Paris International food show SIAL celebrated an exceptional edition, reinforcing its status as the world’s leading event. From October 19, the five-day event welcomed more than 285,000 professionals from around the world.
Organized by Comexposium, SIAL Paris is part of the SIAL Network, the world’s largest network of food fairs. This year, SIAL Paris brought together 7,500 exhibitors from 127 countries, showcasing products across 270,000 square meters of exhibition space—equivalent to 100 hypermarkets.
Record attendance
The show drew record attendance, with an increase of 8 percent, returning to pre-pandemic levels and highlighting the vital need for professionals to meet, collaborate and innovate. For them, the event provides a prime opportunity for exchange, enabling participants to finalize contracts and initiate new partnerships. “This 2024 edition was marked by exceptional energy, and we all felt immense pleasure meeting up,” said Audrey Ashworth, director of SIAL Paris. “This unique atmosphere solidified SIAL’s position as a global leader in food innovation and excellence,” she added.
SIAL Paris and global political support
With over 200 visitor countries and the participation of 110 official delegations, SIAL Paris plays a pivotal role in global food discussions. Under the patronage of the President of France for this anniversary edition, the show welcomed significant government figures, emphasizing the event’s importance. French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard stated, “SIAL Paris highlights the critical role of agrifood industries in the global food value chain.” The Minister for the Economy, Antoine Armand, and Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs, Laurence Garnier, recognized SIAL as a springboard for French exports.
International partnerships
Moreover, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted 20 influential French exhibitors at the Elysée Palace, strengthening international partnerships. “SIAL Paris 2024 was a vibrant and optimistic show,” said Nicolas Trentesaux, managing director of SIAL. “It supported food transition and encouraged all stakeholders to contribute to feeding 10 billion people sustainably.” This edition, rich in content, demonstrated how environmental challenges can drive innovation within the agrifood industry.
Innovations and trends
For five days, the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre was buzzing with creative energy, showcasing over 400,000 products. Food innovations took center stage, reflecting tomorrow’s trends while meeting growing consumer demands for health, sustainability and simplicity. Furthermore, the SIAL Innovation Awards celebrated the most innovative products of the show, recognizing the best concepts. The Gold Award went to French company Sabarot for its vegetable patties, meeting the growing plant-based demand with simple, natural ingredients.
Award-winning products and solutions
The silver award was presented to Aryze, a Mauritian company, for its Boost it à la Moringa drink, rich in nutritional benefits. Meanwhile, the bronze award went to Finnish company King Konjac for its innovative sushi bases made from low-calorie, gluten-free konjac. Furthermore, innovation extended beyond products, as the Start-up Village expanded its exhibition area. Notably, with over 650 start-ups, including 100 in the Village, this year’s edition highlighted their crucial role in shaping the future of agrifood.
Innovation in the agrifood industry
Additionally, SIAL Paris released a study on open innovation, showing how collaboration between established companies and start-ups accelerates industry growth. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of young, agile firms in responding to the sector’s challenges. Moreover, the SIAL Insights, analyzed consumer expectations and trends in food innovation, out-of-home catering and retail worldwide. It highlighted the three pillars shaping the future of food: emotion, connection, and attention.
SIAL summits
To mark its 60th anniversary, SIAL Paris introduced the SIAL Summits, featuring renowned speakers who discussed CSR, deeptech and AI, supply chain and africa. These discussions tackled the sector’s major transformations and spotlighted promising initiatives for the future.
