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, Bord Bia will be putting Irish food to the forefront during this period.

Irish beef in Europe

Irish beef forms a focus for Bord Bia’s 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.

This week saw Bord Bia launch a new consumer campaign worth nearly €1m for Irish beef in Germany that will see Bord Bia partner with retail chains and restaurants. Irish beef continues to perform strongly in Germany with exports expected to reach 30,000t by 2018.

Munich and London

Nearly 130,000 people enjoyed a taste of Irish beef in Munich and London at the respective parades, both prominent markets for Irish product. The parade in Munich, 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.

UK

In Ireland’s largest export market, the UK, Bord Bia has launched a comprehensive digital campaign for Irish beef called Beef Encounters, 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, the UK’s fastest growing food and chef website, and this will see some of the UK’s 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 and Sainsbury’s at the annual St Patrick’s Festival Ball.

France

In France, Bord Bia has engaged a number of leading retailers to support its St Patrick’s Day promotions. Bord Bia is coordinating an Irish beef promotion across some 140 Monoprix stores, a chain that purchases €4m worth of Irish beef. Advertising material for Irish beef was also developed for Carrefour Market in the south of France and this activity amplifies on-going beef promotions in Metro, Europe’s largest cash-and-carry.

International activities

A range of Bord Bia-organised promotional activities will also take place across other key markets including restaurant promotions in Sweden, whiskey tastings in Moscow, a cookery demonstration in Korea and a focus on Irish lamb in Denmark’s leading retailer, Coop.

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’s Day events experience the best of Irish food and develop a taste for more.

Irish food abroad in numbers

Irish food and drink is enjoyed in 180 countries around the world.

  • Irish food and drink exports are worth over €11bn.
  • Ireland is the 5th largest net exporter of beef in the world.
  • Irish beef is sold in 100 of the top retailers across Europe – more than any other producer in the world.
  • Going green: over 60,000 farms and over 500 food producers are becoming more sustainable with Origin Green, the only sustainability programme in the world operating on a national scale.
  • Some 90 Michelin-starred and award-winning chefs proudly promote Irish beef.
  • The Irish agri, food and drinks sector supports nearly 170,000 jobs.

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    €3.75m Asian promotion campaign for Irish beef and lamb