GROMόR
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EXPORT PERFORMANCE 2015
In January Bord Bia published its annual export performance and prospects report. It was another successful year for food, drink and horticulture exports reaching, a value of €10.8 billion, which was an increase of 3% on 2014 and the 6th year of consecutive growth in exports in 2015. The exports are now sold in more than 175 markets worldwide, with the UK identified as the most important market and a destination for 41% of the value of all the exports.
Horticulture exports comprise mainly of mushrooms and amenity crops. In 2015 the value of mushroom exports remained steady on the back of favourable exchange rates, despite reduced volumes to the UK. The UK is the key market for mushroom exports although some modest exports to the French, Netherlands and German market were recorded. The value of amenity horticulture crop exports was estimated to be €16m in 2015 which is an increase of over €1m in 2014. This includes nursery stock €6.2m, Christmas Trees €5m, Cut Foliage €3.8m and flowers/bulbs at €1m. The UK market is the key market overall. ✽
RETAIL POTATO MARKET UPLIFT
The National Potato Conference was held in Dublin in February at which the healthy attendance was given an update by Kantar Worldpanel on the current position of the retail potato market over the past year. It was encouraging to hear that for the first time in a number of years, both the value and volume of the market had grown. A key driver of these trends was an increase in the average shelf price for potatoes in store and the frequency of purchase. More shopping occasions (i.e. 34) to the shop fixture to purchase potatoes was a positive trend though the volume purchased on each occasion had not recovered yet to previous levels. The potato category was valued at €163m in 2015. Potatoes make up 74% of the volume purchased in the carbohydrate category, which is still an impressive position, despite the decrease in potato consumption in recent years. In 2015, a total of 8,374ha of potatoes were grown, producing 336,000 tons of potatoes with an estimated farm gate value of €76m. The potato conference was organised by the IFA and Teagasc in association with Bord Bia. ✽
INCREDIBLE EDIBLES
The Incredible Edibles school programme for 2016 was launched in January by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney, and Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan. This is the eighth year that the programme is running. The programme educates school children around the growing of fresh produce, its origin and how it contributes to a healthy and balanced diet. This year both the Department of Education and Department of Health have come on board as sponsors and have representatives on the project committee. The programme is coordinated by Agriaware and funded by Bord Bia and the fresh produce industry. A total of over 1,000 national schools have signed up to participate in the programme in 2016. The growing packs along with the instructional and educational supporting material is disseminated to the schools during March. Schools will be encouraged during the year to participate in the Incredible Edibles Healthy Eating Week (11th-17th May), visit the Incredible Edibles activity at Bloom in the Phoenix Park (2nd-6th June) and participate in National Strawberry Week (2nd-8th June). ✽ |
POTATO PROMOTION
The three years EU and Industry-funded potato promotion commenced last Autumn. The promotion has two key bursts of promotional activity on each of the 3 years (2015-2018) in October/November and June/July periods. The activity is focused on print & digital advertising, social media activity and PR. There will be ongoing PR and social media activity across the year. The total spends over the three years will be €1m in Ireland. Initial outcomes are positive with 35,000 visitors to the campaign website, 1m views of the campaign promotional video online (Ireland & GB), the campaign Facebook page with an average weekly reach of 75,000 and Twitter following increasing since the start of the campaign. An additional 40 new recipes have been developed for the campaign and uploaded to the campaign website.
Commissioned research by research company Public Knowledge (PK) will regularly survey a representative group of consumers in our target audience about the campaign and how it is influencing and changing in a positive manner their views and attitudes to potatoes and potato usage. In October 2015 the initial benchmark research survey was carried out and then a second survey was carried out in December 2015 following the campaign burst of activity in October and November 2015. While the campaign has only commenced recently the initial feedback from the consumer survey is positive, with 6% of them recalling the campaign. The survey also confirmed that the message being communicated was clear and relevant and presented in a manner that will positively influence consumers on their views towards potatoes in terms of health, versatility, being fat-free and resulting in increased consumption. ✽
BLOOM
Bloom is ten years old this year and while it may not yet be getting the national coverage that another major birthday is getting currently that will change soon as we move beyond Easter and the summer beckons, with Bloom on the horizon. Plans are well progressed and all involved with the show aim to make this a birthday to remember. A key theme for the show in 2016 is around sustainability and Origin Green, where Bord Bia will showcase in an interactive manner to the many visitors the meaning of Bord Bia’s flagship initiative and how consumers can engage with it. The food village will have a fresh look about it while a number of the gardens will have a distinctly international flavour to them. Tickets are already on sale so spread the word that the birthday invitations are out. Bord Bia seriously want to promote and encourage the sale of horticulture produce and plants through Bloom and are hoping in the tenth year anniversary to involve as many people as possible who are working and involved with the Industry. The interest across the various media channels is stronger than ever with print, radio and TV all set to feature strongly, so there will be a greater opportunity to leverage the media presence to promote gardening and the industry. If you wish to become involved or participate with Bloom in any way, please contact gary.graham@bordbia.ie. ✽
“JUST ADD MUSHROOMS” – PROMOTION IN UK & IRELAND
Jeff Brazier, an English television presenter, reality TV star, life coach and former professional footballer, is the latest celebrity to front the ‘Just Add Mushrooms’ campaign, aimed at encouraging consumers in Ireland and the UK to cook more with fresh mushrooms. The final burst of activity in this three-year campaign (2013- 2016) will take place in April.
Advertisements featuring Jeff will be appearing across Ireland and the UK in print and online media from the middle of April into May. As well as advertising, the campaign will also have four of Jeff’s own tailored mushroom recipes and photography for use online, in advertising and PR. There will be a media pack provided to journalists including recipes and press release to engage regional journalists. Extensive video content has been produced for social media.
The Just Add Mushrooms campaign has seen an increase in the volume of sales in the combined markets in its first two years of 4900 tonnes, 3700 tonnes in the UK and 1200 tonnes in Ireland. ✽
FOOD DUDES PROGRAMMEThe EU School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme is implemented in Ireland through the Food Dudes Programme. The programme is managed by Bord Bia and funded by the Department of Agriculture and the EU under the EU School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme. The Food Dudes Programme aims to increase sustained fruit and vegetable consumption amongst primary school children through the provision and repeated tasting of fruit and vegetables with the support of accompanying measures in the form of role models (Food Dudes Heroes) and small rewards (followed by a home phase where fruit and vegetables are supplied from home). The original Food Dudes Programme was completed in 2014, having reached 477,423 school children and 3127 schools (95% of all primary schools in Ireland). ✽ |
HORTICULTURE PRODUCTION & MARKET RESEARCH
Bord Bia is carrying out a measure of the gardening market during 2016 to update current figures. The last measure carried out two years ago saw the value of the gardening market start to grow again after a number of years of decline. In 2014 the value of the gardening market was estimated at €631m. The research is being carried out by the research company Ipsos MRBI.
A field vegetable census is currently being carried out as a joint initiative between the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine and Bord Bia to get an up to date picture of the size and scale of the sector, including the area of crops produced nationally and the number of growers. In recent years there has been consolidation within this sector resulting in a reduction in the number of growers. The output value of the field vegetable sector was estimated to be €61m in 2014. The last census was compiled in 2009 and the updated census will be available in early summer.
In 2016 Bord Bia will also be researching and measuring the labour situation within the horticulture industry, particularly at the production level. This study will also include looking at labour above and below production level where there are associated activities e.g. compost production, preparing of fruit & veg, quality control, garden design, garden centre retail, etc. This study will be completed in the autumn. ✽
