Interview with Tanguy Gestin, ZALG’s co-founder
You participated in SIAL Paris in 2022... how did your show go?
SIAL Paris 2022 was our first international show as an exhibitor. We were very excited to be able to present our new product to industry professionals after more than 18 months of R&D. The show was an opportunity to make some valuable contacts. We have forged lasting relationships with many partners since the show.
Have you benefited from a "SIAL Innovation" effect?
The SIAL Innovation effect was immediate. We arrived with our first product completely anonymously. Following the announcement of the Innovation Gold award, we received dozens of solicitations from major national and international media, not to mention the trade press. It was an unhoped-for shot in the arm that highlighted our "savoir-faire flavor".
What's the secret behind the success of your brand?
Offering a new approach to consumption based on a product with many virtues, yet still little known in the West: seaweed. Seaweed is the most sustainable cultivated food, a concentrate of nutritional richness and offers a unique palette of plant-based aromas. We offer gourmet products to make their virtues (taste, nutrition, impact) finally accessible to everyone!
Have you changed your business model?
Our objective remains unchanged: to give seaweed a place in our daily diet. Innovation is at the heart of our development strategy. We're continuing to create and bring to market new consumption formats for French seaweed that are at once delicious, healthy and practical.
And in retrospect, what did you take away from your experience at SIAL Paris?
SIAL Paris 2022 had a huge impact on our company's development. It enabled us to establish our brand and our know-how on the French and European agri-food landscape.