SIAL Canada 2013 Returns to Toronto

SIAL Canada will return to Toronto in 2013 for the 10th edition of the country’s leading international food trade show, scheduled April 30 – May 2, 2013, at the Direct Energy Centre.

Organizers expect 14,000 professional visitors from 61 countries and 700 exhibitors on 230,000 square feet of exhibit space. Among the 22 international pavilions on exhibit, special attention will be paid to Morocco, this year’s Country of Honor. Visitors will be able to taste and experience the flavor and flare that Moroccan products have to offer in the country’s 4,000-square-foot pavilion.

“We’re thrilled to be back in Toronto for our second year,” said Xavier Poncin, managing director for SIAL Canada. “SIAL Canada’s first edition in Toronto was a huge success...Toronto really is the center of Canadian business and therefore the perfect fit for our show.”

SIAL Canada 2013 will continue its tradition of bringing visitors the latest innovations and trends from across the globe with its popular product contests and events. “SIAL Innovation” will recognize the best new products and global trends and showcase them in a special area on the show floor.

Additional events include the 8th edition of “Olive d’Or,” North America’s renowned international extra-virgin olive oil competition, as well as “La Cuisine by Sial,” a showcase of culinary prowess by corporate chefs competing in a head-to-head battle.

In addition to the various special events and competitions, an informative conference program will shed light on the many important themes in the rapidly evolving food industry. Topics will include “How to Be Competitive in a Changing Market”; “Consumption Habits and Ethnicity”; and “An Overview of the Canadian Chains Landscape from West to East,” among others. A full conference program will be available on the SIAL Canada website in the beginning of April.

To help visitors find their unique and on-trend products of choice, “Hot Product Expert Pathways” will guide them directly to exhibitors supplying products in rising categories such as Gluten Free, Kosher, Fair Trade, Sold in the USA, etc. Exhibitors in these designated pathways will be listed on the show website and show catalogue and will be marked with special booth signage to allow for quick identification.

SIAL Canada is co-located with the SET Canada exhibition of equipment, technology and services for the food retail, food service and food processing industries. This year SET Canada presents a program of conferences on various trends and new issues regarding packaging.

Registration includes access to both SIAL and SET Canada, special events, conferences and the show catalogue. In addition, organizers are offering retail and foodservice tours outside of show hours for those interested in discovering new food retail and dining concepts in Toronto. Online visitor registration is open through April 29 at a rate of CN$50. After that date, on-site registration is CN$70. The full tour schedule and pricing information can be found online.

Additionally, SIAL Canada 2013 will host an official USA Pavilion endorsed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture featuring over 25 U.S. companies on 3,000 square feet of exhibit space. Three regional U.S. trade organizations will assist their U.S. food producer members with booths in the pavilion, including Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA), the Vermont Specialty Foods Association and Food Export-Northeast. The International Dairy–Deli–Bakery Association (IDDBA) and the Association of Food Industries (AFI) will also exhibit.

SIAL is devoted exclusively to food and beverage products, serving the needs of all market segments including large-scale distribution, import-export, wholesale distribution, specialty retail, foodservice and manufacturing.

SIAL Canada 2013 is supported by the governments of Canada, Ontario and Quebec through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) and MAPAQ (Ministère de l’Agriculture des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec). The show is also endorsed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Produced by Paris-based Comexposium, SIAL Canada is one of five SIAL food and beverage exhibitions organized in the world.