The Brits will be out in force at Sial and new products are plentiful Britain is set for a bumper turnout at Sial 2002, with nearly 100 homegrown exhibitors on duty and Margaret Beckett, DEFRA secretary of state, due to visit. Food from Britain is promoting the majority of exhibitors 70 companies of a total 96. First-time exhibitors include Iceland Frozen Foods, Cobra Beer, Weetabix, Tate & Lyle, WT Foods and Tastee Foods. As usual there will be some dazzling visual displays, with the Packaged Ice Company promising ice sculptures and export wholesaler Nisa International recreating a typical British supermarket shelf. Exhibitors promise to launch new products and brand extensions to the trade, and many will provide tasting sessions and cookery demonstrations. The Authentic Food Company, which shows for the first time at Sial, will use the exhibition to launch a major European sales drive. It will give visiting buyers the chance to sample products such as dim sum, curries and noodles and to watch the company's development chefs in action. MD Lak Basran said: "Ethnic dishes have already taken this country by storm and we feel the time is right now to spread Authentic's message across the continent." Tea is also expected to make hot news at Sial, with a themed tea trail set up to make sure visitors don't miss anything. British companies on the trail include Taylors of Harrogate, which is showing additions to its tea bag range, including rooibos and vanilla tea. Only Natural Products will exhibit its Dr Stuart's Botanical range, including a new green tea and detox products. Other new British products set for take-off include organic juice drinks from Calypso Soft Drinks and an ultra thin pizza base from Stateside Foods. First Quality Foods, which won Best New British Product for Sammy's Couscous at trade show Anuga last year, will be launching Snack Pack Couscous a low fat sachet snack made in a mug. JK Foods will bring its new range of Chinese pour-on sauces and frozen finger food, WT Foods will be bringing new pastes, Fiddes Payne will be presenting new vanilla pods and flavoured sugar, and the Ryvita Company will show its new rice cake varieties in original and sesame flavours. Sugar specialist the Billington Food Group will again be exhibiting, along with another of the Edward Billington Group EPC, English Provender Company. EPC's launches will include caramelised red onions. {{FOCUS ON }}