Bord Bia's chief executive Aidan Cotter announced the opening of the agency's new service at the presentation of its annual report on Irish food exports in 2015.

"It will be a place where producers, consumers, all stakeholders can come together to see what insights can make our industry perform in the marketplace," Cotter said.

The office will occupy a ground floor space facing the street at Bord Bia's Dublin headquarters. The agency's head of insights Helen King told the Irish Farmers Journal that its objective is to "turn data into knowledge" for food companies interested in developing their brands and reaching consumers interested premium products.

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"We do a lot of work in China, the US, Africa, Asia, understanding markets such as dairy and beef. We will have open access to our library," King said.

While the insights centre is primarily aimed at food processors looking to make informed marketing decisions, King said it could also welcome farmers, especially those with projects in the artisanal food sector for whom Bord Bia has support programmes.