Anuga, which claims to be the world’s largest food fair, commenced on Saturday, October 7, in Cologne, Germany. It runs until today, October 11.

Speaking to AgriLand at the event, Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia, underlined the importance of new markets and developing routes to these markets.

“From a German perspective the drive for quality, for expertise, for craft is one of the key drivers. It is important that commitment to quality and the drive for excellence is ever-present.

There is a huge appreciation for Ireland, but when the ‘rubber hits the road’ it’s the quality that counts. This German market is prepared to pay for unrelenting quality.

Minister Andrew Doyle, who was also at the event, added his comments to the mix, saying: “Everyone here is on the same team; the way we have developed our markets around the globe is down to the effort that has been put in by everyone involved – Bord Bia and the farmers.

We also need to protect our primary producers – our farmers; without these people we do not have an industry.

A record number of 34 Irish companies (27 in the Origin Green pavilions) from across the food and drink industry attended Anuga this year; the Irish were present in the ‘Meat’, ‘Dairy’, ‘Chilled and Fresh’, ‘Frozen’ and ‘Bakery’ halls.

‘Meat Hall’:
  • Ashbourne Meats;
  • Dawn Farms;
  • Dawn International;
  • Dawn Meats;
  • Dawn Pork & Bacon;
  • Irish Country Meats;
  • Kepak – Agra Kepak International;
  • Kildare Chilling Company;
  • Liffey Meats;
  • M & M Walshe T/A Ribworld;
  • QK Meats Ltd;
  • Rosderra Irish Meats;
  • Slaney Foods International;
  • Traditional Meat Company Ireland.

‘Dairy Hall’:
  • Advanced Food Concepts;
  • Dansko Foods;
  • Kerry Foods;
  • Ornua Co-operative.

‘Chilled and Fresh Food Hall’:
  • Ballineen Fine Foods;
  • Mora Foods;
  • Rangeland Foods;
  • Swift Fine Foods;
  • Truly Irish Country Foods.

‘Frozen Food Hall’:
  • Paganini Ice-cream./Coolhull Farm;
  • Green Isle Foods.

‘Bakery Hall’:
  • Coolmore Fresh Foods;
  • Goodness Grains Gluten Free Bakery.

Independent exhibitors outside the Origin Green ‘pavilion’:
  • ABP Food Group;
  • BR Marketing – True Life Health Foods;
  • Food Bridge;
  • Fulfill Nutrition;
  • Golden Iris Worldwide (EU);
  • Greenfields Ireland;
  • Vitz Drinks.

There was a 70% increase in the number of Irish companies exhibiting, compared to the last such event in 2015.

13 companies exhibited in the Origin Green pavilion in the ‘Meat’ hall.

Origin Green is Ireland’s national food sustainability programme. It involves the entire food industry – from farmers to food producers, retailers to food-service operators – with one common goal: sustainable food production.

Francis Mallon, Liffey Meats, with Tara McCarthy, CEO Bord Bia. Image source: Fennell Photography

Tara McCarthy, CEO Bord Bia; Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Andrew Doyle TD; and James Lucey from Rangeland Foods. Image source: Fennell Photography

Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia’s CEO, with Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Andrew Doyle TD and Suzanne Conroy, from Green Isle Foods – makers of Goodfellas Pizza. Image source: Fennell Photography

A selection of Irish beef on display on the Slaney Foods stand

Some independent Irish exhibitors had individual stands which stood alone; away from the Green Origin themed stand. While ABP exhibited independently, its stand was located in close proximity to Bord Bia’s ‘pavilion’.

Martin Kane, ABP; Larry Goodman, ABP; Andrew Doyle TD; Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia; Frank Stephenson, ABP; and Micheal Collins, Ireland’s ambassador to Germany. Image source: Fennell Photography

Meat stands from other countries across the world were also present in the enormous ‘Meat’ hall. The Northern Irish stand was home to companies such as Dunbia, Foyle Food Group, Linden, 2 Sisters Red Meat, Intermeats and Hewitt Meats.

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The Northern Ireland exhibition at Anuga

The French ‘Meat’ stand was home to companies such as Charel SAS, Groupe Bigard and Sobeval.

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The French ‘Meat’ stand

There were also huge contingents from both Argentina and Brazil.

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The Argentinian ‘Beef’ stand

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The Brazilian ‘Beef’ stand