Presentation by Laurence Rycken. XV Dairy Olympics

Fr om April 14 to 18, 2025, the COWOW team — a sponsor of the Dairy Olympics 2025 — embarked on an extensive business trip to South America, specifically to the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, wh ere the cattle population is one of the largest in the country and agriculture is the main driving force of the state's economy.

As part of DairyNews.today’s expansion in the MENA region, I attended the Saudi Food Show 2025 — the largest international food exhibition in Riyadh. Often dubbed the "Saudi equivalent of Gulfood," the event may still fall short of the Dubai exhibition in scale, but it plays a distinct role: serving as a focal point for local producers and suppliers who are not always inclined to travel to the UAE. From the very first days, a subtle yet palpable sense of competition between the two coun-tries could be felt — not aggressive, but rather driven by the desire to be recognized as the regional business hub.