Welsh food and drink businesses get set for Paris showcase
Welsh food and drink companies are preparing to attend one of the world’s premier food exhibitions in Paris this month (16-20 October 2016). Salon International de l’Alimentation (SIAL) is a biennial fair and has developed into the food industry’s front-line event – the ultimate place to discover today’s food trends and explore tomorrow’s innovations.
The Welsh Government’s Food and Drink Wales will play host to 15 Welsh companies from across the sector, all looking to explore new markets, stay connected to trends and innovation and develop links with overseas buyers. SIAL will have over 7,000 exhibitors from 105 countries and is seen as a key platform for the food and drink sector to promote their produce to buyers from all over the world.
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths will be in attendance at the event on Monday 17 October. The Cabinet Secretary will host a reception on the Meat Promotion Wales/Hybu Cig Cymru stand in the Meat Hall with existing and potential customers and buyers from around the world in attendance. It will also provide a great opportunity to taste the wonderful range of food and drink produced in Wales.
Commenting on the forthcoming visit to Paris, Lesley Griffiths said:
“We all know that the quality of Welsh food and drink is up there with the best in the world and we need to ensure it is rightly recognised. Having a presence at events such as SIAL contributes to our long term ambition of growing this important sector to reach our target of annual sales of £7billion by the year 2020. With a fantastic number of innovative new products being launched by our producers, the Cymru/Wales stands at various halls within the event should certainly not be missed”.
One Welsh manufacturer who has experienced success at trade events and is looking to build on this further at SIAL is north Wales company Nimbus Foods, who specialise in high quality inclusions, decorations and toppings for the bakery, confectionary, dessert and snacking sectors.
Nimbus Foods Sales Director Jack Proctor, said:
“Nimbus is one of the most successful and progressive manufacturers in Europe of inclusions and decorations for the ice cream, dairy, bakery, biscuit and confectionery industries. We have grown our export business since we first started exhibiting alongside the Welsh Government and this now represents 25% of our business whereas in 2014 it stood at 15%. The trend in the later part of 2016 and into 2017 has been for inclusions with shimmer and shine coatings such as Gold, Silver & Bronze. Many of these new concepts will be displayed in bakery, confectionery and ice cream applications.”
“This is our second appearance at SIAL following on from the very successful show in 2014 and one that we expect to exceed our expectations once again. We are looking forward to having the opportunity to meet many potentially new clients.”
Plas Farm, the UK’s leading frozen yogurt producer, is currently manufacturing several of the most successful retail frozen yogurts in Europe, with unique packaging and custom recipes, to include producing private label retail products for the French market. The ‘Froxen’ frozen yogurt is low fat, lower in sugar than ice cream, is a source of fibre, and is made from only natural ingredients.
Commenting on their latest achievement Business Development Manager, Rhian Williams, said:
“We at Plas Farm are delighted that our Iced Coconut product, which is dairy-free frozen dessert made from coconut milk has been selected by a jury of independent experts to be a part of the SIAL Innovation Selection 2016. As a company, we are committed to innovation and to the continual improvement of our product offers, and so to be recognised internationally by SIAL is fantastic.”
Radnor Hills, a family-run water and soft drinks company based in mid Wales, has recently installed their seventh bottle filling line and have added two fillers producing products in the tetra prism uniquely in smaller sizes ideal for the travel, hospital and schools catering sectors, of which will be shown for the first time at SIAL.
Radnor Hills currently export to Europe and many other countries but International Sales Manager Penny Butler sees trade events as a great opportunity to explore new business avenues and to showcase new products:
“Whilst Radnor is a family business and, after 25 years is still based on the farm where it started it is by no means a tiny concern, last year the company bottled 129 million litres and employs seven running production lines.”
“Buyers from all over the world are present at SIAL so the opportunities are there to showcase our products in front of an international audience. For companies like ourselves it is also a chance to meet in person with some of our worldwide customers and promote new and existing products and to highlight the significant merits of Welsh food and drink.”
15 Welsh businesses will be present this year under the Cymru/Wales banner, presenting products that range from gluten free granola, yogurt ice cream, preserves to Thai sauces and pastes.
SIAL is held in Paris, France from 16-20 October 2016.
