• Estonia presents traceable, responsibly produced food built for modern markets.
• The Northern Standard highlights purity, consistency, and export readiness.
• Digital systems strengthen food security and supply chain resilience.
• Seventeen producers showcase next-generation Northern food innovations.
As global food buyers demand greater transparency, reliability, and purpose from what they source, Estonia arrives at Gulfood 2026 with a clear message. Food can be modern, clean, and scalable without losing integrity. Presented under The Northern Standard, Estonia’s pavilion at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai, brings together producers united by a shared benchmark for quality, responsibility, and future-focused production.
Rooted in one of Europe’s cleanest natural environments, Estonia’s food system is shaped by more than geography. Clean air, pure water, and carefully managed agricultural land form the foundation, but it is the country’s discipline around traceability, research, and digital infrastructure that defines its edge. From farm to export, production is designed to be consistent, verifiable, and aligned with evolving global expectations.
Speaking on Estonia’s participation, Hendrik Johannes Terras, Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture of the Republic of Estonia, highlighted the country’s long-term vision. Estonia’s food sector, he noted, combines European standards with a commitment to innovation, ensuring provenance is protected and trust is built across every category. That clarity resonates strongly in markets like the UAE, where food security, quality assurance, and supply reliability are strategic priorities.
Estonia’s presence at Gulfood reflects growing alignment with the Gulf region’s needs. As the UAE continues to diversify sourcing partners and strengthen food resilience, Estonia offers a practical model. Its producers operate within a system that values responsible sourcing, transparent production, and dependable export supply, making collaboration efficient and credible.
A defining feature of Estonia’s approach is digitalisation. Known globally for its advanced e-infrastructure, the country applies technology across the food value chain to enhance transparency, optimise resource use, and reduce vulnerability to supply chain disruption. At Gulfood, this enables meaningful conversations between Estonian producers and regional buyers focused on long-term partnerships rather than one-off transactions.
On the exhibition floor, The Northern Standard comes to life through a new generation of products that merge Northern ingredients with contemporary formats. Visitors to the pavilion will discover berries, grains, fermented dairy, seeds, and plant proteins transformed into botanical drinks, modern snacks, plant-based foods, seed butters, premium oils, and nutrition-focused offerings. These products are shaped using science-led methods such as controlled fermentation, gentle processing, and modern packaging techniques that preserve freshness while meeting the shelf-life and stability demands of UAE retail and foodservice.
Seventeen Estonian companies are participating at Gulfood 2026, representing the breadth of the country’s food sector across dairy, grains, beverages, functional foods, and plant-based innovation. Together, they demonstrate how a shared national benchmark can deliver clarity, consistency, and confidence across categories.
At a time when food systems are being re-examined worldwide, Estonia positions itself not as a trend follower, but as a steady, solutions-driven partner. Gulfood 2026 offers the platform to connect, collaborate, and trade with a food ecosystem built on trust and intent!
