SIAL Paris · 2026

Agoris analysis · updated June 2026

Key takeaways

• SIAL Paris has run biennially in even-numbered years since 1964; exhibiting in 2026 means waiting until 2028 for the next Paris edition: skipping an edition means losing 2 years of visibility within the global food industry.
• 31st edition from 17 to 21 October 2026 at Paris Nord Villepinte, 5 days including the Saturday, a format unchanged across several editions.
• 7,500 exhibitors in 2024 from 127 countries, with nearly 285,000 trade visitors from 205 countries: SIAL is the world's largest food innovation trade show, ahead of Anuga Cologne on the internationalisation criterion.
• Comexposium is the sole organiser (no structural co-organisation of the ANIA type), and the show is part of the SIAL Network (12 trade shows worldwide, 17,000+ combined exhibitors, 700,000+ professionals per year).
• The SIAL Innovation Awards celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2026; it is the most visible food innovation competition in the world, a powerful free visibility lever for the exhibitors who enter.

Who exhibits

Typical profile

A general B2B food trade show covering 21 sectors: dairy products, meats, fruit & vegetables, beverages, fine groceries, frozen foods, seafood, ingredients & food preparations, organic, plant-based, halal, kosher, gluten-free, packaging, equipment. A strong presence of manufacturers, cooperatives, French and international SMEs and mid-caps, as well as official country pavilions (110 delegations in 2024).

Notable exhibitors (2024)

Bonduelle, Danone, Lactalis, Savencia, Andros, LDC, Materne, Bel, Saint Hubert, Roquette, Tereos. On the international side: Mars, Nestlé, Unilever, Ferrero, Mondelez, Kerry Group, Olam. 7,500 exhibitors in total, the majority coming from abroad (127 countries represented).

Retention rate

A biennial edition that has historically been highly loyalty-building: SIAL is the essential gathering for food procurement decision-makers, and few major players skip an edition. The steady arrival of new exhibitors (notably food-tech start-ups and DTC brands) renews around 25 to 30% of the exhibitor base at each edition.

Visitor quality

Nearly 285,000 visitors in 2024 from 205 countries. The Top Buyers programme brought together 5,000 targeted international buyers with a declared €60 billion in purchasing power (€50 billion projected across the 8,000 Top Buyers targeted for 2026, Top Buyers scope only). 17 ministers and 50 ambassadors attended in 2024, alongside 110 official delegations. Dominant profile: large-retail procurement and sourcing, food service, importers, processing industries, specialist retail.

Programme & community

Conference programme

SIAL Talks: 5 days of conferences, workshops and themed round tables (consumption trends, the food transition, food-tech, the geopolitics of raw materials, retail, CSR). SIAL Summits: 3 premium tracks (paid, limited-audience formats), aimed at major-account decision-makers.

Awards & accolades

The SIAL Innovation Awards, 30th edition in 2026, the most recognised global food innovation competition. 2024 winners:

• Gold: Préparations Galettes Végétales Sabarot (France)
• Silver: Super Greens moringa, Aryze (Mauritius)
• Bronze: Zero-Carb Sushi, KING Konjac (Finland)
• Own the Change CSR Award: Lupi Coffee

The winners receive a dedicated space at the show and extensive media coverage, a free lever for innovative SMEs and start-ups.

Satellite events

SIAL Taste: a space for tasting and demonstrating product trends (not to be confused with former names such as Tastes & Trends). Official country pavilions. A food-tech start-up space. TV stages. Culinary stages with international chefs. Sector demonstrations (bakery, charcuterie, cheeses, wines).

Community & networks

SIAL is part of the SIAL Network, the world's leading network of B2B food trade shows: 12 shows (Paris, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Canada Montréal, Canada Toronto, India Mumbai launched in 2025, Interfood Jakarta, Malaysia, Djazagro Algiers, Gourmet Selection Paris, Cheese and Dairy Products Show). Network total: 17,000+ exhibitors, 700,000+ professionals per year. For exhibitors, the SIAL Network offers a coherent multi-market internationalisation pathway.

What's new in 2026

31st edition, 5-day format preserved, announced targets: around 295,000 professionals, 8,000 exhibitors, 280,000 m² (vs 270,000 m² in 2024). SIAL for Change is gaining a start-up strand: a new "SIAL For Change By The Foodies" category open to non-exhibiting start-ups, designed with the Hyssop agency. The SIAL Innovation Awards celebrate their 30th anniversary with a special anniversary staging.

On site: what you need to know

• Venue: Paris Nord Villepinte, 8 halls in use, around 280,000 m² of exhibition space targeted
• Transport access: RER B, Parc des Expositions station, around 35 min from Châtelet. Roissy CDG 10 min away by shuttle. RER B traffic is very heavy at peak times, so allow 60 to 90 min of margin from central Paris at the start and end of the day
• Parking: Substantial on-site car parks, with predictable saturation on Tuesday and Wednesday (peak days). The daily rate is not negligible, so compare it with Roissy + shuttle
• Accommodation: Hotels in Roissy CDG, Aulnay-sous-Bois and Villepinte are fully booked 4 to 6 months before the show. The alternative of central Paris + RER B is more comfortable but more expensive. Book as soon as your attendance is confirmed
• Opening hours & badges: 10am to 7pm across all 5 days. Trade visitor rate: €90 on early-bird until 16 June 2026. Student/school rate €50, valid only on Monday 19 or Tuesday 20 October. Group offer from €80/person (organised groups). Free badges are available via exhibitor invitation codes
• Services: Multi-point catering in every hall (culinary stages, food courts, premium restaurants). Networking areas. A digital matchmaking service. The official SIAL app. A press area. Private meeting rooms available on reservation

How much it costs to exhibit

Preparing your visit

For the exhibitor

• 18 months out (spring 2025): make contact with Comexposium; the strategic locations (hall entrances, corners, country pavilions) go very early at a biennial show
• 12 months out: confirm the stand concept, brief the contractor, enter the SIAL Innovation Awards (a demanding application, with closing dates several months before the show)
• 9 months out: commit to the Top Buyers programme if eligible (pre-qualified premium buyer targeting)
• 6 months out: finalise the stand plan, order construction, organise product logistics, complete health declarations if handling fresh produce or alcohol
• 3 months out: team accreditations, accommodation, sales briefing, quantified lead targets
• 6 weeks out: deliver materials, activate the SIAL app for matchmaking, schedule pre-arranged meetings

For the decision-maker visitor

• Badge at €90 on early-bird until 16 June 2026, a significant saving versus the full rate
• The SIAL Talks programme is published in advance on sialparis.com, so identify the priority conferences
• Allow a minimum of 2 to 3 days: 8 halls and 7,500 exhibitors cannot be covered in 1 day
• Ask your usual suppliers for a free invitation code before paying for your badge
• The Top Buyers programme is reserved for pre-qualified major-account buyers (sourcing above an annual threshold), with applications via sialparis.com

CSR commitment

SIAL Paris runs its CSR programme under the SIAL for Change banner. A CSR award was launched in 2024 with the Hyssop agency, and a new 2026 category, "SIAL For Change By The Foodies", is open to non-exhibiting start-ups to broaden access to CSR recognition. There is an operational partnership with the French Red Cross: 50 tonnes of products redistributed at the 2022 edition, with 200 volunteers mobilised during the show for collection and redistribution. 100% of the electricity used on site comes from renewable sources. Circular economy: 2,000 m² of stand materials reused from one edition to the next. SIAL communicates on a low-carbon event trajectory without having published a quantified 2030 or 2040 target to date.

How the show has evolved

Trajectory analysis

SIAL Paris has been on a continuous growth trajectory since the post-Covid rebound of 2022. The 2024 edition, marking the 60th anniversary, set an all-time record with nearly 285,000 visitors from 205 countries, confirming its position as the world's leading food innovation trade show, ahead of Anuga Cologne on the internationalisation criterion. The 2026 target (8,000 exhibitors, around 295,000 visitors, 280,000 m²) is consistent with this trajectory and remains achievable without a step change in format. The biennial even-year rhythm has been unchanged since the outset, and the 5-day format including the Saturday is confirmed. The structural challenge for Comexposium remains showcasing the Top Buyers programme and the SIAL Network as internationalisation accelerators for French exhibitors, in the face of competition from Anuga (biennial odd-year rhythm, complementary in the calendar).

Unless otherwise stated, all factual data in this listing comes from the organiser's official website (sialparis.com).