In 2017, long before MediTaste was created, I had the opportunity to represent Greek fresh-produce companies at the Saudi Agriculture Exhibition in Riyadh.
It was a period of intense B2B work, market visits and on the ground learning inside a region that still shapes today’s international demand patterns.
B2B Meetings that Built Real Insight
Our schedule combined structured meetings inside the exhibition halls with on site discussions at company stands. Buyers were looking for three things:
• consistency on supply,
• certified origin,
• and reliability in pricing.
Same KPIs that drive Gulf sourcing decisions today.
Field Visits Beyond the Exhibition
Between appointments, we visited wholesale markets and distribution hubs to understand product flow, pricing logic and how European fruit positioned against regional competitors.
Seeing this first-hand clarified a simple truth: exhibitions create visibility, but execution happens in the market, not in the booth.
Local Hospitality that Opens Doors
Evenings were spent with local partners, in settings that blended Saudi hospitality with business conversation.
These moments off the exhibition floor helped build trust, close loops from earlier discussions and understand cultural drivers that matter in long term cooperation.
Still a priority for anyone aiming at sustainable partnerships in the GCC.
European Promotion Framework
This mission was part of an EU co-funded programme promoting European peaches and fresh produce.
The stand concept, branding and messaging followed the official EU guidelines of that period, with clear emphasis on quality, freshness and traceability.
What These Early Years Taught Me
Before MediTaste existed, these missions shaped a deeper understanding of:
• how Gulf buyers evaluate European suppliers,
• what influences shelf placement,
• and why reliability beats marketing in these markets.
It’s the same playbook we apply today at MediTaste — only now with sharper tools, structured workflows and a clear export intelligence mindset.
At MediTaste, every new project builds on these years of real market exposure, transforming experience into targeted export strategy.
