Biennial trade fair SIAL Paris is set to return from 16 to 20 October, as the ultimate place to discover and explore today’s trends and tomorrow’s innovations in the food sector.
Representatives from 92 countries, along with 160,000 visitors, are expected to attend, and 90 per cent of the floor space has already been booked at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre.
“All eyes will be focused on Paris in October 2016,” comments Nicolas Trentesaux, SIAL network director.
"The food industry is one of the most dynamic industries in most G20 countries. By discovering new trends and business opportunities, participants will find the tools they need to achieve their objectives," he continues.
“SIAL Paris is a unique platform for stakeholders to test new markets, launch new products, and meet today’s main players to discuss the challenges of the future. Over 2,500 new products will be presented at the SIAL Innovation [Awards] feature this year, inspiring the food-and-beverage industry even more than ever.”
The SIAL Innovation Awards are held every two years as part of the trade exhibition and put the spotlight on the most innovative products from 105 participating countries.
In 2014, there were over 1,700 applicants – a 70-per-cent rise on the previous year. The selection committee of a panel of hand-picked food specialists chose 675 products for the SIAL Innovation Book, and the Grand Jury designated 15 winners, awarding prizes in three categories – Gold, Silver and Bronze – to the best three entries.
Every single one of the 160,000 visitors expected at SIAL Paris knows that the trade show will give him/her precious insight into the industry’s products and trends of the future. The majority of exhibitors (78 per cent) use the SIAL Paris biennial event as a platform for unveiling their R&D team’s newest products. As a result, 76 per cent of professionals attending the trade fair say that that they have discovered innovations of which they were unaware at SIAL Paris.
At SIAL Paris, companies in the Innovation area, which attracts 75 per cent of the trade show’s visitors, experience a high return on investment when their products win awards. Unsurprisingly, given these statistics, 80 per cent of 2014’s successful candidates are entering the competition again this year.
Following a successful initiative launched in 2014, this year’s SIAL Paris will continue to promote emerging food sectors by offering designated display areas, such as the organic and fresh-produce sectors; the beverage market, with a focus on beers and hot drinks; the Tech Zone, where SMEs and very small businesses can present their latest technologies and equipment solutions; and, for the first time, a gluten-free zone.
SIAL Paris represents the gateway to the 'big league', and the trade show’s success in featuring innovative companies in the food industry is widely recognised.
Paris also looks set to become the world’s food capital in 2016, with this year’s SIAL coinciding with the United Nations’ World Food Day. Representatives of the entire global food industry will be in Paris from 16 October in order to find and share solutions to feed the world for the next 30 years.
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