Cheese will be in the spotlight at the Salon du Fromage in Paris, as well as at SIAL Canada in Montreal in May.

PUBLISHING DATE
February 8, 2024

Cheese will be an important part of the next edition of SIAL Canada in Montreal this May with a new contest for Canadian cheesemongers. In parallel, cheese will be celebrated at the coming Salon du Fromage et des Produits Laitiers lat the end of February in Paris.

According to the latest data released at the end of 2023 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), cheese consumption per capita set an all-time high in 2022 reaching nearly 19.05 kg (42 lbs) per person, a 435 gram increase over the previous year. In Canada, consumption per capita reached 12.8 kg in 2022, a slight decrease over the previous year due to rising prices because of inflation.

SIAL Canada is the largest food innovation trade show in North America. It brings together more than 800 national and international exhibitors from 44 countries and welcoming more than 21,000 professional visitors mostly from Canada and the United States. But also from another 60 countries.

As such an important meeting event for the professionals of the agri-food sector, SIAL Canada gives a large space to dairy products. Since 2019, SIAL Canada has been hosting an international cheese competition with professionals evaluating the top professionals.

Under the presidency of SIAL Canada, cheese expert Gurth M. Pretty and a jury made up of professionals evaluate the best of the best among cheeses produced in Canada, the USA and Europe. In 2023, of the 231 products registered from 8 countries, a gold medal was attributed to the best among 26 selected categories, including a new one: the Artisanal Farmstead Cheese.

Cheese will be in the spotlight at the Salon du Fromage in Paris, as well as at SIAL Canada in Montreal in May.
2023 grand champion SIAL Canada 2023n Stonetown Artisan Cheese Ltd Wildwood cheese (Photo: SIAL Canada)

The 2023 grand champion was Stonetown Artisan Cheese Ltd for its Wildwood product. A CILQ (Conseil des Industriels Laitiers du Québec) Special Award for the Certified Quebec Artisanal Farmstead Cheese was also decerned.

New contest at SIAL Canada in Montreal

A new event will take place at SIAL Canada in Montreal from 15-17 May 2024. Alternating with the International Cheese Competition hosted every two years in Toronto, Montreal will welcome the 1st Canadian Cheesemonger Competition. This unique national event aims to celebrate a fast-growing profession and showcase the country’s top professionals with SIAL Canada being the best platform for them. Artisans will be able to build up their reputation nationally among professionals and also consumers.

Six candidates will be selected to participate in a live competition on May 15, where they will demonstrate mastery, creativity, and knowledge. The challenges will include a blind tasting, a persuasive presentation to the jury, a knowledge test, as well as the creation of artistic platters on the theme of World Cities. The winner of this competition will have the honour of representing Canada at the World Cheese Awards in Tours, France, in September 2025. Registration is already open and will close on 2nd April, 2024. Registration forms are available on the SIAL Canada website.

Cheese will be in the spotlight at the Salon du Fromage in Paris, as well as at SIAL Canada in Montreal in May.

According to Yannick Achim, President of the Jury of the Canadian Cheesemonger Competition, “this competition represents an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate our expertise, passion, and to increase recognition of our profession among culinary trades. In Canada, thanks to the creativity of artisan cheesemakers and the gourmet exploration by consumers into the world of fine cheeses, our profession continues to leave its mark in this specialized sector of the food industry. We are eager to discover the skills and originality of the candidates.”

Cheese will be in the spotlight at the Salon du Fromage in Paris, as well as at SIAL Canada in Montreal in May.
(Photo: SIAL Canada)

Paris biennal Salon du Fromage et des Produits Laitiers ready to go

Meanwhile, Paris is ready to welcome the trade for its famous cheese rendez-vous at the Salon du Fromage et des Produits Laitiers. The show is taking place from 25-27 February at Paris Expo in the French capital. The show, which takes place every two years, is expecting 290 exhibitors from 15 countries and 8,000 trade visitors from France and abroad.

Over three days, visitors will be able to participate in conferences, tasting workshops and learn about the best products of 2024 as well as the best cheesemongers… Information about the show can be found on the website of the Salon du Fromage et des Produits Laitiers.

Joint us at Salon du Fromage et des produits laitiers Paris

Join us at SIAL Canada

JOIN THE WORLD NUMBER ONE FOOD INNOVATION NETWORK ON NEXT EVENTS :

  • Djazagro, Algier : 22-25 April 2024 
  • SIAL Canada, Montreal : 15-17 May 2024
  • SIAL in China, Shanghai : 28-30 May 2024
  • Food and Drinks by SIAL Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur :  02-04 July 2024
  • SIAL in China, Shenzhen : 02-04 September 2024 
  • Gourmet Selection, Paris : 15-16 September 2024
  • SIAL Paris : 19-23 October 2024 
  • SIAL INTERFOOD Indonesia, Jakarta :  13-16 November 2024 
  • SIAL In India, New Delhi : 05-07 December 2024

(All the photos to be credited to SIAL Canada)


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