Italian Excellence on Display: SITAF Food at Saudi Sirha, Driving the Gourmet Revolution in the Gulf

Interview with Vittorio Ceo, CEO and Partner of SITAF Food, Saudi Arabia’s leading importer of premium and Italian food products.

As Saudi Arabia hosts its second edition of Sirha, the world-renowned food and hospitality trade show, the spotlight is firmly on the Kingdom’s booming culinary sector. This marks Sirha’s first venture outside Europe, confirming Saudi Arabia’s rising stature in the global gastronomy scene.

We spoke with Vittorio Ceo, CEO and Partner of SITAF Food, to explore why the Saudi market has been chosen and what makes it so promising.

Why Saudi Arabia for Sirha?

“The Saudi market is experiencing rapid growth and, from the very beginning, has shown a strong appetite for high-quality and specialty products,” explains Ceo. “That’s precisely why Sirha’s management decided to focus on the Gulf region for its international expansion.”

This 2025 edition is the second to be held in Saudi Arabia, following the inaugural event in 2024 — a strategic move aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiatives to position itself as a global culinary and hospitality hub.

How is the Saudi food market evolving? What trends are you seeing?

“The market is moving quickly toward premium and even niche products. DOP certifications are becoming increasingly valued, and customers are now actively seeking authenticity and origin.

Fresh dairy remains a public favorite, with consumers now able to distinguish artisanal quality amidst a growing range of offerings. At the same time, fresh seafood is gaining significant market share.”

What are your expectations for this second edition? What did you take away from the first?

“The first edition in 2024 was a moment of exploration—we saw it as a time for planting seeds.

And I believe we planted them well.

We introduced the concept of quality and product origin to a broader audience in Saudi Arabia.

Now, one year later, I believe it’s time to harvest—to engage with professionals who are genuinely interested in following the high-quality path set by both Sirha and SITAF.”

What kind of business contacts are you expecting this time?

“I expect the type of contacts to remain largely the same, but this time I believe they’ll be looking for a much wider range of products, aiming to raise the overall quality of what’s available.

I also hope to see a stronger presence from large-scale retailers, which would be a clear sign of the fair’s growing impact.”

Bocuse d’Or and the Michelin Guide are now part of the landscape. Do you think this signals a rise in high-end dining in Saudi Arabia?

“Absolutely. This aligns perfectly with what we’ve been observing.

The Saudi F&B and hospitality sector has been undergoing continuous qualitative and quantitative growth.

Government-backed tourism initiatives are high-level, reflecting the Kingdom’s ambition to become a top-tier global hospitality destination.”

How do you see the evolution of fine dining in Saudi Arabia in the coming years?

“I believe we’ll see a growing number of international chefs choosing to settle permanently in Saudi Arabia, rather than pursuing only pop-up projects.

The increasing flow of foreign tourists will fuel this growth, and the arrival of the Michelin Guide in Riyadh is, in my opinion, just the beginning of a much broader movement.”