Pakistan Pavilion Opens at SIAL Paris as 37 Companies Showcase Food Products and Biryani Steals the Opening Day

PARIS: SIAL Paris, one of the world’s biggest food exhibitions, is under way in the French capital, and the Pakistan Pavilion made itself noticed on the very first day. Thirty-seven Pakistani companies are taking part under the banner of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) at the show, which runs from October 17 to 21. The pavilion was inaugurated by Pakistan’s Ambassador to France, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.

Rice, pink salt and drinks — but biryani took the crowd

The companies are showing rice, processed foods, pink salt and beverages to buyers from around the world. The biggest draw of the opening day, though, was not a packaged product at all: it was cooked Pakistani biryani, served at the pavilion and pulling in visitors all day. Countries are often introduced to strangers through their food, and in Paris this week, Pakistan’s introduction smells of biryani.

A bigger presence, aimed at new markets

Pakistan’s participation this year is deliberately up-scaled. The country is hunting for new export markets for its food products, and SIAL Paris is where the buyers are — a contact made at a stand here can turn into an export order months later. The exhibition runs until October 21, which leaves the Pakistani companies four more days to sell the country’s flavours to the world.