Bord Bia has announced a €1,000,000 investment in beef marketing across key UK and EU markets this autumn.

The promotions will focus on Irish quality assured steak in the UK, Belgium and Italy with stewing cuts being highlighted in the Netherlands.

The funding will be used for a range of trade and consumer advertising as part of the campaign.

In the UK, Bord Bia is promoting Irish steaks with key retail partners, including an organic Irish beef promotion with a leading online retailer. 

In Belgium, the campaign features on prominent food magazine and retail media outlets.

A fully integrated marketing programme promoting Irish Grass Fed Beef in Italy combines outdoor advertising in Milan, related TV advertising, retail media activations with leading retailers.

Targeted digital and influencer marketing will also be used to build consumer awareness and drive demand.

The Dutch campaign is focused across multiple retailers, and collaborations with key consumer influencers, as well as an extensive digital campaign across multiple platforms.

Irish beef

Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia chief executive, said the new autumn beef promotion campaign aims to "support demand for Irish beef at a time of heightened inflationary pressures and continued cost-of-living challenges".

"Recognising the pressures facing both consumers and the beef sector, these activities are designed to reinforce the value and quality credentials of Irish beef and drive retail sales across key export markets," he said.

Twelve Irish beef and sheep farmers are travelling this week to Paris with Bord Bia to attend SIAL, the world’s largest food and drink tradeshow.

"Supporting companies at international trade shows is part of Bord Bia’s bread and butter work behind the scenes.

"While it may not always be visible to our farming stakeholders, it plays an important role in growing our exports, which underpin Irish farm incomes.

"We are delighted to welcome these farmers to SIAL, where they can see our market development work first-hand, meet customers of Irish beef and sheepmeat, and gain a greater understanding of international trade and market dynamics," O'Toole said.

The farmers will participate in a retail tour and meet leading French chefs who act as ambassadors for Irish beef as members of Bord Bia’s Chefs’ Irish Beef Club.

They will also visit French beef and dairy farms to exchange knowledge and compare farming systems.

Trade show

Over 285,000 food industry professionals and 7,500 exhibitors from around the world expected to participate at SIAL.

Bord Bia said this provides a unique opportunity for Irish companies to meet both existing customers and prospective new buyers.

Around 85% of visitors to the trade show are travelling from outside France.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Noel Grealish is also attending SIAL to meet with key French and Dutch customers of Irish beef.

"Ireland's success as a global exporter of food and drink is built on the quality and sustainability credentials delivered by our farmers every day.

"Events such as SIAL are an important opportunity to demonstrate those strengths to customers from around the world and reinforce Ireland's position as a trusted supplier of premium food products," he said.

A total of 14 Origin Green-verified Irish food companies are exhibiting at SIAL Paris, including:

ABP;
Ashbourne Meats Processors;
Ballymooney Foods t/a Wild Irish Game;
Dawn Farms;
Dawn International Ltd;
Dawn Meat;
Dawn Pork and Bacon;
Euro Farm Foods;
Kepak Group;
Kinisla;
Liffey Meats Ltd.;
QK Meats Ltd.;
Rosderra Irish Meats;
Silver Hill Foods.