FOODTECH WEEKLY · GUEST CONTRIBUTION
By Ludovic Reysset, board chairman and advisor to Food-Tech companies
SIAL Paris, 17–21 October 2026, Paris Nord Villepinte.
It is always exciting to go to SIAL. This is the world’s largest food exhibition, and this year I spent three days walking its halls. The verdict is very positive overall, with one real disappointment and a lot to say about where innovation is heading.
Bigger and bigger. But how big is too big?
My first impression was that SIAL keeps growing. This edition was announced with up to 8,000 exhibitors, 295,000 professionals and more than 280,000 m² of exhibition space, up from 7,500 exhibitors in 2024.
That raises an honest question: what is the limit for a show like this? At some point, size stops serving business and starts working against it. Three days are barely enough to scratch the surface.
The real win: startups under one roof
This is where SIAL deserves credit. More than 650 startups were expected, with around 150 gathered in the dedicated Start-up area. Bringing them together in one location makes a real difference for anyone who scouts, invests in or supports young food companies.
SIAL is not a food-tech show, and its angle is innovation more than technology. But it now clearly recognises that startups have a role to play in where food is going. For those of us who champion food tech, that is good news.
The entrance to the SIAL Innovation area.
The weak point: getting there
I have to be honest: logistically, it was a disaster. People waited for hours to get in or out by train, by taxi, or by whatever else they could find. As a French person, I was not proud, and I am sorry for every visitor who travelled from abroad to experience that. A show with this ambition deserves access that matches it.
Seven trends from the floor
1. The protein race, and the question nobody is asking. The game is to print the biggest number on the pack. Turkish dairy brand Pinar had milk drinks up to 52g. There were 32g-protein burger buns, and tuna salads at 21–22g with added collagen.
My question: when do we start talking about protein quality? Source, digestibility and amino-acid profile are almost absent from the conversation. Consumers are getting lost in this protein bubble, even though the underlying demand for functionality is real. For food tech: the next differentiator is quality, not quantity, and quality is where science can win.
The protein race: Pinar protein drinks, Fjord Fiskursson tuna salads, The Good Fuel burger buns.