SIAL Innovation is a global food innovation observatory run in partnership with ProtéinesXTC, which every two years reviews seve- ral thousand applications submitted by the show’s exhibitors.
Around the world, the agri-food industry is reinventing itself to meet current challenges and consumer expectations by developing innovative, healthier products with new ingredients and packaging. SIAL Paris rewards these innovations through some twenty theme-based awards allocated by category (dairy, seafood, frozen food, etc.), as well as special awards such as the Own the Change (CSR) Awards, the Start-up Awards and the Public’s Choice Awards, for which the SIAL Paris ecosystem is invited to vote before and during the show. This 2024 edition features new special prizes such as the Top 3 Countries Awards, for the pick of the nations that have offered the most innovative products, and the Africa Awards.
SIAL Paris is a trendsetter and offers visitors a unique insight into the future of global food through a dedicated area at the show featuring products from the SIAL Innovation selection.
INNOVATION BOOSTED IN 2024
Quality and quantity: the powerful cocktail prepared by the participants of the SIAL Innovation 2024 Awards once again demonstrates the dynamism of the global agrifood sector, as well as its ability to adapt to the expectations of its public. The succession of crises, starting with the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by the war in Ukraine and rising inflation, has shifted the center of gravity of innovation. For nearly fifteen years it has been focused on topics such as healthy living, natural products or ethics; it must now respond to an urgent need for comfort.
The notion of «sustainable pleasure» is emerging, where ecological and wellness imperatives are combined with a certain lightness of approach. This challenge that doubles up as a feat of gymnastics is what the market players now seem more than willing to take on. The vibrancy of this environment is confirmed by the statistics: more than 2,000 new products were presented by exhibitors at SIAL Innovation for this edition… for imagining a future that is both greener and tinged with pleasure.
“The slowdown in innovation observed in 2022, linked to the uncertainties of the times, seems to be behind us, all over the world, with companies resuming product launches last year and into 2024. There is a clear orientation towards less weighty and perhaps more guilt-free pleasure values than in the last 15 years.” – Xavier Terlet, Expert on Trends & Innovation, ProtéinesXTC
AWARDS CEREMONY SIAL INNOVATION
The highly anticipated SIAL Innovation Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards as well as the Public’s Choice and the Top 3 Countries Awards will be unveiled at the awards ceremony, an unmissable event at the show!
Saturday 19 October 2024 from 4 pm to 6 pm on the SIAL Talks HALL 5A stage
A taste for innovation
For the first time, visitors of the show will have the opportunity to taste products from the SIAL Innovation selection in a new area: SIAL Taste.
15-minute tasting sessions for the duration of the show. Open to all, without reservation.
SIAL INNOVATION PRIZEWINNERS 2024
AWARDS BY CATEGORY
BEVERAGES CATEGORY
LES CONFISADES – LES JARDINS DE L’ORBRIE – Cœur de Pom’ (France)
Launch date: January 2025
At the initiative of Coeur de Pom’, co-products derived from fruit candying will bring refreshing sparkle to every gourmet snack: this new drink with an intense flavor meets the twin expectations of consumers in terms of taste pleasure and sustainable use of resources. This soda embodies the circular and natural approach adopted by the company, through a formulation based on candied fruit extracts, without coloring or preservatives.
GROCERY CATEGORY
THE ORIGINAL HUMMUS BAR – GRAPEFUL – Grapeful (Lebanon)
Launch date: October 2023
Traditionally eaten as a spread or dipper, this formula makes hummus available in the form of food bars. It’s an original format, although what is really innovative here in this category of products is the flavoring, which opens the way to snacking- type consumption at any time of the day, including when on the move. This product, based on chickpeas as befits Lebanese tradition, comes in multiple flavors (pistachio-cardamom, tahini- orange blossom, beet-dukkah…). Grapeful targets a wide audience, with consumers increasingly avid for the flavors of the Levant (Mediterranean rim) as well as health-conscious individuals, thanks to the protein-rich claims and the absence of added sugar.
MEAT CATEGORY
French shredded pork or chicken
LUISSIER BORDEAU CHESNEL – Bordeau Chesnel (France)
Launch date: April 2024
Meat is a category where innovation is rare. Here, the Jury appreciated the premium positioning of the rillette-type product proposed with a fashionable «shredded» texture and the new proposal for use as an ingredient or culinary aid to make original recipes. Meat lovers are all in favor of long cooking time, offering melt-in-the-mouth textures. Bordeau Chesnel offers these aficionados all the qualities of such preparations in a ready-to-use format, suitable for snacking or as an appetizer: the shredded meats developed by the company are available in pork or chicken versions, both cooked for four hours in the pot in order to bring out the full flavor of the product. Particularly versatile and positioned in a resolutely premium segment, this innovation can be enjoyed hot or cold and finds its place in many cooking recipes, especially for concocting sauces.
ORGANIC & WELLNESS CATEGORY
Super yeast – ARBIOM – Yusto (France)
Launch date: November 2024
Replacing salt with a product rich in nutritional qualities is what Yusto offers here. These French «super yeast» flakes, rich in nutrients, proteins and fibers, can be sprinkled into preparations or on dishes, providing a characteristic «umami» taste. Its practical packaging (resealable upright doypack) preserves the flavor of the product. A welcome innovation in a category that innovates little outside of the traditional brewer’s yeast on the dietary shelves.
SEAFOOD CATEGORY
King Crab Meat – FUTURUM SEAFOOD AS – Vaag Seafood (Norway)
Launch date: November 2024
A lack of practicality is the main obstacle to the consumption of shellfish. To address this problem, VAAG Seafood uses a process that gets rid of the shell without diminishing the presentation of the product.
Even before opening the packaging, the unique characteristics of the shellfish meat packaged by VAAG Seafood attract the eye thanks to the completely transparent packaging: perfectly preserved through freezing, it retains all its organoleptic qualities. A high-end product meant for inclusion in the most refined dishes.
DAIRY PRODUCTS CATEGORY
Crunchy dried cheese – PRIME SNACK, LLC – SNECO (Ukraine)
Launch date: October 2024
In separate, dehydrated chunks, this cheese is made crispy thanks to the process developed by the Ukrainian company snEco, inspired by NASA technologies! The Jury appreciated the strong taste developed by the simple low-temperature dehydration of the cheese. Gouda, Parmesan, cheddar: three flavors for a world tour of delights in the palm of your hand. Its fun format requiring no refrigeration makes it particularly suitable for snacking, and it also boasts a composition free of preservatives, artificial additives, gluten and sugar.
CEREALS, LEGUMES AND FRUITS CATEGORY
Preparations for vegetable patties SABAROT WASSNER – Sabarot (France) Launch date: April 2023
The development of vegetable protein consumption is a societal issue, as it reduces the environmental impact of food. Sabarot supports this trend and offers preparations for vegetable patties, available in three recipes: quinoa and bulgur with sun-ripened vegetables, trio of Indian lentils, split peas with basil. This range responds to the consumer desire to get more vegetables in their diet without using processed substitute products. The Jury was struck by the practicality of this innovation and its ease of preparation: a product ready in 8 minutes in total – just adding hot water. Consumers get to enjoy the pleasure of “homemade” dishes, with minimum effort!
FROZEN PRODUCTS CATEGORY
Vegetable Desserts Range YUMGO – Yumgo (France) Launch Date: January 2025
After reinventing the egg in a plant-based version, Yumgo adds the veg touch to sweet treats with a new range of finished and ready-to-use products. Cookie, brownie, brookie and runny- core cake: four all-plant-based recipes, distributed at below- zero temperatures, at the heart of which the egg substitute developed by the French company guarantees the specific texture of these products. As the supply of plant-based desserts for out-of-home catering is very limited to date, the jury considers that this Yumgo range can be a particularly interesting solution for collective catering (schools, companies, health facilities) which needs to meet the particular expectations of consumers (vegan/ vegetarian diets, allergies).
CATERING & FAST-FOOD CATEGORY
Green Leaf Kimchi – OURHOME – Ourhome (South Korea)
Launch date: May 2024
Fermented cabbage gets a virtuous makeover! A Korean specialty now well-known in Europe, kimchi parades on tasting its rich flavors of fermentation, garlic, ginger… but also smacks of ethics thanks to the approach of Ourhome, which gets the best out of the green cabbage leaf enveloping the vegetable.
This leaf, which tends not to be consumed, finds its place here at the heart of this sophisticated recipe. The green leaves of napa cabbage have a higher total mineral content than the inner leaves, especially chlorophyll and carotene. They retain a crisp texture even when the product is stored for a long time.
ALTERNATIVE FOOD CATEGORY
Zero-Carb Sushi Bites – KING KONJAC – King Konjac (Finland)
Launch Date: August 2024
The development of diets low in calories and carbohydrates has led to the rise of Konjac, a plant whose tuber is transformed in multiple applications. Very low-calorie and satiating, gluten- free, it is historically offered in the form of pasta or incorporated in diet ready-meals. The Finnish company KING Konjac now brings it into the world of sushi by replacing rice, while guaranteeing a similar taste experience. The product, pre- formed to serve as a base for sushi, is as convenient as it is high in fiber, providing an opportunity for restaurateurs to position themselves in the segment of healthier, low-carbohydrate food offerings.
PACKAGING CATEGORY
“Paper bottle” organic extra-virgin olive oil – ENIA FOODS – Aeons (Greece)
Launch date: January 2023
In a market like that of oil, where the standards seemed untouchable, Aeons shakes things up by replacing the glass bottle with an innovative packaging: made from 94% recycled cardboard and equipped with a special food-grade lining intended to contain olive oil, the packaging imagined by the Greek company has lots going for it. It is in fact five times lighter than glass and has a carbon footprint up to six times lower than traditional containers, in addition to being easily recyclable and perfectly preserving the qualities of the olive oil.
IFP CATEGORY (Intermediate Food Products)
Fungible – SCELTA MUSHROOMS – Fungible (Netherlands)
Launch date: October 2024
Mushrooms find their place in new applications, contributing to a healthier but no less tasty diet: thanks to Fungible, developed by the Dutch company Scella Mushrooms, it becomes possible to significantly reduce the overall fat content of recipes (including saturated fats, which mechanically improves the NutriScore), without compromising on texture or taste.
Made from mushrooms grown in the Netherlands, the product has a fat content of only 15% and is an ideal ingredient for developing 100% vegetable formulations, offering a natural «umami» flavour and a particularly sought-after juicy texture.
EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY CATEGORY
Active Label – ACTIVE LABEL (Italy)
Launch date: October 2024
Ensuring the quality and safety of food products is a major challenge for all actors in the value chain. Active Label provides an innovative solution to offer complete product traceability: its patented smart labels are able to store – in crystals – information such as temperature, humidity, light and other critical environmental parameters.
Stimulated by UV light, the crystals are then able to transcribe this valuable information, obtained after processing by advanced proprietary algorithms and then stored in the “cloud”.
SPECIAL AWARDS
AFRICA SPECIAL AWARD
Super Green : Moringa – ARYZE CO. LTD – Boost IT (Mauritius)
Launch date: May 2023
All the benefits of Moringa in a carton of juice: the chilled infusion, combining moringa, mint and apple, developed by Boost IT, is rich in benefits. This plant, native to India and Sri Lanka, is nicknamed «tree of life» or «miracle tree» on account of its multiple nutritional and medicinal virtues. The Jury appreciated the use of this ingredient in a drink meant as a general consumer product, whereas Morin- ga is generally offered in powder form in exotic grocery stores or as a dietary supplement. It brings protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A & C to the beverage, as well as a thicker and more unctuous texture than traditional juices. To be consumed chilled, this innovation is also distinguished by the freshness of the mint, counterbalanced by the sweetness of the apple.
START-UP SPECIAL AWARD
SalmOnderful smoked- SEAFOOD REBOOT FACTORY – OLALA! (France)
Launch date: May 2023
To succeed in developing a plant-based alternative to smoked salmon, OLALA! has developed a patented process, guaranteeing a texture close to the traditional product.
Smoked SalmOnderful offers nutritional characteristics comparable to farmed products, including seaweed oil at the heart of its formulation. Smoked with beech wood at Boulogne-sur-Mer, it allows restaurateurs to offer dishes with marine flavors on their menus, while developing the responsible nature of their offer.
OWN THE CHANGE SPECIAL AWARD
Lupi Coffee DARK – LUPI COFFEE – Lupi Coffee (France)
Launch date: April 2024
In the turbulent landscape of coffee alter- natives, the lupine could well establish itself as a product in line with the expectations of the age. Lupine is a legume that fixes nitrogen in the air and can therefore do without nitrogen-based fertilizers. Thanks to its particularly effective roots to find the nutrients it needs, the lupine is able to grow on very poor soils. In addition to having a low environmental impact, the farming of this legume provides seeds perfectly adapted to roasting, then to the grinding necessary to make beverages. Located in the North of France, Lupi Coffee promotes the development of a domestic lupine sector and promises coffee lovers a product adapted to all methods of preparation, as well as rich and deep flavors.