Bord Bia has been awarded a new €3.2 million contract to promote dairy in Asia for three years on behalf of the European Union.
The ‘European Dairy – Where Nature Meets Science’ campaign, which will commence in June 2025, aims to position the EU as a leader in the supply of value-added dairy ingredients to specialised nutrition manufacturing sectors.
Ireland will be promoting the campaign on behalf of the EU 27, allowing Bord Bia to spotlight Ireland’s wide dairy product portfolio across China, Singapore and Vietnam. The three priority Asian markets have a combined dairy import value of €16.2 billion per annum.
The European Commission has approved a total of €2.56 million, equivalent to 80% co-funding support for this three-year plan. The 20% balance is provided by the Irish dairy industry.
Irish dairy exports to China, Singapore and Vietnam were worth over €458 million in 2023.
CEO of Bord Bia, Jim O’Toole said that winning the campaign is “a testament to the grass-fed and sustainable nature” of Irish dairy production.
“It is also in recognition of Ireland’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, ensuring that Irish dairy ingredients meet the highest standards of quality and safety,” O’Toole said.
Bord Bia
“Our focus will be the building new relationships between Irish exporters and local manufacturers of these higher value consumer products as well as the importers and distributors in China, Singapore and Vietnam that serve them,” O’Toole added.
Bord Bia’s ‘Future of Dairy in Southeast Asia‘ report shows that the population of Southeast Asia is predicted to grow by a further 100 million by 2050.
The report notes that Southeast Asia will continue to rely on dairy imports in coming years and that domestic production levels will remain low.
Bord Bia’s senior manager for EU co-funded programmes, Declan Fennell said: “This campaign will target thousands of dairy buyers and allow us to communicate Irish dairy’s position as ideal partners in the global dairy industry while also strengthening the business relationships Irish dairy exporters have already developed with stakeholders in these countries.”
Commencing in June 2025, a series of campaign launch events will take place across Asia. This will be followed by a delegation of dairy specialist buyers traveling to Ireland over the summer months.
The latter part of the year will focus on technical seminars and an EU dairy stand at the Food Ingredients Asia trade show in Bangkok from September 17- 19, 2025.