identify and match potential buyers in advance according to each participating company’s product portfolio and export needs. COEX is also providing consultation and export support aimed at helping participating companies enter local distribution networks.
Alongside the export consultations, the event features an offline local showcase and an online sales programme designed to introduce participating brands to the local market. Before and after the event, participating companies’ products are being showcased to local consumers at major retail facilities in Dubai.
Following the event, COEX will support cross-border trade (CBT) online sales for approximately two months, allowing participating companies to assess consumer interest and market potential.
COEX plans to use its first Dubai event as a stepping stone to expand into the Middle Eastern market, leveraging its experience and networks in consumer-good exhibitions and export-support in Vietnam and Indonesia to strengthen its presence across the GCC and the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
