Enterprise Ireland to launch innovative forum to boost food sector
Membership will include representatives of industry; the Irish Dairy Board; the departments of Agriculture and Food; Enterprise Trade and Employment, and Health and Children; the universities; Teagasc; Bord Bia; IBEC and ICOS. Joseph F Harford, president and chief executive officer of Yamanouchi Ireland and chairman of IBEC's energy policy committee will be the chairman.
Enterprise Ireland executive director for food Mike Feeney announced the move at a Food for Health event in Fermoy, Co Cork, yesterday. The event discussed the opportunities presented by the increased demand for healthy foods.
He said the emergence across the world stage of new technologies and the growing consumer recognition of the importance of health opens up a potentially hugely significant market for investment.
"The Irish food industry is being presented with a real opportunity to develop new products, new markets and new businesses that focus on food and its health-enhancing role in modern lifestyle," he said.
An existing strong food and pharma industries base, ample availability of quality raw materials, state-of-the-art food and drink research centres, world-class third level institutions, and technically advanced companies, all combine to make the environment right.
"Our aim should be to develop Ireland as an internationally recognised centre of functional food development and manufacturing. Over the next five years, our target should be to reach annual output of sales of €250 million and exports of €200 million," he said.
Mr Feeney said the National Functional Foods Forum, representing industry, the research community and the state sector will focus on devising and implementing a developmental strategy for the sector, and on building the essential national consensus to achieve its full potential.
"We will need a deep commitment by industry to R&D and innovation, and a collaborative drive in funding and facilitating innovation involving industry, the State sector and research partners. The future success of the functional foods sector depends on this essential collaboration between all the players," he told key decision-makers from the Irish and international food industry, regulatory bodies and leading scientists.
Enterprise Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin was among the speakers at the event, organised by the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), funded by Science Foundation Ireland and based at UCC and Teagasc Moorepark.
APC director Professor Fergus Shanahan said there is an excellent opportunity for the Irish food industry to develop a dynamic functional/lifestyle foods sector, taking account of consumer trends and international developments and underpinned by sound scientific knowledge.
There is a strong science and innovation base available at UCC and Teagasc, Moorepark to support industry developments in the functional foods area.
The creation of productive linkages between public research institutions and industry, recognised as a critical success factor in this science-driven market sector, was highlighted by Dr Liam Donnelly of Teagasc.
