Meat Marketing Seminar 2025

The Bord Bia Meat Marketing Seminar 2025 took place at Killashee Hotel, Naas on Friday, January 17th, 2025. This important annual event for the Irish meat sector provided vital information on global markets, the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and an understanding of what is happening on the ground in retail.

Over 250 people from across the Irish meat industry gathered to hear from a range of Bord Bia and industry experts. Minister Martin Heydon T.D opened the event, followed by Jim O'Toole, Bord Bia CEO, with a market access update from Maria Dunne, Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

In 2024 Meat and livestock saw increases in the value of beef, pigmeat and the live trade, which was driven by higher volumes and higher unit prices. Sheepmeat and poultry, which also achieved higher unit prices, saw overall values decline due to volumes falling by 23% and 4% respectively. Read more in the Bord Bia Performance and Prospects 2024-2025 report.

Presentations

Conor O’Sullivan - Bord Bia - China Prospects 2025

Donal Denvir - Bord Bia - UK Market Status Update

Gavin Rothwell - Food Future Insights - Trends in Foodservice, food-to-go and Retail

Joe Burke - Bord Bia - Organics and Pigmeat Market Outlook and Prospects

John Clarke - EU Commission - EU Trade Relationships and Outlook

Maria Dunne - DAFM - Meat Market Access

Mark Zieg - Bord Bia - Beef Market Outlook and Prospects

Mick Houlihan - Bord Bia - Policy and Regulation Implications

Rupert Claxton - Gira - Global Meat Outlook

Seamus Mc Menamin - Bord Bia - Sheepmeat Market Outlook and Prospects

Shauna Jager - Bord Bia - Poultry Market Outlook and Prospects

Jim O'Toole, CEO address

Bord Bia CEO Jim O'Toole gives opening address at 2025 Meat Marketing Seminar.

Minister Martin Heydon, Opening Address

Maria Dunne, Meat Market Access

Maria Dunne from DAFM presents on the Meat Market Access Process

Rupert Claxton, Global Meat Outlook

Rupert Claxton, Director of Meat in GIRA presents the Global Meat Outlook

Mark Zieg, Beef Market Update and Outlook

Beef Sector Manager, Mark Zieg gives a Beef sector update and market outlook.

Seamus Mc Menamin, Sheep Market Update and Outlook

Sheepmeat and Livestock Sector Manager, Seamus McMenamin gives a market update and outlook for the Irish Sheepmeat Sector.

Joe Burke, Organics and Pigmeat Update and Outlook

Joe Burke, Senior Manager of Meat and Livestock gives a sectoral update on Organics and Pigmeat as well as an Outlook for these sectors for 2025.

Shauna Jager, Poultry Market Update and Outlook

International Graduate- Meat, Shauna Jager gives a Market Update and Outlook of the Irish Poultry Sector.

Donal Denvir, UK Market Status Update

Donal Denvir UK Manager gives a Market Status Update on the UK Market.

John Clarke, EU Trade Relationships

Ex- Director of EU Trade Negotiations presents on upcoming EU Trade balances and how they may impact the meat industry.

Conor O'Sullivan, China Prospects

Conor O'Sullivan, Bord Bia China Manager gives a market status update.

Mick Houlihan, Policy and Regulation Implications

Gavin Rothwell, Meat Consumer Dynamics

John Murray, Conference Close Out

John Murray, Director of Client and Stakeholder Engagement, closes out the Meat Marketing Seminar 2025.

Session Two Panel Discussion

Chaired by Noreen Lanigan, Session Two Panel consisted of John Clarke, Ex-EU Comission, Dale Crammond, Director of MII, Francie Gorman IFA President and Vice President of COPA, Mick Houlihan, Senior Agricultural Sustainability Manager, Bord Bia and Rupert Claxton, Director of Meat in GIRA.

Session Three Panel Discussion

Session 3 Panel, hosted by Grace Binchy, Bord Bia with Gavin Rothwell, Future Food Insights, Maureen Gahan, Foodservice Specialist, Bord Bia and Fiona Twomey, Retail Specialist, Bord Bia.