Food industry must offer new culinary twist
Bord Bia’s reports for 2004 and 2005 show food and drink delivered overseas sales of about €7.1 billion in each year.
Overall however the 2005 figure reflected some improvement year-on-year with sales up a modest 0.7%.
In a tough market this was probably a good outturn, but given the importance of the food sector to the economy, it wasn’t exactly a firebrand performance. In the context of tough trading markets the figures demonstrate we will have to fight every inch of the way to gain market share.
Beef exports accounted for two-thirds of total meat and livestock exports, and overall achieved a small increase in sales.
On the continent, however, the figure was up an impressive 11.1%, as the sector moved away from commodity international markets to supplying the European consumer with premium quality meat.
That statistic alone is a cause for encouragement because it shows what can be done if we provide Europe with what it wants in terms of food and drink.
It is encouraging also because the increase is an endorsement of the efforts the state-sponsored group has been making to get a stronger toe-hold for Irish beef in Europe.
The thought occurs also that from an Irish perspective the mainland of Europe probably offers better opportunities for producers and processors than Britain or the US.
The bigger players are an exception to that rule with Greencore, Kerry and IAWS in particular very strong in those markets.
They have their own agenda and to a greater or lesser extent have the measure of the big multiples in terms of margins and product specification to their suppliers.
In a recent survey Bord Bia highlighted the growing interest in health and nutritional beverages that represents a global - not just a European opportunity - for the food sector that needs far greater focus going forward.
And the thought occurs that, instead of spending millions on raw research, we would do far better to put applied science to work to help us find the nutritional and health-based goods and beverages the market wants.
This is what the more health conscious consumer is seeking.
Never before has what we eat and drink been so driven by health and nutritional factors. If we can exploit that niche market we will have it made in at least one sector of the food market.
Bord Bia is addressing those issues and says it plans an active promotion programme designed to showcase the Irish food and drink industry to foreign buyers in 2006.
The promotion programme includes hosting the International Speciality Food Forum, which will be held in Dublin in May, and the sponsorship of the Ryder Cup in September.
But it strikes me that Irish food needs to develop a “wow” factor that will give it a reputation second to none.
Despite all the hype and back-slapping precipitated by the boom, we are not exactly known as Europe’s culinary capital.
Until such time as we get serious about the food we ourselves eat, without it having to cost an arm and a leg, I suspect much of the “cooing booing” we do about Irish food and its green production base will count for little in the lucrative international markets.
It seems to me one leads to the other. People are still coming here for the craic and not the quality food.
Bord Bia’s job would be made a lot easier if we boasted an eating out culture that stood for more than the price it costs.
The proliferation of fast food outlets is synonymous with a society that is prepared to settle for junk.
We need to step up our act. It would add credibility to the very fine range of goods produced in Ireland.
