Bord Bia will host a key element of its trade development event, Marketplace International, early tomorrow morning (Thursday, April 12) to bring suppliers and international buyers face-to-face.
In the morning, some 550 international buyers will convene in the RDS Dublin, for 5,000 pre-arranged, one-to-one meetings with 185 Irish food companies.
Marketplace International, which is taking place throughout this week, is a global food buyers’ event organised by Bord Bia to drive new business for Ireland’s agri-food industry.
Throughout the week, delegates are being brought to see Irish farms and factories to showcase Irish food production.
Bord Bia is targeting €40 million worth of new business as a direct result of this year’s event.
Speaking about the event on RTE Radio One’s Morning Ireland show this morning, CEO of Bord Bia Tara McCarthy said: “We’re looking at right across the supply chain – from retailers, food service operators, convenience, online – every single place that you can imagine that you can buy food, we’re targeting them so that they can offer Irish food.
“What we’re really looking to do is show the best of Irish food and drink, and telling that story to buyers that are specifically targeted, specifically invited to look at the food industry,” the CEO added.
This is something that we believe will give a longevity to the diversification plans that we have in place.
The attending food buyers include representatives from Australia, Algeria, Bahrain, China, Indonesia, UAE, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
The registered buyers represent every sector of the industry, including: dairy; beef; lamb; pigmeat; alcohol; seafood; prepared foods; grocery; bakery; confectionary and snacks; and specialty foods.