The Irish agri-food industry needs to be ahead of the curve in understanding consumer trends to maximise exports abroad, according to Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy.
McCarthy spoke to AgriLand at a trade reception being held by Bord Bia at one of its Origin Green stands at SIAL on Monday evening (August 22).
Currently ongoing, SIAL is being held in the French capital of Paris, featuring 7,200 exhibitors from 110 different countries, with 160,000 visitors expected to attend throughout.
Below is a snapshot of the event, captured by Fennell Photography.
The event kicked off on Sunday (October 21) and will finish tomorrow (Thursday, October 25).
Consumer Lifestyle Trends
Commenting on Bord Bia’s key study into Consumer Lifestyle Trends, which was launched at this year’s SIAL, McCarthy stressed the importance of knowing what consumers are looking for in an era of changing demands and trends – with sustainability high on the priority list.
These consisted of 17 objectives under the UN, including goals such as: no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; responsible consumption and production; and climate action.
Underlining the importance of reinforcing the message of Origin Green, McCarthy said: “When you’re writing new business, it’s absolutely essential that you are credible in the marketplace.
“We’re not looking to supply the global marketplace on a price-only basis to be the cheapest source of anything – we’re looking to capture the value that’s within that marketplace and our investment in insight is our way of capturing that value.
“It’s another part of the toolkit that we are sharing with industry to make sure that we are putting our best foot forward; and that’s through impressing our buyers, our potential customers, with our understanding of their issues.
In many ways, being ahead of them in understanding those issues so that we can provide the solutions to them as quickly as possible.
“We look at that investment as one of the key parts of the toolkit to write new business throughout the world; but in Ireland as well as our overseas markets.”
SIAL 2018
McCarthy commented on the interaction being had at this year’s SIAL event – the biggest food trade fair in the world in a business-to-business level this year.
“We’ve been very pleased with the results that we have got from SIAL; clearly the numbers speak for themselves.
“This is our 22nd year going to the show; yet it is the biggest number of client companies that we have ever had at the show with us.”
Image source: Chris Bellew, Fennell Photography
The CEO noted that a record-high number of 354 companies are taking part in this year’s fair – up from 26 at the last SIAL event in 2016. 32 of these firms are based in the Origin Green stands.
McCarthy highlighted that each of the companies present on the stands are Origin Green verified members, noting that – considering the programme was only launched six years ago – is a huge achievement.
But this is being done not just to be proud of – it’s being done so that we can write business.
“And the feedback that we’re getting both from the buyers that we’ve spoken to, from the journalists that we’ve spoken to, from the key stakeholders that we’ve engaged with; is that they’re impressed with what Ireland is doing.”
The CEO noted that those they had spoken to were impressed with the Irish investment in understanding their markets, sustainability efforts, and the Irish willingness to look at new markets.