<\/p>\n

Bord Bia today detailed its ongoing plans to showcase Irish food and drink to a global audience as the world prepares to celebrate St. Patrick\u2019s Day and everything Irish. Bord Bia is maximizing the opportunity, through its network of 13 overseas offices, to promote Irish food with a series of business development and consumer initiatives. From Stuttgart to Shanghai, Bord Bia has scheduled over 65 marketing activities aimed at consumers, retailers, trade and foodservice operators. Irish food and drink are currently enjoyed in 180 markets around the world and exports reached over \u20ac11 billion for the first time in 2016.<\/p>\n

Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia\u2019s Chief Executive emphasized the importance of the celebration of the Irish food industry stating, \u201cSt. Patrick\u2019s Day provides the Irish food and drink industry and Bord Bia with a real business opportunity to highlight our export credentials on a scale unmatched by the national day of any other country. Now more than ever, in the context of Brexit, we are capitalizing on this opportunity to deliver key business development meetings, events, and campaigns that allow us to engage with new and existing customers. We will also be undertaking targeted retail promotions in some 400 stores from Japan to France over the period aimed at introducing overseas consumers to the taste of Irish food.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Trade meetings, retail promotions tastings, media events, advertising and social media are just some of the other export building activities Bord Bia is undertaking across cities in over 20 countries. From Michelin star chefs to some of the biggest retailers in Europe, the business of Irish food will be to the forefront during this period.<\/p>\n

The Business of Irish Beef to the Fore in Europe<\/strong><\/span>
Irish beef forms a focus for Bord Bia\u2019s retail and consumer engagement across some key export markets. The German, French, UK and Dutch markets will all intensify their Irish beef marketing activities for the duration of the festive period targeting major retailers, shoppers, and media.<\/p>\n

Importer Visit in Germany<\/em><\/p>\n

This week saw Bord Bia launch a new consumer campaign worth nearly \u20ac1 million<\/strong> for Irish beef in Germany<\/span><\/strong> that will see Bord Bia partner with retail chains and restaurants. Irish beef continues to perform strongly in Germany with exports expected to reach 30,000 tons by 2018. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, was on hand to launch the timely campaign. As part of the Minister\u2019s visit to Germany, a week-long program of trade activity is underway which included a meeting with foodservice operator, Niggemann Food Frischemarkt<\/a><\/span>, a substantial importer of Irish beef, lamb, and dairy, to discuss upcoming promotions of Irish meat. Other activity consisted of a high-level meeting with the Hard Rock Caf\u00e9 in Munich, a networking event in the Irish Embassy in Berlin for over 400 people as well as receptions in Stuttgart and Cologne where guests enjoyed Irish beef.<\/p>\n

Irish Beef Launch in Germany<\/em><\/p>\n

Nearly 130,000 people<\/strong> enjoyed a taste of Irish beef in Munich and London at the respective parades, both prominent markets for Irish product. The parade in Munich<\/strong><\/span>, the largest in Continental Europe, welcomed some 35,000 visitors while residents in the city were also able to enjoy Irish steaks in two of the largest Irish pubs. Closer to home, Bord Bia will be hosting an \u2018Irish Street Food Market\u2019 this weekend, as part of the Mayor\u2019s St. Patrick\u2019s Day Festival<\/a><\/span> in London\u2019<\/strong><\/span>s Trafalgar Square, serving an array of dishes to over 90,000 people.<\/p>\n

In Ireland\u2019s largest export market, the UK<\/strong><\/span>, Bord Bia has launched a comprehensive digital campaign for Irish beef, Beef Encounters<\/a><\/span>, encompassing recipes, competitions and online advertising across key platforms such as BBC Good Food, Jamie Oliver, and The Guardian. Reaching some 3 million people, Irish beef is also taking over Great British Chefs<\/a><\/span>, the UK\u2019s fastest growing food and chef website, and this will see some of the UK\u2019s leading chefs using Irish beef. In addition to the consumer-facing activities, Bord Bia will host key customers of Irish food such as Marks & Spencer\u2019s and Sainsbury\u2019s at the annual St. Patrick\u2019s Festival Ball.<\/p>\n

In France<\/strong><\/span>, Bord Bia has engaged a number of leading retailers to support it’s St. Patrick\u2019s Day promotions. Bord Bia is coordinating an Irish beef promotion across some 140 Monoprix<\/a><\/span> stores, a chain that purchases \u20ac4 million<\/strong> worth of Irish beef. Advertising material for Irish beef was also developed for Carrefour Market<\/a><\/span> in the south of France and this activity amplifies on-going beef promotions in Metro<\/a><\/span>, Europe\u2019s largest Cash & Carry.<\/p>\n

A targeted media program is also underway in France and Belgium<\/strong><\/span>. Some 20 food writers, trade media, and high-profile chefs will attend festive-themed events in local restaurants run by well-known chefs, who are part of Bord Bia\u2019s Chefs\u2019 Irish Beef Club<\/a><\/span>, the international initiative for award-winning chefs who use and endorse Irish beef. In Belgium, Bord Bia will reach some 5 million people<\/strong> when prominent chefs are interviewed daily on a national radio station to discuss their love of Irish produce, while prime-time cooking slots on other channels will see Irish food and Bord Bia take center stage. In Paris, where chefs are stars in every sense of the word, Bord Bia will have the opportunity to demonstrate Irish beef to over 200 high-end chefs and food writers at an event in conjunction with Gault & Millau<\/a><\/span>, a restaurant guide. Here Bord Bia will also present the \u201cTroph\u00e9e Terroir d\u2019Exception\u201d award to Maxime Laurenson, chef at the renowned Loiseau Rive Gauche<\/a><\/span> restaurant, for his excellent showcasing of Irish beef. On the seafood side, Bord Bia supplied 900 customized seafood kits to wholesalers, retailers, and distributors across France. Bord Bia is also undertaking a program of cheese and whiskey tastings targeting Brittany and Paris wholesalers respectively.<\/p>\n

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Andrew Doyle supported Bord Bia\u2019s efforts in the Netherlands<\/strong><\/span>, Ireland\u2019s third largest market for beef, by partaking on a programme focused on Irish beef and meetings with key customers such as leading retailers, Jumbo<\/a><\/span> and Albert Heijn<\/a><\/span>, a company that purchases 20% of Ireland\u2019s beef to the market, top wholesaler Sligro<\/a><\/span> and the Hilton<\/a><\/span> group, which had a throughput of over 9,000 tonnes<\/strong> of Irish beef last year. In this market, consumer awareness of Irish beef is second only to that of local beef. In addition, Bord Bia also hosted over 30 Irish beef customers and suppliers at a business dinner where Irish food and drink took pride of place on the menu while Michelin star chef, Gerrit Greveling, cooked Irish steak on a big green egg in the shadow of an iconic hotel in Zaandam which was \u2018greened\u2019 for the occasion.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in southern Europe, Bord Bia\u2019s office in S<\/strong>pain<\/strong><\/span> is running an Irish beef promotion with the country\u2019s second biggest retail chain, Alcampo<\/a><\/span>, while sampling and advertising have been arranged in Milan<\/strong><\/span> with the retailer, Carrefour<\/a><\/span>, during the St. Patrick\u2019s Day period. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan, will travel to the city to join Bord Bia at Carrefour\u2019s flagship store, which also sells a range of other Irish products such as Jameson Whiskey, Baileys, McGargle\u2019s Craft Beer and Cheestrings.<\/p>\n

Other International Activities from East to West<\/strong><\/span>
A range of Bord Bia organized promotional activities will also take place across other key markets including restaurant promotions in Sweden<\/strong><\/span>, whiskey tastings in Moscow<\/strong><\/span>, a cookery demonstration in Korea<\/strong><\/span> and a focus on Irish lamb in Denmark<\/strong><\/span>\u2019s leading retailer, Coop<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Promotion in Korea<\/em><\/p>\n

In Japan<\/strong><\/span>, Bord Bia is bringing a taste of Irish seafood to local consumers through an extensive sampling program with leading retail group, Aeon<\/a><\/span>, in over 100 stores<\/strong> which aim to raise awareness about seafood from Ireland. Japan is an increasingly important destination for Irish seafood with exports there reaching \u20ac10 million in 2016 and demonstrating double digit growth year on year. Bord Bia\u2019s team in China<\/strong><\/span> is hosting a media event to educate nearly 40 journalists about Bord Bia\u2019s work in the region as well as to launch Musgrave\u2019s new online store. Bord Bia also took part in F\u00e9ile Shanghai Family Day Festival, Shanghai\u2019s biggest celebration of Irish culture, promoting Irish food and seafood alongside Keogh\u2019s, Kerrygold, Avonmore and Kerry Group.<\/p>\n

In Poland<\/strong><\/span>, over 500 important guests enjoyed Irish food and drink at the annual St. Patrick\u2019s Day Charity Ball in Warsaw while Bord Bia also hosted 10 award winning Polish chefs at a luncheon, some of whom have worked in some of Ireland\u2019s top restaurants and are now looking to bring a taste of Ireland to their restaurants. Meanwhile, Bord Bia in Spain also hosted Minister of State for European Affairs, Dara Murphy, on a visit Mercamadrid<\/a><\/span>, a significant Irish seafood customer and the biggest perishable food market in Europe. Bord Bia is supporting many events across the US<\/strong><\/span> from an Irish food showcase on a TV station in Atlanta to the provision of Irish food for St. Patrick\u2019s Day business events. In addition, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, will present a hamper of Irish food and drink products to the White House representing Ireland\u2019s food exports to the US market.<\/p>\n

Finally, Bord Bia has distributed samples of Irish salmon, farmhouse cheeses, and beef to embassies across all continents, from the Middle East to South America, to ensure that influential guests attending official St. Patrick\u2019s Day events experience the best of Irish food and develop a taste for more.<\/p>\n

Source: FreshProduce News Room<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bord Bia today detailed its ongoing plans to showcase Irish food and drink to a global audience as the world prepares to celebrate St. Patrick\u2019s Day and everything Irish. Bord Bia is maximizing the opportunity, through its network of 13 overseas offices, to promote Irish food with a series of business development and consumer initiatives. From […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":14861,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[1831],"class_list":{"0":"post-14864","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"tag-irishfood"},"yoast_head":"\n