Who will represent Irish produce in SIAL next week?

A host of 35 Irish food companies will be making the trip to Paris (France) this weekend to showcase some of the best of Irish produce at the SIAL international food trade fair.

Led by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Andrew Doyle, along with the chairman and CEO of Bord Bia, 32 of the companies will participate in Bord Bia’s “Ireland – Origin Green” pavilion.

The three other companies – Dawn Meats, ABP and the Traditional Meat Company – have independent stands elsewhere in the fair hall.

The theme for this year’s SIAL is Innovation, with two Irish companies, Good4U (shortlisted for two awards) and Lismore Food Company (shortlisted for one award) in the running to win SIAL Innovation Awards.

A total of 10 companies will be exhibiting at the fair for the first time.

The representative companies will feature in the meat, dairy, prepared foods and baked/confectionery food halls.

The Meat Hall firms will include: AgraKepak; Ashbourne Meat Processors; Ballymooney Foods (t/a Wild Irish Game); Dawn Farm Foods; Dawn International; Dawn Pork & Bacon; Kepak Group; QK Meats; Irish Country Meats; Kildare Chilling; Liffey Meats; Moyvalley Meats; Ribworld; Rosderra Meats; Slaney International; and John Stone Fine Foods.

Companies in the Dairy Hall will include:

Dairy Concepts Irl;
Ornua;
Glanbia; and
Kerry Foods.

Meanwhile, the Prepared Foods Hall will feature: Good 4U; Prestige Foods; Rangeland Foods; Simpli Baked / The Flatbread Co; Promise Gluten Free; Virigina Health Foods; and Valeo Foods.

Finally, the Bakery / Confectionery Hall will host: Coolmore Foods; Goodness Grains Gluten Free Bakery; Follain Foods; Lismore Food Company; and Hassetts Bakery.

Consumer lifestyle trends launch

Insight-led innovation is key for companies in order to diversify, according to Bord Bia – which will use SIAL to launch its most recent global research into consumer lifestyle trends, examining the biggest trends shaping peoples’ lives over the next three to five years.

By keeping up with trends and understanding what’s coming next, the study helps companies within the food and drink industry in Ireland to better prepare for the future needs and desires of consumers.

This latest trends study covers 25 markets, 32,800 consumers across 60 cities and 40 countries.

Five key trends the programme explores include: health and well-being; fuller lives; community; responsible living; and engaging experiences.