It's often claimed that France is the land of mustard lovers. But that's not all: bearnaise, bourguignonne and tartar sauces are all classics on our tables. These days, they have to compete with spicy or exotic creations, which are proving to be veritable treasures of creativity. And each year, Gourmet Selection presents them with delectation!

The global sauces market is worth around 80 billion dollars, but France is not far behind. It is estimated that this market generates around 1.2 billion euros, or 1.5% of global demand, according to a study by businesscoot. This figure is divided between cold sauces (barbecue, burger, béarnaise and tartar for around €650 million), hot sauces (pesto, meat/tomato for €400 million) and seasonings (€130 million). According to businesscoot, cold sauces have seen the strongest growth since covid, at around 18%.

 

An increasingly popular culinary complement

Sauces have long been a part of everyday life for French consumers, with many of them, often homemade, forming part of France's culinary heritage. From aïoli to béarnaise, from nantua sauce to tartare, from béchamel to bourguignonne and thermidor, French gastronomy is full of them.

However, this list does not include mustard, another staple of French culinary culture. According to studies, the French people consume an average of one kilo a year. France produces 50% of Europe's mustard. The French market for this condiment is estimated to be worth between €1.5 and €1.7 billion, according to a 2023 study by businesscoot.

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The sauces market is still dominated by the global heavyweights Kraft Heinz and Unilever. Other major European brands include Lesieur (April group), Panzani (Spanish group Ebro) and Barilla. The French company ‘Sauces et créations’ (Solina group) creates flavours adapted to its customers around the world.

 

Credits: Shilly shally, a first presence at Gourmet Selection 2024

As a result, France continues to rely heavily on imports to meet demand. However, there has been a steady increase in ‘’Made in France‘’ products. It is growing at an average annual rate of 2%. However, recent years have seen the emergence of small businesses and artisans with their own brands, often based around unique tastes, with a significant presence of organic options. It is in this market, in particular, that the Gourmet Selection show plays its full role in promoting artisanal know-how mixed with a dose of creativity.

 

Gourmet Selection, the perfect place to discover homemade sauces

At the 2024 edition, 'Fx hot sauce', 'La chipotlera' and 'Shilly shally' were competing to offer their range of homemade hot sauces for tasting. As for the ‘Sosu brand’, it presented a more classic range, with the guarantee of a 100% homemade product, made in France. The range went from citrus sauce to gribiche, and from smoked pepper sauce to ketchup.

On the purely exotic side, 'La Plantation', based in Cambodia and a regular exhibitor at the show, presents its delicately flavoured Asian products every year. 'La Plantation" has a dozen creations, and has twice won a ‘Best Of’ award (in 2021 and 2022) for its Kampot green pepper sauce and its Khmer roots sauce.

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As for Gourmet Selection's marketplace partner, Ankorstore, it lists over 820 products, including 7 from France. A product category that is sure to grow in the future.

 

Credits: La plantation, twice awarded ‘Best Of’ at Gourmet Selection

Sauces are attracting more and more chefs. Like the young chef Sébastien Godefroy, who has launched his own brand, ‘Hungry Sauces and Co’. These are genuine creations with blends incorporating fruit such as apple, mango, peach, red fruit and pumpkin. The chef has also revisited popular classics. Like these two ketchups, one made with yellow tomatoes and black garlic from the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. Artisanal skills, creativity and surprising textures: everything you could wish for at the Gourmet Selection show.
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