emplacementPalais des Congrès, MONTREAL
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April 29th – May 1st, 2026
 
 
 
Reserve your exhibit space Be notified when visitor registration opens

SIAL Innovation

SIAL Innovation shines a spotlight on the most cutting-edge products in the agri-food industry, revealing the trends that will shape the future of food. As a key innovation driver within the global SIAL Network (Canada, France, China, Indonesia, India), this prestigious international competition has offered an exceptional showcase for bold new ideas since its creation in Paris in 1996.

For the 2026 edition in Montréal, SIAL Innovation will once again highlight products that truly stand out on the North American market—whether through their recipe, packaging, production process, sustainability approach, or marketing positioning. All selected products must bring clear added value to their target audience and demonstrate strong potential for growth at home and abroad.

👉Are you exhibiting at SIAL Canada 2026?

Take advantage of this opportunity to enter your new consumer packaged goods (CPG) products for free in the SIAL Innovation competition and showcase them to a targeted audience of buyers, media, and key industry decision-makers.

At stake: four prestigious awards
Gold, Silver, Bronze, and the Retailers’ Choice Award.

EXHIBITORS: Register for free before March 25 PRESS RELEASE WINNERS 2025

Why participate?

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the SIAL Innovation 2026 competition, your product must:

  • Be presented by an exhibitor at SIAL Canada 2026

  • Be a CPG product intended for retail, foodservice, and/or private label

  • Be launched on the North American market as of January 2025

    • Example: a product already sold in another region before 2025 can still qualify if it is introduced to the North American market after January 2025

  • Demonstrate a genuine element of innovation (recipe, formulation, packaging, manufacturing process, marketing positioning, sustainability)

  • Provide clear added value for the consumer or professional end user

Benefits for exhibitors

Participating in the SIAL Innovation competition guarantees visibility with over 75% of visitors, driving qualified traffic straight to your booth. This high-traffic area attracts buyers, media, and food professionals actively looking for new products.

Competition details:

  • 10 finalists

  • 3 grand winners (Gold, Silver, Bronze)

  • 1 Retailers’ Choice Award selected directly by retail buyers

Beyond the Grand Jury, selected products are placed directly in the hands of key retail buyers, who select the Retailers’ Choice Award. This is a unique opportunity to stand out with those who make listing decisions.

Registration is free, so don’t hesitate to seize this opportunity to maximize your visibility, generate qualified leads, and boost your chances of commercial success, with strong media exposure to match.

Prizes & Visibility – SIAL Innovation 2026

TOP 10 FINALISTS:

  • Press announcement + SIAL Canada & SIAL Network social media and newsletter
  • Product showcased in the SIAL Innovation area (Viger Hall)
  • 30-second live pitch during the Awards Ceremony in front of the press
  • Media kit

 

WINNERS (Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Retail Choice special award):

  • Product displayed in a glass showcase in the VIP Lounge
  • Trade media exposure (L’Actualité Alimentaire, Western Grocer)
  • Podcast feature for the Gold winner (The Food Professor)
  • Press announcement + SIAL Canada & SIAL Network social media and newsletter
  • One-year global exposure via the SIAL World Champion Tour (7 SIAL shows worldwide)
Key dates
  • March 30: Submission deadline – The registration platform closes at midnight (EST).
  • March 31: Final confirmation sent for products selected for SIAL Innovation.
  • April 7: Deadline for SIAL Canada to receive the 10 samples at the office.
  • April 9: Grand Jury from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (EST)
  • April 13: Official announcement of the 10 SIAL Innovation finalists.
  • April 29 at 12:00 p.m.: SIAL Innovation Awards Ceremony in Hall Viger, Palais des congrès, during SIAL Canada Montréal.

SIAL Innovation 2026 Co-chairs

The independent SIAL Innovation jury is composed of international experts from the food industry. It recognizes products that introduce something new or different to the North American market, reflect emerging trends, provide added value to consumers and businesses, and inspire the industry to push boundaries.

Winners are selected based on several criteria, including recipe and composition, packaging and conditioning, marketing positioning, and manufacturing process.

Xavier Terlet
SIAL Innovation Jury President, General Director
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Isabelle Marquis
SIAL Innovation Jury President, Nutritionnist and Senior Food Strategist
mail
linkedin

Xavier Terlet

SIAL Innovation Jury President, General Director

Xavier Terlet is the Founder and President of XTC World Innovation.

Xavier Terlet began his career in the retail industry in France, working for the Carrefour Group in 1983.

In 1988, he founded the company “Nouveaux Produits Nouveaux Marchés,” which later became XTC World Innovation.

His firm is one of the world’s leading consultancies specializing in food innovation monitoring, research, and advisory services.

XTC World Innovation provides in-depth analyses, market trend studies, and industry insights that serve as key decision-making tools for innovation strategies.

As the Innovation Expert of SIAL, Xavier Terlet created the first “Trends & Innovation Space” for SIAL Paris in 1996. Its success has since expanded to SIAL Canada, SIAL China, and more recently, SIAL Middle East, SIAL Brazil, and this year, SIAL ASEAN.

Xavier Terlet is also the author of “Drôles de Goût” (Glénat Editions) and is currently working on another book to share his expertise in food innovation trends.

Isabelle Marquis

SIAL Innovation Jury President, Nutritionnist and Senior Food Strategist

A professional in nutrition, food marketing, and communication with over 20 years of experience, Isabelle Marquis has developed a unique multidisciplinary expertise, gained through both consulting agencies and food processing companies. Known for her rigorous approach, contagious passion, and strategic creativity, Isabelle is also an exceptional communicator who knows how to inspire and mobilize.

As Marketing Director for Grocery and HRI at Groupe Première Moisson Inc., she was responsible for numerous innovation projects and product launches, in addition to actively contributing to business development in both the Canadian and U.S. markets. Now working independently, Ms. Marquis supports companies of all sizes in the Quebec and Canadian food sectors with communication, marketing, and innovation strategies. Since 2018, she has served as Innovation Ambassador for SIAL Canada and collaborates with specialized magazines and the show L’épicerie on Ici Radio-Canada Télé.

Conferences and workshop
2024-05-15
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13:30 15:15

Innovation & Trends

Conference
English
518ab

Grand Awards 2025

2025 Press Release
Gold award winner

BUTTERY-FLAVOURED CAMELINA OIL

OLIMÉGA – SignÉ Caméline

Virgin Camelina oil with a buttery taste. Cold-pressed, non-GMO, rich in Omega 3 and vitamin E.

Selected for its clean-label & functionality with omega 3 and vitamin E while having a natural butter smell and flavour.

signecameline.com
Silver award winner

AMAZAKE COCOA SPREAD

La brasserie San-O Sake | San-O

No sugar-added spread made with cocoa and amazake, a traditional Japanese fermented rice. Naturally sweet, dairy-free, nutrient-rich and vegan.

Selected as an indulgent but better-for-you spread with fermented rice providing the sweetness.

labrasseriesan-o.ca
Bronze award winner

FARINA DI POMODORO

SAPORI ANTICHI – Casa Muraca

Tomato flour from circular economy. Made with tomato skins upcycled during the production of the brand’s tomato sauce.

Selected for being an upcycled product using tomato skins from sauce production.

saporiantichi.it
Own The Change award

BOX : FRIED STYLE RICE

Floating Leaf Fine Foods

The Rice Stuff Box

On-the-go rice dish to eat directly from the box.

Selected for its unique single-serve in a flat cardboard box instead of the usual cup, taking less space while being structurally sound.

thericestuff.ca

Discover the 10 finalists of SIAL Innovation 2025!

Listen to the testimony of the 2025 winner

From Farm to Gold: Chantal Van Winden’s Camelina Oil Wins SIAL Innovation 2025

In this summer bonus episode, The Food Professor Podcast spotlights Chantal Van Winden, CEO of Olimega and winner of the 2025 SIAL Innovation Gold Medal, for her buttery, omega-3-rich camelina oil. Co-hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois are also joined by Joanne McArthur, President of Nourish, who offers an insider’s view on the innovation awards and the judging process. Discover why this 100% Canadian product is turning heads in retail, food service, and health-conscious kitchens across the globe.

SIAL Innovation 2025

Discover the winners!

SIAL Innovation 2024

Discover the winners!

Partners of the 2026 edition