(ANSA) - PALERMO, DECEMBER 9 - After its success at Expo Milano, Le Mude Ltd brought Sicilian food products to SIAL Middle East 2015, the region's fastest-growing professional trade exhibition for food and hospitality industries in Abu Dhabi.

Some 15,000 professionals visited the fair from 82 countries, as well as 400 'VIP buyers' and over 600 master chefs. The three days (Monday through Wednesday) in the wealthiest city in the world and UAE capital were for the new project Cophinus, created by the consultancy company for its food sector clients wanting to export, especially to Middle Eastern markets.

''We thought of creating a basket of Sicilian specialties,'' said Stefania Skonieczny, ''the brand of which would express the centrality of Sicily as a crossroads of the Mediterranean and the simplicity of coming together to create a full range to offer. And so what would be better than the 'cufino' (Sicilian for 'lunchbox'), which entered the Sicilian dialect from Greek and the Latin 'Cophinus'?'' The aim of Cophinus is to market the products under a single brand that hints at quality, history and Sicilian characteristics. The first to join the initiative were Sardella Caffè, Camuglia Formaggi, Edys Cioccolata and Sciara Pistacchio, but many others have expressed interest. (ANSA).