Around the food world in five days
SIAL 2006 from 22 to 26 October 2006

SIAL will be in Paris, the World Food Capital, for 5 days from 22 to 26 October 2006. For trade visitors, this multi-specialist event is a unique opportunity to discover the global food offer, network and meet business contacts from all sectors of the industry. A vital resource for food professionals, SIAL’s mission is also to support the market and all involved in it by promoting innovation, a crucial differentiation factor. With its hugely diverse SME offer (70% of the exhibitors) and the wealth of innovative ideas, concepts and products showcased at the exhibition, SIAL is well and truly ahead of the game.

SIAL 2006 in brief:

• 5,300 exhibitors, 77% international (compared with 75% in 2004),
• 38 countries with an increased presence, notably China, Spain, Greece, Turkey and Brazil. China is now the 5th biggest exhibiting country after France, Italy, Spain and Belgium.
• 4 new exhibitor countries: Nicaragua, Pakistan, Papua and Sudan,
• An extensive French offer with 22 French regions participating and a strong French presence in the 15 product sectors plus the French Export Corner.
• Significant expansion of the meat, seafood, dairy products and IFP-Ingredients sectors
• 458 new products selected by the Innovation panel of experts
  

SIAL, the international food industry meeting place and creator of value
5,200 exhibitors are expected from 100 countries, including 1,300 French firms. They will occupy an exhibition area of 200,000 m2 (SIAL 2004 figures) divided into 15 clearly identified product sectors. SIAL is the leading multi-specialist exhibition, attracting supermarket buyers, catering decision-makers, wholesalers, importers and food manufacturers from around the world seeking new solutions for tackling the challenges of tomorrow’s market. Highlights include:

• The Trends & Innovations area and the Judges’ favourites turn the spotlight on innovative products and consumer trends of the future, both in food retailing and in catering,
• Nutrition is at the core of the industry’s concerns with the Nutrition Village,
• An array of special events providing inspiration for anticipating and responding to consumer needs as well as to the demands of the catering sector: the Cuisine du SIAL and “Chefs go shopping”, the Ingredients & Additives advice centre, Fruit & Vegetables Design, the France Export Forum – French Export Corner, Best Buy, Coffee and Tea Pavilions, Fine Foods area and SIAL d’Or awards plus the international press kiosk.
• A dynamic, unique platform for the food industry offering concrete solutions to the various challenges facing retail distributors such as how to revitalise product lines and create value in retail distribution. This year, for the first time: Visits to retail outlets in Paris and London the Grande Epicerie de Paris operation, building bridges between exhibitors and consumers.
• Top-level meetings – the CIAA symposium, the CIES Club – and high added-value talks on key current issues such as nutrition and food safety. Numerous official visits are already scheduled, and this year will see a Franco-Italian official opening by Dominique Bussereau, French Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and Paolo de Castro, the Italian Minister for Agriculture and Forestry.
• New dedicated visitor aids: the Grocery and Dairy Products Guides in addition to the Fruit and Vegetables and Catering Guides, 12 theme trails, tailor-made Buyers’ meetings … and the already successful website www.sial.fr, official catalogue and International Trends & Innovations directory, which all help to ensure a smooth, pleasant and efficient visit.
• An ethical approach with the new Fairtrade pavilion at the heart of the Grocery sector. The opportunity to promote fairtrade producers and support small farmers. Participants include Max Havelaar, Alter Eco, Ethiquable, Les Cafés Méo…

And … since 1988, a partnership with the food banks enabling exhibitors to donate, in safe, hygienic conditions, consumable food products to French Red Cross food centres in the Seine-Saint-Denis for immediate distribution to the needy. In 2004, 47 tonnes of products were collected by 200 volunteers.

In Paris and around the world – SIAL China, SIAL Montreal, SIAL Mercosur –, SIAL affirms its role as a driving force for business, on both a global and regional scale.

Contact:
Annemarie Leeuw
Exposium Nederland
Tolstraat 127
1074 VJ Amsterdam
Phone: +31-(0)20-4620029
Fax: +31-(0)20-4638702