The Global Food Marketplace (French: Salon International de l’alimentation, or SIAL) is a trade fair held every two years,[1] which specializes in the food processing industry. This event was first held in 1964 in Paris.[2]
The SIAL was established in 1964 by several groups, including the Confédération Générale de l'Alimentation en détail (General Confederation of the Retail Food Trade), and at the instigation of public authorities (Ministry of Agriculture (France)|Ministry of Agriculture, Paris Chamber of Commerce). Twenty-six countries participated in the first fair, which was held at the Center of New Industries and Technologies (French: Centre des nouvelles industries et technologies|CNIT) in La Défense, as part of International Food Week. The second SIAL was held in 1966, also at the CNIT.
The trade show was held at the Versailles Gate Exhibition Centre from 1968 to 1984 and at the North Paris-Villepinte Exposition Park since 1986.
In 2014, SIAL Paris marks a new stage by integrating the Salon International du Process et du Conditionnement Alimentaire (IPA show), which will be represented within the Equipment, Technology and Services sector.
SIAL Paris has given rise to six other trade fairs, all members of the SIAL Group network, in China, in United Arab Emirates, in Canada and in Brazil. In 2014, SIAL Group launches a new trade show in the Philippines called SIAL ASEAN.
Within the scope of SIAL Innovation, the agencies XTC and TNS Sofres present a comparative analysis of food-related trends and innovations. The study conducted by TNS Sofres puts the attitudes of consumers in seven countries (France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Russia, United States and China) in perspective, with regard to the trends identified by XTC.
The fair's visitors come from various sectors of the food processing industry, such as distribution, trade, food services, viticulture, etc. Approximately 70% of the visitors visit the fair in search of new products and suppliers.
The top 15 visiting countries are:
| Distribution | Food Service | Food Industry | Services | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54% | 18% | 24% | 4% | |
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The majority of the participants are suppliers of finished food products. They exhibit individually (direct exhibitor) or collectively (for example, in a national pavilion). This second option represents 61% of the fair's surface area.
79% of the exhibitors are from national (with less than 250 employees) and international small and medium enterprises and 21% are from large groups. The number of international exhibitors has grown from in 1992 to in 2010.
| Fresh products | scope)"col" | Dry products | scope)"col" | Intermediate food products | scope)"col" | Frozen foods | scope)"col" | Drinks | scope)"col" | Wines and spirits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of exhibitors | 329 | 425 | 514 | 232 |
The exhibition sectors :
Each time the fair takes place, almost 50 tons of products are collected and redistributed to French Red Cross centers in Seine-Saint-Denis. In addition, the fair processes organic waste. In 2012, a partnership is set to be formed with Utopies, with the aim of emphasizing sustainable development.
In addition to its managing director, SIAL has a supervisory board and a board of directors. Comexposium, a subsidiary of the CCIP and of the UK private equity firm Charterhouse, and SOPEXA are the principal shareholders of SIAL.