Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | Q | Quick Frozen Foods International

City of lights a beacon to industry as frozen food producers come to SIAL; Pescanova and Loblaw to receive SIAL D''Or awards for frozen food innovations; Iglo getting national award at Paris show, which bills itself as "the world''s largest food industry exhibition." Most of innovation in frozen food, or "produits surgeles," will be found in Hall 5A. (SIAL 2002: the global food marketplace).

Article Excerpt
The city of lights becomes the city of food Oct. 20-24 as some 5,200 exhibitors from 94 countries gather to take part in SIAL (Salon International D'Alimentation) al the Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte.

Presentation of the SIAL D'Or awards for 2002 will be one of the highlights of the expo. Two frozen food items made the cut this year: President's Choice semi-boneless Easy Carve Turkey from Loblaw Brands Ltd., Toronto, Canada, in the poultry division; and split whole lobsters and lobster tails from Pescanova France S.A., in the seafood category.

Loblaw's Easy Curve Turkey has already won a Canadian Grand Prix in the private label category from the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors. "This turkey has completely transformed the meaning of carving a turkey," the Council said. "Except for two drumsticks, the bones and wings have been removed and the bird has been stuffed with seasoned breadcrumbs and tart cranberries. From freezer to oven, it is ready in five minutes. Carve the turkey like a loaf of bread."

"Forget the slicer and let yourself go with the pleasure of tasting an exceptional product," Pescanova rhapsodizes about its innovative frozen lobster, which offers "all the pleasures, without the disadvantages" of fresh lobster. The lobsters themselves are caught in the Gulf of Mexico, mostly off Cuba, and kept in seawater ponds until they are split and frozen raw. They are packed in plastic tubes to prevent damage; whole lobsters range from 630 to 780 grains, lobster tails from 200 to 400.

Trends 2002, around which a lot of SIAL is organized, is divided into five themes, most of which have several sub-themes:

* Pleasure (Sophistication/Tradition, Variety of Sensations, Fun, Exoticism)

* Health (Natural/Organic/Safe, Vegetarian, Medical/Functional)

* Health (Diet, Energy/Well-Being)

* Convenience (Easy to Handle, Time Saving, Nomadism)

* Ethics (Citizenship/Ecology) Another innovation this year is the Ingredients and Additives Expertise Center, which will, the organizers explain, provide "an overview of the international markets for ingredients and additives and how [they] are used in formulas, finished products and product innovations." The center will offer a specialized database plus provide one-on-one advice from specialists in the industry.

Frozen food consumption in France for 2001 totaled 1.84 million tons, divided about equally between retail and catering, according to SIAL, with sales valued at 5.14 billion euros. SIAL puts the world market for frozen food and ice creams of 1999 al 20.4 million tons, valued at 98.5 billion, with Europe accounting for 10.3 million tons and 36 billion euros.

Frozen food innovations detailed at the SIAL website include four-count Danish pastries made with buckwheat flour and shaped like tiny baskets (Compagnie Artique, France) and Caramar Glace, caramel ice cream with a carambar heart packed in cardboard tubes (Rolland SAS, also France). More than 30 others are briefly mentioned:

*...

View this article FREE - Now for a Limited Time, try Goliath Business News
Free for 3 Days!