WHAT MAKES THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY STAND OUT AT SIAL PARIS
From the pristine waters of the Azores to the shores of Thailand and the Caspian Sea, the world’s most dynamic seafood producers are converging in Paris from 17 to 21 October 2026 to showcase how innovation and responsibility are reshaping the blue economy.
The seafood industry’s scale is staggering. Valued at €574 billion in 2024, it continues to grow at an estimated 5.6 per cent CAGR through 2028, fuelled by shifting dietary habits and rising awareness of healthy protein sources. France, the world’s fifth-largest seafood market, plays an increasingly influential role. With 96 per cent of French consumers eating fish, and frozen seafood now representing two-thirds of consumption in Europe, the appetite for quality and variety is stronger than ever.
SIAL Paris brings this momentum to life. Its seafood sector unites a comprehensive range of products — fresh, frozen, smoked, pickled, canned, organic, ethically fished and pre-cooked. It is the reference event for professionals seeking to expand their footprint and increase brand visibility. In 2024, 106 exhibitors presented their seafood ranges, 90 per cent of them international, with an impressive 93 per cent satisfaction rate. Buyers from Carrefour, Delhaize, Lidl, Metro Food Sourcing, Kesko, Coop Trading, and Thai Union were among those walking the aisles — a clear reflection of the show’s reach across both retail and foodservice.
Global leaders under one roof
The exhibitor list for 2026 is already shaping up to be equally global. From Baku Caviar by Azerbaijan Fish Farm LLC, offering sustainably farmed sturgeon caviar from the Caspian region, to Calvo Distribución Alimentaria SLU, part of Spain’s renowned tuna powerhouse Grupo Calvo, the diversity is striking. Portuguese leader Cofaco Açores brings the flavours of the Atlantic islands with its heritage brands Bom Petisco and Tenório, while Dardanel Önentaş Gıda Sanayi A.Ş. from Turkey highlights the country’s fast-growing canned-fish market. Spain’s Frinsa del Noroeste SA, one of Europe’s largest tuna and shellfish processors, will present premium ready-to-eat seafood lines that reflect both innovation and tradition.
From Asia, Golden Prize Canning Co. Ltd. and S.P.A. International Food Group Co. Ltd., two of Thailand’s export champions, will showcase tuna, sardines and seafood meals that meet global standards for quality, sustainability and food safety. Halwany Consumer Products SAL of Lebanon brings its diverse Mediterranean range, while Nord Capital Sp. z o.o. from Poland demonstrates the growing importance of Central European processing in frozen and breaded seafood categories.
Innovation and opportunity
Beyond the business exchange, SIAL Paris provides a powerful stage for innovation. At the previous edition, the SIAL Innovation Seafood Award was won by VAAG Seafood for its King Crab Meat product — a symbol of how research, sustainability and premium positioning can converge. The SIAL Innovation platform itself, featuring over 2,400 new products across the food industry, attracts global media attention and gives brands an unmatched opportunity to go viral on a worldwide scale.
Health and sustainability now drive purchasing decisions, with 74 per cent of consumers concerned that their diet could pose health risks. Transparent labelling, locally sourced ingredients and reduced environmental impact are fast becoming non-negotiable. Meanwhile, flavour and texture experimentation, from maturation and fermentation techniques to seaweed-based recipes, are redefining premium seafood experiences.
The must-attend global marketplace
For producers and exporters, SIAL Paris is both an exhibition and a global launchpad. With 285,000 participants expected and 70 per cent of visitors arriving from abroad, the event provides direct access to distributors, importers, and buyers from 194 countries. It is the only platform where brands can simultaneously strengthen domestic ties and reach Asia, the Americas and beyond, all in one week in Paris.
Whether representing a heritage cannery, a start-up pioneering regenerative aquaculture, or an exporter seeking to capture the European market, exhibitors will find in SIAL Paris 2026 an unrivalled platform to position their brand at the heart of global trade. The event embodies the diversity, innovation and ambition of the seafood sector, offering every participant the opportunity to build partnerships, strengthen visibility and reach new markets. In October 2026, the entire seafood world will converge in Paris, united under one roof at SIAL Paris.