RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host the first Saudi International Catering Conference from May 15-19 at the Makkah Chamber for Exhibitions and Events Center.  The event is aimed at exchanging experiences in the food and beverages sector, and will be attended by key industry leaders in pilgrim catering services, crops and agricultural products, and the packaging and industry sectors. It has been organized to enhance the Kingdom’s provision of the best hospitality services to pilgrims, enriching their journeys to Makkah, Madinah and other holy sites part of the Pilgrim Experience Program, one of the most important goals of Vision 2030. SICC seeks to enable producers and suppliers to improve their services and products in line with international standards. It also aims to leverage technology to establish new innovative and profitable businesses and solutions, in addition to exchanging expertise between local and international companies.  According to the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the volume of investment in the food products industry in the Kingdom amounts to SR88.191 billion ($23.518 billion), representing 6.12 percent of the total volume of investments in the industrial sector.  Factories dedicated to food products constitute 14 percent of the total number of factories across the country, with about 1,183 facilities operating in the Kingdom during 2021. The food and subsistence sector is one of Saudi Arabia’s largest sectors, with imports estimated at 78 percent, equivalent to SR153 billion.