Foodservice sector unlikely to fully recover until end of 2022

'As the economy recovers and consumers grow more confident living in the age of Covid-19, this will see a parallel recovery in the Irish foodservice market,' says Bord Bia’s Maureen Gahan.

People enjoy drinks on Market Street in Carlingford, Co Louth. The foodservice sector will take longer than expected to recover, according to Bord Bia. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

The foodservice sector — taking in gastropubs, restaurants, hotels, and office caterers — is unlikely to recover to pre-pandemic revenue levels until the end of 2022, Bord Bia has warned.

While the gradual reopening of the hospitality industry means some growth will be seen this year, a return to the kind of trading levels seen before the Covid crisis hit in early 2020 will take longer than first anticipated, the State agency has warned.