'Do not confuse presence with impact'
IrishFood spoke to Jean-Gabriel Mollard, SIAL Paris director, about some of the trends and innovations shaping the global food industry right now, what it takes for innovation to succeed, and what exhibiting Irish companies can do to optimise their time at the world's largest food and beverage innovation event
IRISHFOOD: What are some of the top trends and innovations shaping the global food industry right now?
Jean-Gabriel: We are seeing several major shifts converge. Consumers want food that delivers more – more targeted health benefits, more convenience and personalisation, but also more pleasure and experience. At the same time, affordability and sustainability remain essential. Digital technology and AI are accelerating this transformation, from product development to consumer engagement. What is particularly interesting in 2026 is that innovation increasingly needs to combine several of these expectations rather than address them separately.
IRISHFOOD: Have any of these trends surprised you? And why?
Jean-Gabriel: What surprises me most is the speed at which expectations are converging. Health, pleasure, convenience, and affordability used to be treated as separate innovation territories. Today, consumers increasingly expect them together. Functional nutrition is a good example: products are becoming much more targeted to specific needs, lifestyles or life stages, but they still have to be enjoyable. For manufacturers, the challenge is no longer simply to add another benefit, but to create a genuinely coherent proposition.
IRISHFOOD: Something that caught our eye is a renewed interest in crops that have not been grown for quite some time. What do you know about this resilient-grains-and-seeds trend?
Jean-Gabriel: This reflects a broader search for diversification and resilience across the food system. We are seeing renewed attention around grains, pulses and a wider variety of plant ingredients. Plant-based is also entering a new phase. It is becoming less about simply replacing meat and more about exploring plants for their own nutritional, culinary and environmental potential. For the industry, diversifying ingredients and supply sources can also contribute to building more adaptable food systems.
IRISHFOOD: SIAL Paris 2026 spans 10 key sectors including meat, dairy, seafood, bakery, beverages, grocery, and ingredients, etc. In which sector is innovation most evident, do you think?
Jean-Gabriel: I would hesitate to name a single sector, because one of the strongest characteristics of innovation today is that it cuts across categories. We see it in beverages, snacking, ingredients, dairy, grains and many others. Functional nutrition, new consumption formats, and plant-based innovation are particularly dynamic. What has changed is the definition of innovation itself. It is increasingly about responding to a specific consumer need, usage, or environmental challenge rather than simply launching a new recipe.
IRISHFOOD: SIAL Paris 2026 will feature five awards ceremonies including the SIAL Innovation 2026 Awards Ceremony, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this this year. What does it take for a company to succeed here?
Jean-Gabriel: The fundamentals have remained remarkably consistent over 30 years. A successful innovation must offer a genuinely new benefit to the consumer or user; or provide a relevant response to an emerging market trend. Our selection is expert and independent, and products must have been launched within the previous two years. Ultimately, what stands out is innovation that goes beyond novelty: it addresses a real need and has the potential to create meaningful value in the market.
IRISHFOOD: As mentioned, SIAL Paris 2026 spans 10 key sectors. Where is the strongest growth and toughest competition right now for those sectors?
Jean-Gabriel: The picture is very dynamic. At SIAL Paris, grocery, fine food, meat, poultry, charcuterie and prepared foods, as well as grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables, have shown particularly strong demand for exhibition space. At the same time, beverages, frozen food, sweet products and multi-product grocery are seeing strong recruitment momentum. Increasingly, competition cuts across categories. Companies are competing on differentiation, value, innovation, and their ability to respond quickly to changing consumer expectations.
IRISHFOOD: What excites you about SIAL Paris this year?
Jean-Gabriel: What excites me about SIAL Paris 2026 is that we are meeting at a moment when the food industry is changing exceptionally quickly. Consumer expectations, AI, sustainability, international trade, and economic pressures are all reshaping the market simultaneously. Our role is to bring the global ecosystem together so that companies can understand these changes, discover concrete innovations and, above all, meet the partners who can help turn transformation into opportunity. That is what SIAL Paris is, fundamentally, about.
ADVICE FOR IRISH EXHIBITORS
IRISHFOOD: For Irish exporters/companies taking part in SIAL Paris 2026, what advice do you have for them to optimise their time and this opportunity?
Jean-Gabriel: My advice is simple. Do not confuse presence with impact. Pinpoint the one thing that makes your proposition different and, at SIAL, identify your priority markets and target buyers. Use our AI-powered matchmaking tools to schedule relevant meetings and take advantage of the competitions and visibility opportunities available throughout the show. Five days go extremely quickly. The companies that gain the most from SIAL are generally those that arrive with clear objectives and turn every relevant conversation into a potential business opportunity.