THE EXPERT INSIGHTS INTO THE FOOD TRENDS
The global food sector is undergoing a period of rapid and profound transformation
Analyses based on solid studies
To understand the changes in the food sector, SIAL Insights relies on expert partners who work daily with data, panels, and international observatories. Each participant on the TV panel bases their analysis on recognized studies, which identify weak signals, measure changes in usage, and evaluate the actual performance of innovations.
Kantar, a long-standing partner of SIAL, contributes the depth of its Food 360 study, conducted in more than a dozen countries. This study analyzes food representations, expectations regarding sustainability, quality, and health, and how consumers perceive the value of brands and innovations. Kantar also combines insights from its panels with AI-accelerated screening and testing tools.
ProtéinesXTC draws on its expertise from the Global Food Innovation Barometer, a unique tool that analyzes several thousand launches each year. Xavier Terlet uses this observatory to identify major innovation trends, emerging functional promises, formulation developments, and trends driven by international manufacturers.
Circana mobilizes its market-leading panels, notably CREST, dedicated to out-of-home consumption, and consumer panels that continuously analyze purchasing behavior. This data provides an accurate picture of new eating patterns, the growth of snacking, budgetary trade-offs, and the place of retail in immediate consumption.
All of these methodologies enable data, trends, and weak signals to be cross-referenced. It is this solid and complementary body of research that gives SIAL Insights its legitimacy: a reliable, well-argued interpretation rooted in the reality of the global market.
Themes that are redefining the food industry today
Access to innovation at SIAL Paris
Audrey Ashworth explains how innovation is in SIAL Paris' DNA: it shapes the show's positioning, guides new content, and directs the resources made available to professionals.
Understanding and aligning with market developments is essential, which is why in 2026, a sector entirely dedicated to delicatessen products and ready-to-eat solutions will be introduced for the first time. This reflects a market that is evolving towards greater convenience, mobility, and diversity of offerings.
Innovation, between necessity and demand with Karin Perrot
Karin Perrot, expert food Director at Kantar, brings an international perspective thanks to Kantar's Food 360 studies. She shows that the success of an innovation depends on its relevance, its ability to meet a real need, but also on the consistency of the brand message.
With the market saturated, differentiation is becoming imperative, as is the ability to give meaning to the products on offer.
“Innovation is not about the number of launches, it's about the ability to understand what creates value for the consumer.”
Ultra-personalized health and affordability with Xavier Terlet
Xavier Terlet, trends & innovation expert at ProteinesXTC, explores a major trend: the rise of ultra-personalized nutrition. Food products are becoming more specialized according to age, stage of life, and physiological needs: seniors, children, athletes, young parents, etc.
The boundaries between food, wellness, nutraceuticals, and even medicine are blurring, while functional benefits are advancing across all categories.
This rise in popularity comes with one imperative: maintaining affordability. In a context of tight budgetary constraints, the ability to deliver added value at a controlled cost is becoming a strategic priority for market players.
Xavier highlights this dual trend of greater personalization and greater accessibility, which is redefining the next generation of food innovations.
Snacking and the transformation of out-of-home meals with Maria Bertoch
Maria Bertoch, food service expert at Circana, analyzes the destructuring of meals in Europe. The rise of teleworking, mobility, and the search for flexibility are changing consumption patterns: lunch is losing importance, while breakfast, mid-afternoon snacks, and snacking are growing significantly.
Consumers are buying more often, differently, and in a variety of channels.
She also highlights the growing role of retail in immediate consumption. Supermarkets are expanding their food service offerings, multiplying ready-to-eat concepts, and attracting new customers with faster, more accessible formats that are tailored to controlled budgets.
Demographics as a silent driver of transformation with Emily Mayer
Demographic shifts directly influence consumption patterns. An aging population, an explosion in single-person households, and later parenthood... These changes are altering habits, formats, and trade-offs.
Consumption is becoming fragmented and individualized, forcing brands to rethink practicality, clarity, value in use, and price consistency.
Emily Mayer, Director of studies at Circana, also highlights two key factors in the success of an innovation: visibility at the point of sale and renewed rivalry between national brands and private labels. In her view, performance today depends as much on the innovation itself as on its ability to emerge in a saturated environment.
Why watch the replay of SIAL Insights?
The replay allows you to:
- understand the underlying dynamics that already influence purchasing decisions;
- analyze new consumer practices, both in retail and foodservice;
- identify promising areas for innovation;
- seize development opportunities linked to demographic and societal changes;
- anticipate strategic decisions in an increasingly competitive market.
FAQ
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How many food innovations fail?70% of food innovations fail in the first year, and many are product range extensions.
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Is remote working changing out-of-home consumption?Working from home is a major factor transforming out-of-home consumption (OOH), in particular by reducing the central role of lunch and promoting the rise of snacking and split meals.
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What are the main pillars of the SIAL Paris 2026 manifesto?The SIAL Paris 2026 manifesto is structured around key pillars: transition, sustainability, and market understanding. “Innovation nourishes us every day.” Another essential pillar is highlighting the most inspiring initiatives in the sector. This manifesto aims to make innovation the heart of business in order to work towards a more vibrant world.
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What factors make innovation visible in stores?Innovation requires multiplying facings and moving the product off the shelf via gondola ends or central islands to create a visual break. Packaging is fundamental: it must be eye-catching in terms of color or shape so that the product “stands out” and its added value is understood. This visibility is crucial, as only 14% of shoppers report seeing innovations on the shelf.