Bord Bia is promoting a €760,000 pork campaign in Mexico City today (Friday, April 29) to build awareness of Ireland as a supplier of high-quality, safe, and sustainably produced pork.

Ireland gained market access to export pigmeat to Mexico in 2020 and the first shipment of pork is due to arrive there from Ireland next month.

Bord Bia’s campaign focusses exclusively on pork for Mexico, with a population of 126 million people.

The promotion of pigmeat in Mexico is part of a larger €3.8 million campaign – funded by the European Commission – promoting pork and poultry in China and Mexico over three years – 2020-2023. The campaign, EU Pork and Poultry: Excellence in Quality Assurance and Food Safety, aims to build awareness of our quality assurance and food safety credentials in key export markets.

To promote the campaign today, Bord Bia invited Mexican government officials and food industry representatives including top importers, distributors, and wholesalers to an EU pork seminar at the Irish embassy in Mexico City.

The event, which was also attended by media, featured presentations on Irish pigmeat and production.

Speaking at the event as part of the Irish government’s trade mission to Mexico, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said:

“I am honoured to lead our department’s first official visit to Mexico since securing access for the export of Irish pigmeat to Mexico.

“I am particularly pleased to announce that the first commercial shipment of Irish pork will arrive into Mexico early next month, representing an important milestone and first step in forging a stronger commercial partnership with the Mexican meat importers,” he said.

A market for pork

In 2017, Mexico was identified a priority market for Irish pigmeat, as part of the Irish government’s Prioritising Markets, Opportunities for Growth study.

Bord Bia’s Europe and North America director, Noreen Lanigan, said:

“Bord Bia’s consumer research shows us that, while pork has always been an important part of the Mexican diet, greater urbanisation and a growing middle class with rising consumer incomes who have an interest in food safety, have helped drive the sharp increase in its demand.

“We also know that there is both a strong demand for quick and easy to-use pork solutions, along with an appetite for premium cuts particularly among younger Mexican consumers.”

Key trade events as part of the campaign include showcasing the industry at technical seminars supported with a marketing campaign including public relations, digital and social media. Bord Bia is working with the leading Irish exporters of pork and are ensuring that Irish exporters connect with the key Mexican importers, retailers and foodservice providers.

In November 2021, Bord Bia together with the Irish Embassy in Mexico hosted a webinar for Mexican importers which featured a Global Pork update from GIRA International.

As part of this promotional campaign, Bord Bia will exhibit at Expo Carnes y Lácteos in February 2023, along with hosting trade seminars and welcoming welcome Mexican partners to visit Ireland and experience first-hand Ireland’s world class pork production, and the workings of farms and processors