Tirlán CEO Jim Bergin says the co-op’s key customers are looking for plant-based product offerings and that his team is in a position to sell these alongside traditional dairy.
While acknowledging that Tirlán is a dairy business “first and foremost”, a venture into plant-based products allows the co-op to “talk about food as distinct from just dairy”, he said.
“That’s the benefit that we have – we’ll continue to follow that trend, but it’s in the interests of optimising the returns to our farmers, both grain farmers and dairy farmers, and we’ll monitor that as we go.”
Bergin highlighted that Tirlán is the biggest buyer and user of Irish grain, and said that this investment has “driven us and motivated us to recruit people who understand plant technologies”.
Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) director Conor Mulvihill suggested that this market “opportunity” is already there.
‘Proud dairy nation’
“We’re a proud dairy nation but we’re also a food and nutrition nation and that’s where we’re going to have to go.
“We’re going to have to be able to embrace new technologies; embrace functional foods, food for special medical purposes, and I think that is the future of where we can add value to our Irish farm family milk,” he said.
Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) director Conor Mulvihill. \ Dylan Vaughan
When asked if this includes dairy processor investment in plant-based products, Mulvihill said, “of course” and added that the two go “hand in hand”.
“We already have a €1bn business in fat-filled milk powders there, which are plant-based fats with Irish dairy protein.
“We’re already there even though a lot of people don’t even know it yet,” he said.
Read more
Research: 84% of consumers seeking a sustainable diet
Shifting to more plant-based diet benefits agriculture but not livestock farming
Tirlán CEO Jim Bergin says the co-op’s key customers are looking for plant-based product offerings and that his team is in a position to sell these alongside traditional dairy.
While acknowledging that Tirlán is a dairy business “first and foremost”, a venture into plant-based products allows the co-op to “talk about food as distinct from just dairy”, he said.
“That’s the benefit that we have – we’ll continue to follow that trend, but it’s in the interests of optimising the returns to our farmers, both grain farmers and dairy farmers, and we’ll monitor that as we go.”
Bergin highlighted that Tirlán is the biggest buyer and user of Irish grain, and said that this investment has “driven us and motivated us to recruit people who understand plant technologies”.
Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) director Conor Mulvihill suggested that this market “opportunity” is already there.
‘Proud dairy nation’
“We’re a proud dairy nation but we’re also a food and nutrition nation and that’s where we’re going to have to go.
“We’re going to have to be able to embrace new technologies; embrace functional foods, food for special medical purposes, and I think that is the future of where we can add value to our Irish farm family milk,” he said.
Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) director Conor Mulvihill. \ Dylan Vaughan
When asked if this includes dairy processor investment in plant-based products, Mulvihill said, “of course” and added that the two go “hand in hand”.
“We already have a €1bn business in fat-filled milk powders there, which are plant-based fats with Irish dairy protein.
“We’re already there even though a lot of people don’t even know it yet,” he said.
Read more
Research: 84% of consumers seeking a sustainable diet
Shifting to more plant-based diet benefits agriculture but not livestock farming
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