31st May 2019: The Food Village at Bord Bia’s Bloom festival in the Phoenix Park, Dublin was a hive of activity this morning as over 250 trade buyers from across Britain and Ireland availed of the opportunity to meet with more than 100 Irish food and drink companies exhibiting at this year’s event. Bord Bia Trade Breakfast at Bloom is now in its sixth year and today’s gathering featured the largest number of buyers yet boasting a combined buying power of €15 million.
The buyers included representatives from leading retailers, food service organisations, hotel groups, specialist retailers, distributors and airlines interested in sourcing the best of Irish products such as Harrods and British Airways Lounges from the UK. Among the Irish buyers were some of Ireland’s largest retailers such as Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Lidl, Aldi alongside specialist retailers such as Donnybrook Fair, Fallon and Byrne and Butler’s Pantry. Prominent buyers in the Irish foodservice sector included Dalata Hotel Group, the biggest hotel chain in Ireland; Press Up Entertainment Group; representing over 30 hospitality venues, Retail in Motion, responsible for on-board retail with airlines across five continents; new fast-casual restaurant chain Leon; Freshly Chopped food chain, Circle K/Topaz, Applegreen, BWG Foodservice and Musgrave Wholesale Partners.
Addressing buyers this morning event, Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia said, “This morning’s event allows our trade visitors to get the pulse of the industry with minimum air or road miles. We put a special emphasis each year on highlighting emerging companies and those launching new products which allow trade buyers a great opportunity to network with companies they already have relationships with and to scout out those who have something fresh to offer. We are delighted to welcome some of the best-known and most highly regarded food retailers in Britain and Ireland for what we believe will be another fruitful day for all involved.”
New Product Launches
Bloom also provides an ideal platform for food and drinks companies to launch new products to the market. As with other years, there are several new product launches planned for 2019 including:
- Velvet Cloud, Mayo– launching this seasons Rockfield sheep’s cheese
- AlgAran Seaweed– launching ‘Bia Farraige Arann’ range of seaweed and fruit concentrated juices called “Su’ Arann’;
- Rudds, Offaly– launching a new Chorizo White Pudding using traditional flavours with Spanish Chorizo chunks;
- Gran Grans Food, Galway– launching a new range of Summer Sauces
- Kinsale Mead Company– launching a limited release, 2019 summer mead, Hazy Summer, an Irish alternative to Pimms;
- Ballykilcavan Brewery, Laois– launching a new lager and a juicy pale ale brewed with their own barley and oats from their neighbours;
- Noki & Co, Dublin– launching Ireland’s first alcohol-free pre-mixed Gin & Tonic flavoured drink
- Wicklow Brewery– launching ‘GingerKnut’ Ginger Beer which will be gluten-free and low in alcohol 3.4%
Bloom 2019
Bord Bia’s Bloom continues in the Phoenix Park, Dublin until Monday 3rd June 2019. The celebrated floral, food and family festival which is in its thirteenth year attracted 120,000 visitors last year. This years event will feature 22 show gardens, 14 postcard gardens, over 100 Irish food and drink producers, 25 plant nurseries, 25 live cookery demonstrations with some of Ireland’s best-known chefs and some 100 retailers, all within a 70-acre site.
For more visit www.bloominthepark.com
