In 50 years, SIAL Paris, global player in the food trade, has become the largest international catering market. Among the 150,000 visitors expected to attend in 2014, almost 20% (approximately 30,000), are restaurant and catering professionals (86% of them satisfied with their visit in 2012) 44% are coming to see poultry and meat products and 42% are coming to see delicatessen products.
It is also a matter of fact that 82% of th exhibitors present an activity associated with the catering industry! Today there is a lot of talk about fusion cuisine and New York or Sydney are often self-proclaimed capitals of this new world cuisine. Hybrid, creative and fashionable cuisine.
However, this internationalisation is not new: cinnamon, cardamom and ginger made their way to our plates centuries ago! Chefs here and elsewhere have always refused to confine themselves to exclusively local gastronomy. They have very much undertaken to explore their creativity by travelling around the world and SIAL Paris complements these trips. Here they find an increasingly significant offer in catering. Today, nearly one third of its exhibitors offer products related to catering – from ingredients to processed products including fresh produce – And a breakdown of specific restaurant and catering product innovations, which explains the presence of players in the catering industry from all over the world and from all areas of the industry: mass catering (10.8%), commercial catering (36%), restaurant and catering retailers and wholesalers (44%), caterers (9.2%). So many advantages bring the professionals together at this huge crossroads, to identify the trends of their market (the primary goal of 70% of visitors is to understand the international trends in catering and to follow the developments in this market) and take advantage of the tools dedicated to them. It is a known fact that food testing begins in the restaurant. This is where consumers hungry for innovation discover new flavours that tickle their taste buds only to be found in their kitchen cupboards the very next day!” Just as it has done for 50 years, the fair has inspired and unveiled innovations which go from the chef’s kitchen to that of consumers, for this special jubilee edition SIAL Paris, which proudly bears the stars of catering invites 50 chefs from all over the world to take to the floor in their way. To the chefs! Nicolas Trentesaux, SIAL Group Director.
A dynamic boosted by consumers all over the world whose pursuit of pleasure and cosmopolitan diversity to add a little colour to their life is ever-growing! Considering this demand and the search for restaurateurs, SIAL Paris has clearly established itself as the trend guide for caterers! The message is loud and clear to chefs who have been choosing this fair as their largest in for a long time: they come consistently that 82% of the exhibitors present an activity associated with the catering industry!