ESM looks back at some of the key themes that emerged from SIAL 2016, and how these may shape the discussions taking place at this year’s event. This article first appeared in ESM Issue 5 2018.
Welcoming more than 7,000 exhibitors and 155,000 visitors, SIAL Paris 2016 was the biggest yet, with those present eager to discover new ways of growing their brands internationally.
“Ever faithful to its ‘Look Deeper’ slogan, and to coincide with World Food Day, on 16 October that year (the opening day of the event), SIAL 2016 sought to make Paris the capital of food innovation by hosting a unique conference – ‘Sustainable Food and Innovation – the 21st-Century Challenge’ – at the Quai d’Orsay (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
The event enabled all actors in the food supply chain to provide practical and inspiring initiatives to address global food challenges, as well as determine current and future food consumption patterns.
“The profile of our national and international visitors is proof of the quality of our offer,” Nicolas Trentesaux, SIAL’s director, said of the 2016 event. “We are very proud to say that all of SIAL’s participants – both exhibitors and visitors – have, once again, helped us to turn this fair into the major international event for agribusiness – a highly strategic sector.”
Innovation At The Fore
Innovation was also at the heart of the show itself, with 2,189 candidates taking part in the SIAL Innovation Awards, which were whittled down to just 15 prizewinners.
With the assistance of its partners – the Fancy Food Show, XTC World Innovation, Kantar TNS, and the 28 World Tour partners, who hailed from from retail industry publications around the world – SIAL 2016 underlined the show’s position as the place to be to discover the trends shaping the food and retail sectors.
Events Within Events
In its role as both a laboratory and an observatory for the food and beverage industry, some 250 events took place at SIAL 2016. A new drinks area, in Hall 5C, featured a myriad of champagne and cocktail competitions, while barbecues and cooking demonstrations highlighted the gastronomic specialities of Latin America in Hall 8.
Also on a culinary theme, arguably the highest-profile event staged at SIAL was La Cuisine, led by event patron and celebrated Michelin-starred chef Joël Robuchon, who welcomed chefs from around the globe. The late Robuchon was also among those appearing on SIAL TV, which was broadcast throughout the five days of the event.
Staying Connected
SIAL 2016 also set new standards in terms of assisting attendees on their visit, with a range of apps, geo-localisation services, matchmaking services, themed trails, a concierge service, and a myriad of other services.
Expect these tools to be magnified, and then some, as SIAL looks forward to an even bigger event on October 21 to 25.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
