Innovation thrives at SIAL 2010
Gillian Hamill travelled to Paris to attend SIAL 2010 and discovered some interesting new products in the Trends & Innovations Observatory
Print19 January 2011
The start of a new year is a time for focusing on new thinking and refreshing ideas, so with that in mind ShelfLife decided to take a look back at some of the food and drink industry’s most interesting innovations, and naturally the SIAL 2010 food marketplace was our first port of call.
Innovation, as always, took centre stage at this year’s SIAL exhibition, with an impressive 250 conferences and events held on nutrition, design, retail, foodservice and ingredients. The event hosted from 17 to 21 October at the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition centre, housed the appropriately named Trends & Innovations Observatory, which proved a hub of activity for showcasing and discussing new ideas.
In fact, 985 products were displayed in total at the observatory, and creativity certainly wasn’t lacking in the breadth of new product ideas on display. The display hall showcased everything from boxes of pre-packed macaroons available in the unexpected flavours of légumes/vegetables and foie gras; through to ‘syrups’ for cocktails in flavours including caramel, coconut and bubblegum; banana milk rusks and 50% vegetable “gaufrette” waffles in flavours such as beetroot.
The range of food produce on display subsequently produced a great deal of food for thought. Unfortunately however, the exhibition organisers had the unenviable task of dealing with the disruption caused by protests being held across France over President Sarkozy’s none-too-favourable pension plans. Despite this, SIAL’s post-crisis strategy made a vital difference in improving the situation.
The numbers of visitors recorded for the first two days of the exhibition had actually risen in comparison with SIAL 2008. However this year’s disruptions across France accounted for an overall 8% fall in visitors.
Despite these circumstances, SIAL nevertheless acted as a catalyst for global economic trade, with 136,500 professional visitors attending, compared with 147,860 in 2008. Of this total, 62% were international visitors from 200 countries.
Overall, SIAL’s organisers said that more exhibitors (5,700 compared with 5,500 for 2008), more countries represented (106, of which 12 were new to SIAL), 25% more innovations, and 250 conferences and events “drew professional visitors of excellent quality.”
The decision-makers attending the exhibition – principally from mass retail but also from foodservice, on the lookout for post-crisis dishes – generated a rise in business contacts compared with 2008; confirming export as a major development strategy.
“Export was at the heart of all discussion, whether in the aisles or in the talks given by politicians visiting the exhibition,” commented Valérie Lobry, SIAL S.A. general manager.
A number of Irish groups also had a prominent presence at the international exhibition, including Bord Bia. For those interested in visiting the next SIAL exhibition, it will run from 21 to 25 October 2012; for more information visit www.sial.fr and select English.
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