Bord Bia returns to EU trade fairs

Bord Bia will return to a number of trade fairs after a hiatus during Covid.

Bord Bia has announced a return to trade show activity with a calendar of events across Europe this autumn, including the recent ministerial-led trade visit to Germany to coincide with Anuga, one of the largest international trade shows taking place every second year, and a crucial landmark on the global food industry calendar.

Bord Bia also coordinated the Irish presence at a host of other European trade fairs, including Sirha in Lyon, Conxemar in Spain and Tuttofood in Italy. It will also co-ordinate visits to Food Ingredients Europe in November, in addition to the largest private label show, PLMA, in the Netherlands in December.

“As the world reopens, the opportunity to meet face to face at international trade shows and drive business is incredibly important,” says Bord Bia’s CEO, Tara McCarthy.

“These trade shows and trade visits are critical for the export-led recovery of the sector, not least because of the business potential involved for Irish companies trading within the EU, which represents 34% of total Irish food and drink exports.

“This relentless focus on recovery and market diversification is critical as we seek to trade our way through 2021 and beyond in more innovative ways than ever to deliver the additional €8bn in exports needed to meet the Irish government’s ambitious target of €21bn in Irish agri-food exports by 2030.”

Trade visits are designed to support the accelerated export-led recovery of Irish food and drink businesses in the Eurozone, while also promoting the €13bn sector to international buyers.

“Structured engagements, both virtual and in person, are more important than ever,” said minister of state with responsibility for research and development, farm safety, and new market development, Martin Heydon.

“They offer a real opportunity to communicate the premium quality of Ireland’s food and drink offering, and to the benefit of all those along the supply chain, particularly farmers as our primary producers. This is all part of our strategic response to the challenges the agri-food sector faces arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit impacts and will be about strengthening opportunities for Irish exporting companies while also looking at how we can build on what is already there and diversify into new markets.”

Germany is Ireland’s fifth largest export market for food and drink with an estimated export value of €801m in 2020 and an overall growth of 4%, despite the impact of the pandemic.

In associated news, a recent report by Bord Bia forecast that the Irish food service market — including restaurants, hotel food and beverage, pubs, office catering and other segments that provide food away from home — will grow by 11% on last year to reach almost €5bn by year end, with an additional 56% growth predicted for 2022.

Last year, following eight years of consecutive growth, the food service market fell by a stark 47% — from €8.5bn to €4.5bn.