Cheese and Dairy Products Show coming up
The event coincides with the annual Salon international d’agriculture, also at the Paris Expo, which runs from February 27 to March 6.
The cheese show includes more than 190 exhibitors from 13 European countries, with 48 new exhibitors compared to the 2014 event that saw more than 6,000 visitors in attendance.
“We are the sector’s leading event and the show gets more and more international every year. Cheese no longer has any borders,” said Jacques Goudeau, the show’s director.
Industry-wide event
The event attracts cheesemongers, catering professionals, purchasers and retailers to discover new flavors and products as well as traditional cheeses, innovation in packaging and other aspects of the industry.
This year, there will also be equipment and service companies in attendance.
"Cheese no longer has any borders,” Jacques Goudeau
The Cheese and Dairy Products Show will also feature special events, including demonstrations of unusual pairings, competitions, experts’ meetings and cooking workshops. Another new feature for 2016 is the “Coups de cœur” competition, with 72 products registered from 11 different countries, with 10 prize-winners in the finals.
Survey shows interest in foreign cheese
The show’s organizers surveyed cheesemongers present at the previous event. Results showed that 74% of consumers select products by flavor intensity, and 54% of people were influenced by price.
The survey found that French cheesemongers sell on average 16 foreign cheeses out of an average range of 130 products. The five most popular foreign cheeses are Parmesan, Gruyère, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella and Blue Stilton.
The results also showed that 30% of cheesemongers intend to expand their range of foreign cheeses by adding more cheeses from Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the US, Australia and Canada. While the French are keen to discover foreign cheeses, and enjoy trying a wide range of products, the main obstacle is price.
Annual event brings in 700,000 visitors
Unlike the industry only cheese event, the Salon international d’agriculture is open to the public. It includes exhibit halls with live cattle, goats, pigs and sheep, a wine product area, crops and plants section, a Regions of France exhibit, agricultural services zone, a horses section, and a hall dedicated to both international and French products.
The annual event attracted almost 700,000 visitors in 2015, with 1,050 exhibitors from 22 countries.
There were more than 4,600 products on display, as well as more than 16,000 wines.
DairyReporter will be attending both events. For interviews, or to meet, at either of the shows, please email us.
