Bord Bia engaged the support of Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Germany over recent days to promote Ireland’s new beef campaign. The Taoiseach’s involvement afforded Bord Bia access to key target customers for Irish beef, including the CEOs of retailer, Real Hypermarket, and food service operators Block Foods AG and Niggemann Food Frischemarkt.

Bord Bia’s new five-year Irish beef campaign follows consumer research that showed that German shoppers are keen hear about the origin of the meat they purchase and who is behind it.

In 2016, Ireland exported 23,000t of beef to Germany – a doubling in volume since 2012. Bord Bia aims to increase this figure to 30,000t by 2018.

“Since the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, the Government has intensified efforts in promoting Irish produce in key markets such as Germany, as well as working hard to support Irish exporters access new markets around the world,” said the Taoiseach.

“The quality and sustainability of Irish products, as emphasised in Bord Bia’s ‘Origin Green’ sustainability programme, gives us a great advantage when looking to expand our exports and we will continue to assist our producers to develop and grow.”

Bord Bia’s Director of Markets, Padraig Brennan, said the campaign is built on consumer insight and focuses on communicating to German consumers Ireland`s unique story – through the personal experiences of Irish farmers.

The German consumer will hear first-hand of our commitment to producing and processing quality Irish beef sustainably, respecting animal welfare and the environment.

“This commitment is based on real, independently-audited actions embedded in our world-leading ‘Origin Green’ programme, with its unique national approach to sustainable food production,” he said.

The Taoiseach met with chef, Patrick Bittner, a member of Bord Bia’s Chefs’ Irish Beef Club, who outlined the importance of the initiative to legitimising the premium positioning of Irish beef in restaurants.

During the visit, the Taoiseach launched Bord Bia’s Irish beef truck, which will be used to carry the beef campaign message direct to German consumers at trade events, in partnership with the food service provider Frische Paradies.

Germany

“The Government has increased supports for our enterprise agencies as we work to consolidate our position as suppliers of high-quality produce with our existing European partners and look to form new relationships both here in Europe and around the world,” he said.

The Taoiseach and Bord Bia met with senior management of Frische Paradies (FP) to discuss future opportunities for supporting the marketing of Irish food products within the business.

Bord Bia says that Irish beef “continues to perform in what is an important premium market, with beef exports rising to €142 million in 2016 from €92 million just four years ago”.

It also says that it will undertake a five-year “multi-channel” communications campaign. The campaign kicks off this year with five retail promotions in over 2,000 stores and a series of promotions with leading steak restaurant chains across 100 locations.