Today marks the final time the doors of global food exhibition SIAL will open in 2002. As visitors continue to pour through the entrance of six exhibition halls, the popularity of this vast food show remains certain.
Reporting this week from the show FoodNavigator.com drew the readers' attention to the 'Trends and Innovations Area' - a display of over 500 new products selected for their originality and area where the organisers set out to offer a showcase of the latest trends in order to interpret changes currently in progression in the food industry.
The focus on new product development does not stop there. After identifying products that are commercial successes in their domestic markets, it is at SIAL that the 27 members of the SIAL D'OR jury - international journalists from the food and distribution sector press - reward the most innovative products.
Here we present a round-up of some of the most eye-catching. From Belgium, stewed fruit in a pouch - essentially targeted at children - is an example of the new trend for fruit on the go. 'Fruit pockets' are presented in colourful pouches from Materne Confilux. Staying on the fruit theme Spanish company Juver has come up with an original marketing concept - On/Off juices. Essentially fruit juices with added natural ingredients 'On' is for revitalising the system while 'Off' contains ingredients to help the busy consumer relax. 'On' is available in orange and mango nectar with royal jelly and guarana and 'Off' contains pineapple and kiwi nectar with lidenflowers and lemonbalm.
Portable hot drinks got the thumbs up with two companies boasting versions on the same theme. British journal The Grocer selected Nestle's 'Nescafe Hot When You Want' coffee drink. Apparently inspired by technology from the army for heating food products, the concept is a self-heating coffee - thanks to a chemical reaction - drunk from a 330ml can. According to The Grocer the product, available with milk and sugar, was the most innovative launch in 2001. Italian company Malgara Chiari & Forti recently launched a similar product 'Calda calda', a self-heating coffee, which was nominated by Italian magazine GDO Week.
On the organic front, Hungarian magazine Elelmiszer selected organic fruit jams from the Tarpa Product family. Made following a traditional Hungarian recipe, the fruit-based jams are combined with acacia honey on a 70 per cent fruit to 30 per cent honey ratio. Organic eggs in a new Superface carton was the number one choice of the Danish magazine DANSK HANDELSBLAD. Launched by Danaeg, a number stamped on the organic eggs enables the eggs to be traced via the Internet.
Tomatoes disguised as grapes found favour with the Australian magazine RETAIL WORLD. A cross between roma and cherry tomatoes, the 'grape tomatoes' from Perfection Fresh Australia were developed in the Netherlands but are produced in Australia. According to the company, they contain significant levels of beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B complex, iron, zinc and potassium.
Moving from one hybrid to another, one of the most original shaped products this year are Biscookies from New Zealand company Giustis. A cross between hard and crunchy biscotti and soft and chewy biscuits, the edible 'spoons' can be used to stir one's coffee or dig into an ice-cream.
One final mention to the winners of the Global SIAL D'OR award. Selected from the SIAL D'OR products, the jury this week went for two products specifically designed to make life easier for the consumer. 'President's Choice - Semi-Boneless Easy Carve Turkey' from Canadian company Loblaw Brands is a pre-cut and de-boned turkey and won a Global SIAL Golden award as well as a pre-cut frozen rock lobster, frozen live, from French company Pescanova France. Both award-winning products highlight the current, and burgeoning, trend for pre-cooked foods.