DISPLAY YOUR PRODUCTS AT SIAL INNOVATION
Innovation is everywhere in the aisle of SIAL Paris
The exhibitors are not lacking in re-invention and are bringing a new wind to the various markets. To bring out the French exhibitors, the internationals, the products compete at SIAL Innovation. Pickling juice, activated carbon, cannadibiol (CBD) or discoveries on protein substitutes, AI etc... are some of the innovations that were at the heart of the event and at the heart of SIAL Innovation in the latest edition.
Submit your innovative products for the competition!
Why participate?
Free, simple and efficient registration:
- Go to your exhibitor area to retrieve your login details and log in to the platform.
- Submit your innovative products via the dedicated platform.
- Provide your samples starting April 15th for submission to the jury.
- The winning products will be announced on the first day of the show.
Certified recognition before, during, and after the show
Winning an award is a real boost for the winning companies, giving them maximum visibility before, during, and after the show, as well as numerous opportunities to make contacts.
In the run-up to the show, selected exhibitors will be able to use the "Innovative company selected for SIAL Innovation 2026" label and the "SIAL Innovation" logo, guaranteeing them recognition in the sector. Their products will be featured in the online exhibitor list.
During the show, a millémisé badge will be affixed to their stand to highlight their award.
An exceptional business opportunity
SIAL Paris is organizing an exclusive speedmeeting enabling selected exhibitors* to meet the show's buyers and decision-makers. Themed sessions around sectors will take place throughout the duration of the trade show. A huge opportunity to present their innovative products to influential buyers. This speedmeeting will enable them to open doors to new business opportunities and strengthen their position in the food innovation market.
*excluding start-ups
A worldwide reputation boost
Guaranteed press coverage, with over 850 French and international media coverage of the winning products in 2024. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Grand Prizes will travel throughout the SIAL network (Canada, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and India) on all SIAL Innovation areas thanks to the World Champions Tour.
The innovation trail, an unmissable visitor experience at SIAL Paris
During the 5 days of the show, the winning products will be featured prominently in the SIAL Innovation itinerary, allowing buyers and decision-makers to be guided to your stand. Winning products will also be exhibited in the SIAL Innovation area (attended by over 60,000 professionals in 2022) and presented during guided tours by our innovation experts.
Criteria to participate
This free operation is reserved to exhibitors (individual or members of a group that has signed up as registered exhibitors) at SIAL Paris, who may present one or more products, each of whom must comply with following criteria:
- Consumer products supplied to the food industry must have been designed less than 2 years ago, and must be innovative for their market.
- All participants should declare and guarantee that they own the intellectual property rights relating to the product presented or, have been duly authorized by the owner of the intellectual property rights relating to the presented product for the competition.
- Participants shall guarantee that their products comply with the legislation of the original country or the country in which they are located.
The prizes
Discover the prizes that will be awarded for the next 2026 edition, rewarding innovation across the different sectors that forge the food industry:
- The Grand Awards Gold, Silver and Bronze
- Sectoral Awards: Rewards the most innovative products from the show's 10 sectors
- The Top 3 Countries Award (New): Rewarding the 3 countries with the most innovative products, highlighting the strength of innovation in these countries
- Packaging Award by ALLFORPACK EMBALLAGE PARIS: Rewarding the innovative packaging offering a sustainable, practical solution for packaging food products
- The Start-up Award: For the most innovative product proposed by a start-up registered with SIAL Paris
- Public Prize: This price is awarded by votes cast by the SIAL Paris ecosystem, before and during the show, to select the favorite product from among the 2026 winners
And more to come in 2026!
Selection stages
From January to August, SIAL opens a platform dedicated to exhibitors interested in registering for this international competition. Here they can declare their innovative products. These products are submitted to an expert Selection Committee led by SIAL's partner, XTC, and then to a Grand Jury from the sector who will nominate the most innovative products in their category.
It is important that exhibitors register as soon as they book their stand so that the products can be selected by the Selection Committee on a run-of-the-mill basis, and for exhibitors to benefit from early visibility.
Key dates for the competition
- Registration opens: January 19, 2026
- Reception of samples starts: April 15, 2026
- Closing date for entries: August 28, 2026
- Closing date for reception of samples: September 4, 2026
- Grand Jury: Mid-September 2026
- Announcement of the 2026 winners: October 17, 2026
2026: 30 years of SIAL Innovation
Discover what’s new for the anniversary edition of the SIAL Innovation competition
This year, SIAL Innovation is celebrating its 30th anniversary: an unmissable event for all exhibitors wishing to promote their brand, their products and boost their reputation.
- New in 2026: the space will be redesigned and transformed;
- Integration of SIAL Taste (tasting area for some selected SIAL Innovation products) and a pitch stage for exhibitors registered for the competition
- New awards and recognitions;
- A ready-to-use media kit to boost your visibility before, during, and after the show.
- A new matchmaking platform for speedmeetings sessions.
The jury
They are comprised of experts from food industry worldwide
- Shall examine the innovative qualities specific to products, even if they are not finalized (test to launch phase)
- Shall judge as a priority the relevance of whatever new benefit the product offers the consumer / or the industry (merchandising, packaging, recipe, technology, etc...)
- Shall award top prizes to the products that they considered as the most innovative of all products selected
- They are the sole parties authorized whether or not to select the products presented for the operation; their decision shall be the final
FAQ
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Can I register for SIAL Innovation?Yes, any exhibitor at SIAL Paris can register for the SIAL Innovation competition if they believe they have one or more innovative products in their sector. Find all the information about the SIAL Innovation competition on our website.
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Can I attach a leaflet?You can attach a PDF or JPG document directly to the registration form of a product ("General Information" tab).
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What are the selection criteria?
The expert committee examines products according to various criteria:
- The innovative qualities of the products, even if they are not finalized (test or launch phase);
- The relevance of the new benefit brought by the product to the consumer and/or the sector (recipe, technology, packaging, marketing positioning);
- The "Grand Prizes" will be awarded to the products judged to be the most innovative among all the selected products.
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If my product is in production but not yet on sale, can I participate?Yes, absolutely. Your product can be submitted even if it is not yet on sale and is only in production, testing or launch at the time of the show. The jury will examine the innovative qualities of the products, even if they are not finalized.
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What does "selected" mean? What rights does this give?Being "selected" means that your product has passed the first evaluation stage and is officially integrated into SIAL Innovation.
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How do I know if I have been selected?
An email is sent to each participant as the committees go through to announce whether or not they have been selected.
If you haven't received an email, it means that your product hasn't gone to the committee yet.
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If my product is not selected, will I receive a debrief?If your product is not selected, you will receive information, but you will not receive a detailed debrief or justification for this refusal. Decisions taken by the Selection Committee are discretionary, so it is not required to give reasons for its decisions in the event of a refusal.
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When will the Grand Jury take place?The Grand Jury will elect the SIAL Innovation Grand Prix of the Year from among the most innovative products. The Grand Jury is usually held in mid-September.
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Who makes up the Grand Jury?The Jury is made up of professionals who are experts in the sector, completely independent of SIAL.
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Are my products tasted by the Grand Jury?The products are not tasted by the jury. SIAL Innovation is not a gastronomic competition but an Innovation competition. Taste is a subjective notion according to people, cultures, habits, countries and therefore cannot be a selection criterion.
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Can I win a sector prize AND a special prize or a grand prize?Yes, it is quite possible for a product to win several distinctions, combining a Sector Award and/or a Special Prize and a Grand Prize (Gold, Silver or Bronze).
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How do I register for the SIAL Innovation competition?
You must register your new products on the SIAL Innovation online registration platform, using a username and password issued when you register as an exhibitor at SIAL. All you have to do is fill in a form for each innovative product.
If you want to declare a complete range of innovative products, simply fill in a single form and declare the different varieties in the range directly in this form.
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Do I participate in a prize or is it the jury that chooses?
The jury chooses and awards the awards, only for products that have already passed the selection phase.
- Pre-selection (Committee): A selection committee reviews the submitted applications and selects the products that will be officially included in the Operation. Only these selected products are eligible to receive an award.
- Sectoral Juries and Grand Juries: these juries are composed of French and international experts in the agri-food industry. The jury's decision is sovereign. They are not obliged to give reasons for their refusal to apply.
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I am told that my product has been grouped into ranges, what does that mean?When you registered your product for the SIAL Innovation competition, you created several product sheets for different varieties of the same product. We have grouped them together on the same sheet.
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I didn't receive my SIAL Innovation label by e-mail after the committee. What should I do?The SIAL Innovation "Selection" label is sent by e-mail as soon as your product is selected by the committee. It is accompanied by the rules for the use of the label. This label can be affixed to all your communication media, as well as to the packaging of your selected product.
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Where and when should I send samples of my products?
For SIAL Paris only: After registering your products online and being accepted by our committee, you have received a confirmation email with all the information regarding the shipment of your samples.
Important: Non-food products do not have to send samples.Be sure to note the maximum date of receipt of the samples.
If you are in doubt, please contact the person on the "Contact" tab of the registration platform.
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What if my shipment arrives after the maximum date?
If your sample submission arrives after this maximum date, unfortunately your application will not be considered. If the samples do not arrive on time, the submission is considered non-compliant.
For questions related to the follow-up or receipt of samples, the contact address is: [email protected].
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What should I do if my samples are blocked?If your samples are blocked and you're worried that they won't arrive before the deadline, there's an email address specifically dedicated to tracking and receiving samples: [email protected].
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How do I send my fresh or frozen products?There is no need to send your products fresh or frozen. Empty packaging is enough.
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Who can be in the window? Only the selected and the winners or is it possible to pay?The products that have won a distinction (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Sector Awards or Special Prizes) are highlighted and presented in the window. For exhibitors who have obtained the status of "Selected" can extend their visibility by purchasing a showcase space on the SIAL Innovation space.
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Where can I find my registration summary?Your registration summary, which corresponds to the product declaration form you completed, can be found in your online exhibitor area.
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How do I know if my samples have been received?You will receive a confirmation email from the moment we receive your products. Deliveries can take more or less time, so please wait at least a few days before contacting our team. The contact email for the follow-up or receipt of samples is: [email protected].
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What is the deadline for registering a new product?The deadline for registration is indicated on the homepage of the SIAL Innovation platform. If you are in doubt, please contact the person on the "Contact" tab of the registration platform.
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What is SIAL Taste?
SIAL Taste is a space integrated into SIAL Innovation, which allows visitors and exhibitors of the show to taste the food innovations highlighted by the competition.
The products available for tasting are exclusively selected items. The final choice among these selections is made by the SIAL team to ensure balance and variety in the tasting experience.
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When and where is the award ceremony taking place?
The award ceremony for the 2026 edition is scheduled for the first day of the show in front of Hall 5A on the SIAL Talks stage.
The announcement of the winners (Grand Prizes, Sector Prizes, and Special Prizes) by category takes place in mid-September. However, the final three Grand Prizes (Gold, Silver, Bronze) will be revealed at the ceremony.
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How do I get my login?The login and password are issued automatically when you register as an exhibitor at SIAL.
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How do I register my co-exhibitors on SIAL Innovation?If you are a pavilion, you have not registered your co-exhibitors, and you would like to see some of them compete. We invite you to contact your sales contact so that they can register them.
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In which language should I fill out my form?Your form must be completed in the language offered by the show: either French or English for SIAL Paris.
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How many products can I register?You can list as many products as you want, as long as they have a real innovative character and bring a new benefit to consumers/users.
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Can I change my form/product photo after final validation?
As long as your product is in the "Entered" status in your product list, you can edit your form at any time.
When the product is in the "Validated" status in your product listing, it is no longer possible to edit the form. You can, however, change the product photo.
If you wish to make changes, please contact the contact person in the "contact" tab of the registration platform.
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If I tick the wrong category, what should I do?
Misclassification could prevent the product from being evaluated by the correct panel of experts, or from being included in the appropriate review process. If you discover the error before the closing date for registration, you can try to access the exhibitor platform to modify the listing, if it is still open.
In case of difficulties, please contact the person on the "Contact" tab of the registration platform.
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