Almost half of the new products and technologies presented this year at SIrha, the international trade fair for the hospitality and foodservice industries, emphasized the enjoyment factor. The other two main trends observed during this year’s event, held January 24-28 in Lyon, France, were practicality and well-being, in all areas covering the hotel, restaurant and catering segments.
The final figures for Sirha show that participation for this year’s event increased 9% on an international level, with a total of 3045 exhibitors and 190,000 professionals, of which almost 20,000 were chefs. Defined as the place of innovation and trends, Sirha 2015 showcased 725 innovative food and technology concepts, half of which world premieres, according to the organizers.“Once again this year we are proud and delighted to have welcomed so many high-caliber professionals from all areas of the catering, hospitality and food service industries in France and abroad. This is the key to a successful Sirha for everyone taking part, as is confirmed by all the feedback we have received,” said Marie-Odile Fondeur, Sirha General Manager
Trends explainedEach of the top three innovation trends mentioned in the beginning of this article are defined by several areas, as is the case with the main one observed during the trade show, namely enjoyment:• MADE IN EXCELLENCE (15% of new food products and equipment): This involves seeking the most perfect taste, from sourcing to use, by selecting the highest quality at all levels: products from exceptional, ultra-localized terroirs, transformed by the manufacturing process. An example of this particular consumer preference displayed at Sirha was the liquid sugar syrup extracted from grape juice, which also won the innovation award in the Products category.• UNEXPECTED STORY (16% of new food products and equipment): The unexpected combination of culinary fields or new textures expressed via increasingly diverse categories and ranges, such as Cool’Eaze from frozen food producer Daregal, a range of 8 chromatic paintbrushes made from aromatic herbs, created by 3* chef Christian le Squer, which also won an innovation award during the event.
• The third category explained is PLAYFOOD (13 % of new food products and equipment), or, in other words, having fun with food by breaking all the rules. For example, the most popular fast foods (burgers) or pastries are expanded to XXL size, while others are developed in hybrid formats, with the single aim of making them even more appealing.Other notable examples, belonging to recent trends observed by professionals in the foodservice industry include the Bridor range of gluten-free bread, which targets health-conscious consumers and was awarded for innovation at Sirha, as well as Soslice from Soreal, a new concept for burger fillings in slices, which are both convenient and diverse, thus allowing users to save time and use a large variety of flavor combinations.
Italy Wins Coupe du Monde de la PatisserieItaly has won the 14th edition of the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, a competition organized during SIrha this year. 21 teams from all parts of the world – composed of a pastry chef, a chocolate specialist and an ice-cream maker – competed in front of 2,700 supporters. The team captained by Emmanuele Forcone has been awarded the trophy after ten hours of intense competition where they demonstrated audacity, creativity and innovation. This is the 7th time Italy makes the podium.”The International Organising Committee introduced a new challenge for the candidates: in addition to the artistic piece made of sugar – composed for at least 50 % of drawn and blown sugar – for the first time the candidates were required to integrate a whole block of sculpted Valrhona chocolate to their chocolate creation. This resulted in the most exceptional sweet gourmet masterpieces,” said Sirha organizers.
They also had to work with two blocks of ice of identical dimensions in order to present an artistic creation made of sculpted ice.The next edition of Sirha and the 15th Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie will take place in 2017, between the 22nd and 23rd of January