SIAL Canada 2025: the strategic meeting place for food business professionals
From 29 April to 1 May, North America’s largest agri-food trade show confirmed its role as an international springboard for food innovation, trade and sustainable strategies.
The 22nd edition of SIAL Canada was held at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, bringing together more than 1,000 exhibitors from 56 countries and attracting 20,000 professionals from 80 nationalities. For the first time, Canada was in the spotlight, a recognition supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and other key players, highlighting the country’s leadership in innovation, sustainability and quality. This spotlight included provincial pavilions, strategic panels and a B2B meeting programme that helped strengthen local and international trade ties.
Three competitions to celebrate creativity and expertise
Among the highlights, the SIAL Innovation Awards recognised products that combine health, sustainability and bold flavours. The Gold Award went to Oliméga for its camelina oil, while San-O won Silver for its Koji spread, and Casa Muraca took Bronze for its tomato flour. The cheese competitions also made a big impression, with Stonetown Artisan Cheese’s Grand Trunk crowned champion in all categories. Finally, the Startup Pitch Competition showcased promising projects, including NanaShake (vegan frozen desserts) and New School Foods (ultra-realistic plant-based salmon), illustrating a clear trend towards plant-based, functional and sustainable products. These initiatives demonstrate how young companies are responding to the high expectations of consumers and markets.
An industry undergoing strategic change
More than 70 conferences, workshops and panels took place over the three days of the show, addressing key issues facing the sector, including inflation, trade tensions, technological innovations, cultural adaptation and sustainable supply chains. Influential figures such as Keith Currie (Canadian Federation of Agriculture) and Caitlin Colegrove (PepsiCo) shared their vision of a rapidly evolving sector, where market diversification and strategic use of data are becoming essential. In an increasingly digitalised world, the show highlighted the importance of human contact and sustainable partnerships for international success.
By mobilising talent, ideas and resources from around the world, SIAL Canada 2025 is establishing itself more than ever as an essential platform for the future of agri-food. The date has already been set for the next edition in Montreal in 2026 !
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Image credit: Josée Lecompte
