North America’s largest food innovation trade show has made its much anticipated in-person return to Montreal after going 100% virtual over the past few years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After participating in SIAL Canada back in 2018 and 2019, it’s become my favourite trade show to attend in the food industry and I’ve been itching to go back in person to witness all the marvellous food innovations and technological and sustainable advancements that many of the participating food companies have excitingly achieved.
Read a recap of my Montreal SIAL Canada 2018 experience here.
Read a recap of my Toronto SIAL Canada 2019 experience here.
SIAL Canada is the only national trade show that offers a complete range of food products under one roof with more than 1,200 national and international exhibitors from 50 countries, alternating host cities between Montreal and Toronto. It’s become a key to the Canadian agrifood industry and acts as an entryway to the US and international markets with over 25,000 buyers from all around the world attending. It’s pretty simple here, the exposure you get when you have a booth at SIAL Canada is unparalleled to any other trade show you’ll find in Canada.
This year in 2022, SIAL Canada was back in Montreal (and in person as well, no more zoom meetings!) from April 20th to April 22nd at the always lovely Palais Des Congres in the heart of the downtown core. I was so ecstatic to be invited back to the trade show this year and quite simply just be back with people! It was the first flight I’ve taken in two years since the pandemic began, and I couldn’t be happier that it was going to be in the world-class city of Montreal.
If you are planning to one day visit SIAL Canada in Montreal, choosing a convenient accommodation is going to be one of the first important decisions you will have to make. Since SIAL Canada runs over a span of 3 days, you’re going to want easy access to the Palais Des Congres. The first time I was in Montreal, my hotel was about a 10 minute Uber ride away. Although that may not sound too far, being mere minutes away walking wise from the facility was a total game changer this year and a huge convenience to have. I was able to quickly go back to my hotel room for breaks and recharge whenever I felt like it, and then being able to quickly go right back to the action whenever I wanted was amazing. With all that being said, if you’re looking for a modern and affordable hotel that is literally a one minute walk to the Palais Des Congres in downtown Montreal, look no further than Hotel Le Dauphin - Montreal Centre Ville. You don’t even need to bring your own laptop with you because every room is equipped with your very own Macbook!
During the first day of SIAL Canada, my favourite event happens in the early morning which is the annual SIAL Innovation Awards! In its 14th edition this year, the top finalists are each trying to take home the Gold ($10,000 prize), Silver ($5,000 prize), Bronze ($5,000 prize), and Sustainability ($3, 750 prize) awards for being the most innovative products of the year. This is always measured on four criteria: packaging, manufacturing process, merchandising, and recipe. This competition is open to all exhibitors where the winners will undoubtedly receive international recognition thanks to the World Champion Tour where they will be showcased in other SIAL trade shows around the world, and is why winning this prestigious honour can really catapult a product’s reach from a national audience to world-wide.
Here are this year’s 2022 Finalists and Winners!
GROUNDUP - GROUNDUP ECO-VENTURES - CANADA (GOLD AWARD)
Range of flours and baking mixes made of upcycled ingredients. Selected as a new example of circular economy made accessible by the valorization of rejected ingredients into convenient, nutritious and tasty products.
TEMPEHINE - LES ALIMENTS MERJEX INC. - CANADA (SILVER AWARD)
Range of organic marinated and precooked ground tempeh. Selected for the quality of composition and the use of a new process to make tempeh a ready-to-use and versatile ingredient, enabling the addition of vegetable proteins to a wide variety of meals.
LA PRESSERIE - LA PRESSERIE - CANADA (BRONZE AWARD)
Range of raw and unpasteurized vinaigrettes made from cold pressed fruits and vegetables. Selected for their simple and natural composition, the use of fresh ingredients and the cold pressing process which adds culinary appeal to the products
GOOD CHIPS - PARAMO SNACKS - COLOMBIA (SUSTAINABILITY AWARD)
Organic beet and yacon chips with no added oil or sugar. Selected for the naturalness and authenticity of the product resulting from the origin of the ingredients, for the transformation process and the manufacturer's relevant commitments to sustainable development.
FARO - BRÛLERIES FARO ROASTING HOUSES - CANADA
Coffee beans aged in microbrewery oak barrels. Selected for the manufacturing process using an ageing technique that is unusual for coffee, for the sophistication of the product and the original packaging.
CLUB SÉLECT - CLUB KOMBUCHA - CANADA
High-end kombucha presented as wine. Selected for the premiumization of the kombucha offer and the proposed varieties. This product reinvents kombucha as a shared experience to be enjoyed over a nice meal.
ALTERNATIVE KITCHEN - LOC INDUSTRIES - CANADA
Range of products made from organic textured vegetable proteins. Selected for the diversity of the range allowing multiple applications as meat or carbohydrate substitutes, as well as the more ecological transformation process.
SIGNÉ CAMÉLINE - OLIMÉGA SIGNÉ CAMÉLINE - CANADA
Roasted camelina oil. Selected for the new taste experience due to the roasting of the camelina seed, offering a local, gourmet and allergen-free alternative to sesame oil
BAR TO COOK - THE FOODIE FAMILY - CANADA
Bars of sauce with world recipes. Selected for the originality of the format that makes the creation of culinary experiences very easy and accessible to all home cooks. Simple ingredients make it all the more appealing.
Once the SIAL Innovation Awards are handed out, the world was than my oyster here as I had three days to walk around the trade show floors, booth-to-booth, exhibitor-to-exhibitor, from one country to the next learning and finding what the next big food product is. If you’re one of those people who are trying to get their step counter in for their fit bit, coming here will definitely grant you those 12,000 steps you are looking for. This place is huge and you’ll have no problem filling up your day with things to do.
Besides the exhibitor’s booths here at SIAL Canada where if you’re lucky enough you may even be able to take some samples home with you, there are also a variety of other activities scheduled throughout the three days for you to enjoy.
You’re able to book some conferences in where you can take a sharp look within the food industry by sitting in on a variety of talks hosted by expert trend hunters in the agri-food industry. A selection of experts from various backgrounds speak at SIAL Canada each year to share with us the most up-to-date information on the food industry such as the any concerning issues, innovation, market trends and opportunities, and changes in purchasing behaviour.
If you’re a bit more of a thrill-seeker, you can also attend one of the many exciting competitions that play out throughout the trade show (outside of the SIAL Innovation Awards). Pick from the International Cheese Competition, the Olive d’Or Competition, and the Start-Up Pitch Competition. And of course you’ll be able to also see some live cooking demos while mingling with some other culinary professionals at the La Cuisine and the Inspire Drink workshops. There’s something here for everyone to enjoy!
One of the great perks of also going to SIAL Canada is that you’re in a world-class city of Montreal, and if you’re like a foodie like me, you’ll have nothing short of a laundry list of wonderful places to go eat out at when you’re not walking the trade show floors and want to satisfy those cravings you may be having after seeing all the food at the exhibitor’s booths.
Here are some of my top cafes to eat at while you’re visiting Montreal for SIAL Canada that is all in walking distance from the Palais Des Congres. I didn’t use any form of public transportation or car sharing services during my time here in Montreal, just my two feet!
La Finca Cafe (Two Minute Walk from SIAL Canada)
Mandy’s (Six Minute Walk from SIAL Canada)
Olive et Gourmando (Six Minute Walk from SIAL Canada)
Patrice Patissier (Thirty Minute Walk from SIAL Canada)
The planning for SIAL Canada 2023 is already under way. Next year it’ll be back in Toronto at the Enercare Centre from May 9th to May 11th, 2023 where we get to do this all over again! Hope to see you all there!