SIAL PARIS: Trends Report and Fullfilled Favorites
Bonjour! It was my first time at a SIAL show and it was a complete culinary experience. While in France we visited La Couronne the restaurant that inspired Julia Child to teach cooking and this meal was perfectly prepared classic French cuisine and the environment was charming. This was a great way to start off the trip. While in France we visited local markets, tried countless macarons and crepes, tasted fresh mushrooms, had a meal where each course cleverly incorporated truffles, tasted mustards from Dijon and bought them from a family owned farm, and we toured a Taittinger’s champagne cellar built in the ruins of abbey dating back to the 13th century.
SIAL was full of some very clever innovations from a show standpoint. I really loved that the printouts they sent were the badges and simply slid into lanyard holders for entry so there were no lines to get in aside from some security which was orderly as well. The other thing I really appreciated was how easy this show was to navigate; there was even a map on the back of the lanyard. The halls were clean and bustling with action. Samples were readily available and the seamless design of the show made it fairly quick to navigate given the massive size of this show. This year SIAL Paris welcomed over 265,000 visitors! There are many reasons why exhibitors flock to this show, some of the main reasons are to make new contacts, increase awareness and showcase innovations. Speaking of contacts, people attending have reported high numbers of quality contacts. Exhibitors report on average 200 meetings, including ⅓ new contacts and 8 out of 10 say that contacts are quality-Source: Kantar TNS / SIAL Paris 2016
Major trends we saw at SIAL-
Sustainability- this term is literally everywhere and it seems as though just about every brand has found an angle with which to use this term. We encourage consumers and brands to really dive into the sustainability story whenever a brand uses the term in order to understand the depths they are going to protect the planet.
Reducing sugar- this is a very positive trend we are seeing industry wide as consumers look to become even healthier. We are seeing reductions in in food products but primarily in the beverage space with stevia and monk fruit replacing many other sugars.
Locally sourced- is a friendly term that not only gives off a hometown feel but also enriches local communities and saves on transportation and import costs.
Animal welfare- many brands are labeling things "cruelty free", "cage free", "pasture raised" and "humanly raised." These are all ways that companies are seeing value in treating animals more kindly. The motives behind this vary from those wanting to reach certain customers, more desirable brand perception, and because some feel that "it's the right thing to do." We know this movement is a win/win for everyone. When we eat food that was raised inhumanely whether it's meat, cheese, milk or eggs we end up consuming those stress hormones that are released into the animals and when put under a microscope the cells of healthy animals can be seen. Eating healthy plants and animals makes us all healthier so the vitality of all animals should be a priority.
Fullfilled Favorites-
Because of the sheer size and scope of this show I will be mentioning just some of the products we saw and liked at SIAL this year. While we couldn't visit every booth we loved what we saw and look forward to the next SIAL.
Barley Cup was a delicious coffee alternative, we love the version with dandelion. It’s a low calorie drink made with roasted barley, rye, chicory roots and pure dandelion essence. Barleycup with Dandelion contains no additives, caffeine or added sugars and is lactose and dextrose free and contains just 17kcals per cup. So if you are looking for that coffee taste without the caffeine this is a great option.
Crazy Fru!ts drinks were tasty with many different flavor combinations and a very fun booth. With no added sugar, cold pressed and 100% natural juice what’s not to love?!
I have to say, I have never tasted a better natural coconut water than Terra Coco. It’s smooth, refreshing and loaded with replenishing health benefits.
Magic Waffles are a fun take on a classic and best of all they are no mess and easy to make in a toaster and stuffed so they are no mess. They are made in Belgium so you get that delicious chocolate that is rich and tasty.
Μouriki Greek Premium Honey was not only beautifully packaged but so tasty. We loved tasting several of their offerings. Our favorite was the Thyme honey which was smooth and light yet a bit herbal.
One of the best flavor combinations we experienced at SIAL was Campa’s Apple and Feijoa Nectar. It was light crisp and dimensional. This was a brand new take on an apple like juice and we absolutely loved it.
We really loved our time at SIAL and are so grateful for the memories and connections made at the show. We left inspired and excited for what is to come.
If you are interested in connecting with us at Fullfilled or to hear any other details about the show please reach out- Kaden@Fullfilledfood.com