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Key insights from the international food front
I was lucky enough to be invited to attend SIAL on behalf of Futurelife, one of South Africa’s leading innovators in the health food sector. The trip was short but exciting. Food Review editor Maryke Foulds and I spent three days in Paris, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in the word. It breathes its passion for food: from the early-morning fresh fish and produce stands, to Nutella crepe vendors in parks.
The exhibition itself is divided into several sections focused on all aspects related to the food and beverage industry. Innovations in confectionary, cured meats, organic ingredients and processing equipment - coupled to a myriad of newly launched products are spread out across eight massive halls.
I was glad I brought comfortable shoes: the event involves a lot of walking.
Futurelife has always prided itself in providing products that not only taste great, but benefit consumers in some way. Walking the halls, it became clear that as a company we are on the right track. It was also great to see that South African brands are on par with international brands. On some issues, we’re actually ahead of the curve!
These types of events are a brilliant way for local brands to showcase quality products and concepts to a large international community. The buy-in from retailers and distributors from different countries is incredible. I left the show inspired and excited to share new ideas and bring back quality insights from the international front. Many conversations were had; business cards shared, and most importantly, many a delicious sample tasted! This trip was whirlwind of excitement. I am very grateful for the time I got to spend at this lovely expo in this beautiful city. A special thanks to Maryke from Food Review for being an amazing hostess and showing me the ropes and to Alexandre Lasserre from Business France for the invitation and making the arrangements.•
Vincent Nel
SIAL ROCKS PLANET FOOD!
By Maryke Foulds
‘It is truly the global think-tank and international laboratory for food innovation,’ enthuses Nicolas Trentesaux, SIAL network director. ‘The event offers a unique and comprehensive melting pot of experiences across the entire food universe. There was a window of visibility for everyone.’
There were 38 stands on the South African pavilion at SIAL this year
This year, 2 355 innovations were submitted for the SIAL Innovation Awards. ‘We succeeded in setting the bar higher.
The show promoted more than 400 000 products over an area equivalent to 100 supermarkets laid out end-to-end,’ he notes. A strong presence and investment on the part of professionals are necessary at a time when the agri-food industry is entering a major transition phase. Customer expectations in terms of health, authenticity, transparency and eating well are growing and industry must grow with it. By 2050 the sector must feed 100 million people worldwide – a challenging task. The innovation event depicted future food trends in the foodtech space. Future Lab, a new event, was dedicated to food forecasting and was a real hit with the public. An experiential tunnel, a rising start-ups space and virtual reality concepts formed part of Future Lab and enabled visitors to project themselves ahead to what the food planet will look like by 2030.
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Wild Flavors and Speciality Ingredient’s Ulrike Martin, head of product management Jochen Kistner and vice president marketing Jochen Heininger
Innovation at SIAL Paris 2018, was also about offering an exceptional showcase for original ideas and concepts that will soon be hitting the shelves in the food stores. SIAL Innovation promoted products whose justification and characteristics are perfectly aligned with this logic of transition toward greater truth, taste and meaning.
This was also reflected in the Alternative Food sector and Forum, dedicated to an era of new, healthier food. SIAL Paris will be back from 18 to 22 October 2020. Don’t miss it!
Brenda Wilkinson of Rio Largo Olive Estate
