Italian market worth €365 million to Irish industry
Irish exports to Italy and France continue to rise and drive premium sales
Print10 November 2008
Irish beef and lamb, organic smoked salmon, farmhouse cheese, soda bread and micro brew beers are among the premium and specialty artisan products that Bord Bia is promoted at Salone del Gusto last month. The event in Turin, Italy, is a biennial international exhibition of quality food and drink, showcasing delicacies from all around the world. Salone del Gusto, organised by Slow Food and the Piedmont Region, attracts over 170,000 visitors, 30% of whom are non-Italian.
Visiting the event, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr Trevor Sargent TD said: “An event such as this is an excellent opportunity to taste and demonstrate the quality and diversity of Irish food. Our traditional delicacies and native ingredients are rooted in the integrity of raw material, artisan skills and a striving for excellence and uniqueness to a locality”.
Aidan Cotter, chief executive, Bord Bia commented “Our presence at Salone del Gusto, the worlds largest speciality food event, aims to further enhance Ireland’s premium positioning in the European marketplace. The event perfectly complements our marketing strategy for Irish beef based on premiumisation and differentiation, while also providing the opportunity to showcase the range and exceptional quality of our artisan foods.
“Ireland’s food and drink exports to Italy last year were valued at €365 million, driven mainly by a surge in beef exports, which have more than doubled over the last five years. Irish beef is currently available in the top eight Italian retailers and beef exports accounted for almost 60% of total exports in 2007.”
Italy is Ireland’s fourth largest EU market for food and drink after the UK, France and Germany. The main food products exported, apart from beef are alcoholic beverages (beer, cream liqueurs and whiskey), fish (mussels, prawns, smoked salmon), and milk powders. Irish beef exports to Italy reached 47,000 tonnes in 2007, making Italy the third largest EU market for Irish beef.
Bord Bia’s Food Island pavilion also travelled to SIAL in Paris last month, exhibiting at the world’s leading food showcase, attended by over 140,000 international buyers. The Irish food stands were placed in the meat exports and dairy innovations halls. The event coincided with the launch of Bord Bia’s latest promotion of premium Irish beef in Paris with two major French retailers, Monoprix and Intermarché. The new premium range is clearly identifiable in the French stores, with new on-pack stickers and customised shelf merchandising.
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