Bord Bia has announced its plans to showcase Irish food and drink to a global audience during this year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
According to Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive St Patrick’s Day provides Bord Bia and producers with a unique opportunity to showcase Irish food and drink.
“The goodwill towards all things Irish on our national day provides us with an invaluable opportunity to connect with potential new customers invited to embassy events, Irish community gatherings as well as maximising media interest surrounding the festival. These events and promotional campaigns allow us renew our links with friends of Ireland, tell the story of sustainable quality food production through our Origin Green initiative and secure loyal support for Irish food and drink.”
This year, building on from Ireland’s success in gaining access to the US, Bord Bia will use St. Patrick’s Day to drive awareness among influencers and consumers of the quality, safety and Origin Green sustainability of Irish beef.
The annual American Ireland Fund Dinner will have a distinctly Gaelic flavour this year with Irish beef making a return to the menu for the high profile event. Over 1,000 people are expected to attend.
In Paris, where chefs are stars in every sense of the word, Bord Bia will host a media lunch to welcome the newest member to its Chefs Irish Beef Club. Christophe Schmitt is “sous-chef” in the Michelin Star Le Diane restaurant, located in the prestigious Fouquets Hotel on the Champs Elysées. The hotel – where James Joyce dined regularly when he lived in Paris – is now run by Irish General Manager Geraldine Dobey.
In Dubai Bord Bia is supporting the Irish food festival and working in conjunction with Spinneys Supermarket on a customer facing promotion for Irish food hampers.
Ireland’s largest market, Britain, will see a recipe-led Irish beef promotion featuring five ‘perfect for St. Patrick’s Day’ recipes on Bord Bia’s Irish beef website, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts. In addition, Irish beef recipes will feature in national titles such as The Times, The Guardian and the Great British Chefs website over the festival period.
Meanwhile, the ‘Irish Food Market’ at Trafalgar Square, part of the annual Mayor’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival, will feature well-known Irish companies Brodericks, Burren Smokehouse, Keogh’s Farm, Kerrygold, Nomadic, The Foods of Athenry and The Jelly Bean Factory.
In Munich, St Patrick’s Day parade visitors can enjoy a taste of Irish beef at some of the popular food stands. German consumers will also be encouraged to enter Bord Bia’s Irish beef promotional competitions to win Irish beef related prizes, such as luxury cooking accessories and vouchers. Throughout the weekend, Munich residents and visitors will be able to enjoy Irish beef steak in two of the largest Irish Pubs in the city.
Next week, Bord Bia is coordinating the filming of Masterchef Netherlands where Chefs Irish Beef Club and Michelin-starred chef Erik van Loo will be guest chef. Bord Bia is also sponsoring a restaurant launch in Den Haag of BIT (Best in Town) which will have a significant focus on Irish Beef.
Bord Bia Spain will run St. Patrick’s week beef promotions and point of sale tastings at El Corte Ingles as well as online promotional activities.
In Sweden the top meat restaurant AG will be present an Irish specific menu on March 17-19. Irish products will include a range of dry aged beef, flat oysters cheese, beer and whiskey.
Also, Bord Bia has distributed produce to in excess of 60 Embassies and Consulates around the world to ensure that influential foreign guests attending official St. Patrick’s Day events experience the best of Irish food and develop a taste for more.