Press Release

DIPLOMACY, BUSINESS, INNOVATION: SIAL PARIS 2026 AT THE HEART OF GLOBAL FOOD CHALLENGES

Held under the High Patronage of the President of the French Republic, SIAL Paris closed its doors on 21 October after five days that made the capital the centre of gravity for the global food industry. A meeting of G7 Agriculture Ministers, India as Country of Honour and food sovereignty at the heart of discussions: the 2026 edition confirmed the show’s unique role in international food diplomacy, as well as its position as a business and innovation platform for the 305,000 professionals who attended from 192 countries and regions around the world.

SIAL PARIS: A DRIVING FORCE FOR INFLUENCE AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY

SIAL Paris, where nations come together
In a world shaped by geopolitical tensions and shifting trade alliances, SIAL Paris fully embraced its role as a place for dialogue between nations.

A major highlight of this edition was a high-level meeting on food security and food sovereignty held at the show on 19 October. Organised at the initiative of France, it brought together Agriculture Ministers and representatives from G7 countries (Canada, Germany, the United States, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom), in the presence of Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food.
“The major challenges facing food know no borders or silos. SIAL Paris 2026 demonstrated that it is far more than a trade show: it is a place where nations engage in dialogue and where the trade balances of tomorrow’s food industry are shaped”, underlines Jean-Gabriel Mollard, Director of SIAL Paris.

Opened by Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture, Agri-food and Food Sovereignty, the show also welcomed numerous official delegations, including ministers from Poland, Malta and Lebanon, as well as nearly 60 ambassadors. Demonstrating its international appeal, 16 countries exhibited for the first time, among the 130 countries and regions represented.

India, country of honour for this edition
India illustrated the show’s ability to support major shifts in global trade. As the free trade agreement between the European Union and India moves through ratification, the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) brought together around 150 exhibitors and showcased an agricultural sector undergoing rapid transformation. It expressed its ambition to build a strategic partnership with SIAL Paris and the wider SIAL Network.

Connecting markets around the world
As the flagship event of SIAL Network, the world’s leading network of food trade shows, with 11 events from Montreal to Shanghai and Jakarta to Mumbai, SIAL Paris forms part of a wider ecosystem: Comexposium’s Food & Beverage division, which brings together 35 events and 1.5 million participants worldwide. This global reach enables companies to be supported in the fastest-growing markets, particularly in Asia.

SIAL PARIS: UNDERSTAND, DECIDE, ACT

SIAL Paris, where business opportunities become reality
True to its purpose, SIAL Paris once again proved to be a powerful business accelerator. Its 305,000 professionals, 72% of whom were international, represented €100 billion in purchasing power. Connections were further strengthened by an AI-powered matchmaking platform, the new Meet & Match area and the launch of SIAL Analytics, a strategic intelligence tool dedicated to global food innovation.
“Understand faster, decide faster, act faster: that is what professionals from around the world came to Paris to achieve. In food, trust is still built face to face”, comments Jean-Gabriel Mollard, Director of SIAL Paris.

SIAL Paris, where tomorrow’s food is created
Marking its 30th anniversary, SIAL Innovation delivered a record edition, with more than 2,750 products submitted and 775 selected, reflecting a clear resurgence in innovation. The selection revealed new consumer expectations: more sensory pleasure, more functional health benefits and the continued rise of snacking. More than 650 start-ups and the CSR initiatives of the SIAL for Change winners completed the picture of an industry in motion.
“SIAL Paris gives innovation a unique global platform: this is where new products from around the world meet the market and find their route to international expansion”, comments Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of the Food & Beverage division at Comexposium.

SIAL Paris, where the future takes shape
As a unique market observatory, SIAL Paris also provided the keys to understanding the changes reshaping the sector. The SIAL Insights 2026 report explores ten major trends, beginning with food choices being seen as a civic act by 69% of consumers worldwide. The SIAL Summits – from “Feeding a World Under Pressure” to “The Era of Personalised Nutrition” and “Food Intelligence: Redefining the Value Chain” – together with new areas such as StrEat Lab, dedicated to street food, highlighted rapidly changing behaviours and uses.

Looking ahead to 2028
Through the scale of its attendance and the seniority of its delegations, the 2026 edition confirmed SIAL Paris’s unique position on the global food stage: the show no longer simply reflects market changes, but actively helps shape them. Building on this success, Comexposium is already preparing the next chapter. In October 2028, SIAL Paris will continue its growth by expanding across two sites, Paris Nord Villepinte and Paris Le Bourget, to offer an even higher standard of service and presentation.

SIAL PARIS is committed: for more than 20 years, its partnership with the French Red Cross has enabled food products to be collected and distributed during the show. In 2026, 45 tonnes were collected.

Paris, 28th October 2026

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