Dutch consumers will find out if Irish stew is ‘worth the wait’ as Bord Bia launches a new consumer campaign to promote Irish beef in the Netherlands.

The new campaign aims to encourage consumers to cook Irish stew during the winter months, with recipes and cooking tips provided on a new website as well digital and in-store promotions.

The campaign, called ‘Irish Stew – worth the wait’, will include radio, print and digital advertising on food and lifestyle sites, according to Bord Bia.

This will be followed by further advertising in December including in-store brochures in Dutch supermarket groups, Bord Bia has said.

Bord Bia Netherlands will also run a social media competition with the top prize being a Chef Masterclass on how to prepare various stews with Irish beef, while a butcher will advise on how to buy the right Irish beef cuts.

Irish beef is sold as a premium product in the major retail outlets in the Netherlands, the Irish food board has said.

The environmentally aware Dutch consumers are willing to pay these premium prices as they recognise the efforts of Irish producers and processors in meeting the animal welfare and sustainability targets of the Beef Quality Assurance Scheme and Origin Green programme, according to Bord Bia.

The Netherlands represents Ireland’s fourth largest beef market overall, with 80% of Ireland’s forequarter beef exports going to the Dutch market, Bord Bia figures show.

Exports to the Netherlands for the first six months of 2016 amounted to over 27,000t and were valued in excess of €120m, a 5% rise in volume compared to the same period in 2015, figures show.

This consumer campaign follows a recent push on the promotion of Irish beef in Germany by Bord Bia.

As a part of this promotional campaign a German steakhouse chain will be offering Irish beef on the menu in all 48 of it’s restaurants over the coming month.

Bord Bia aims to position Irish beef as a premium quality, natural, grass-fed, and sustainably produced product in Germany with the help of this promotional campaign.

In the past seven years Irish beef exports to the German market have increased six fold, figures from Bord Bia show.