Skip to main content
Hit enter to search or ESC to close

Narrow down your searches to:

  • All
  • Food is Living
  • Industry
  • Farmers & Growers
Top Picks
Bord Bia

Welcome to the December edition of Bord Bia's Ireland Market Foodservice Newsletter.

Thank you to all those that came along to our 2023 Foodservice Seminar at the Killashee Hotel on November 15th. To anyone that missed it, confirmation that you can view recordings of our speaker presentations and panel session on our website at the following link. 

 

GENERAL INDUSTRY NEWS

 

Irish economy expected to shrink this year as weaker global demand dents exports

The Irish Times – 29.11.2023 
Weaker exports and lower levels of investment will see the Irish economy go into reverse this year for the first time in over a decade, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned. In its latest global outlook report, the Paris-based agency predicts the economy here will contract by 0.6 per cent in gross domestic product (GDP) terms in 2023. With price pressures subsiding, growth is projected to pick up to 2.4 per cent in 2024 and 2.9 per cent in 2025.

Annual rate of inflation slows to 2.3%, CSO's flash reading shows

RTE – 29.11.2023

The annual rate of inflation fell to 2.3% in November, according to the latest "flash estimate" from the Central Statistics Office. This compares to an annual rate of 3.6% in October. Energy prices are now 9.9% cheaper than they were compared to November last year. Food prices, however, rose by 0.3% and are up 6.2% on an annual basis. Transport costs fell by 1.7% last month and are 0.2% lower than last year. When energy and unprocessed food prices are excluded, the "core" rate of inflation is estimated to have slowed to 3.9% in November, compared to 4.6% in October.

 

QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANT (QSR) & PUB SECTOR

 

McDonald’s opens first new restaurant in Republic of Ireland for five years, second to follow shortly

Propel – 20.11.2023
McDonald’s has opened its first new restaurant in the Republic of Ireland for five years, with a second to follow shortly. The new restaurant is in Carrick-on-Shannon in Co. Leitrim, creating 90 jobs. It is also the 95th McDonald’s in the country, employing more than 7,000 staff.  McDonald’s has received planning permission for a second restaurant in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. The scheme promises to create around 120 new jobs and would represent a significant investment of around £4m. McDonald’s provides over 3,200 jobs in its 33 restaurants across Northern Ireland.

Guinness Storehouse unveils immersive Christmas experience

Drinks Industry Ireland – 29.11.2023 
The Guinness Storehouse has launched its Christmas festive spectacle, featuring a cinematic experience and eye-catching installations, including an 8.5-metre-tall Guinness Storehouse Christmas tree, with 1759 lights as a nod to the year Guinness began. The experience will run from 22 November- 5 January, opening at 10AM, with prices starting from €24 per adult.

 

HOTEL AND RESTAURANT SECTOR

 

Dalata checks into London with first Maldron Hotel

Business Plus – 22.11.2023 
Dalata Hotel Group has officially opened its first Maldron Hotel in London. The 4-star Maldron Hotel Finsbury Park in north London is the plc’s 53rd hotel in the UK, Ireland and continental Europe, and the first of five new Maldron Hotels set to open across the UK in the next 12 months. Dalata, which also operates Clayton Hotels, purchased the ready-to-open 191-bedroom hotel at Finsbury Park for £44.3m and invested £4.1m in an upgrade. The hotel has a contemporary ground floor lobby with a spacious dining and bar area, and a well-equipped fitness suite.

Park Café in Ballsbridge is closing citing 'Very Challenging Time'

Hospitality Ireland – 20.11.2023 
Richard Corrigan’s Park Café in Ballsbridge has announced it will be closing after just a year in business. Park Café opened to much excitement last November in the former Shelbourne Social premises on Shelbourne Road. Corrigan’s Ballsbridge operation which has been run by manager Paul Ryan will continue to operate until the end of the year. A sign that even a well-run operation based in an affluent part of Dublin can still struggle in these inflationary times.

 

CONTRACT CATERING SECTOR

 

Sodexo Ireland gives suppliers a Net-Zero Progress Deadline

Hospitality Ireland – 08.11.2023 
Sodexo Ireland has announced the launch of its net-zero supply chain engagement strategy. From January 2030, the company noted that it will only work with suppliers demonstrating ‘tangible progress’ through published reporting. The foodservices and facilities management business works with 400 supply partners in Ireland, spending €70 million annually with them. Sodexo has committed to providing its supply partners with mentoring and support to help them meet their net-zero milestones. Around 70% of Sodexo’s supply chain in Ireland and the UK is made up of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), most of which cannot be expected to have teams dedicated to sustainability or afford consultancy support. 

Compass boasts higher revenues and profit after ‘strong year’ for catering giant

Independent – 20.11.2023 
Catering giant Compass Group has revealed a jump in revenues and profit for the past year as it was supported by new business and higher food prices. The firm, which provides foodservice for offices, universities and sports venues, told shareholders that revenues grew by 21.6% to £31 billion in the year to September 30, compared with the previous year. Meanwhile, operating profit rose by 26.1% to £1.89 billion despite pressure from inflation. It told investors it is targeting 13% underlying profit growth in the current financial year, with high single-digit organic revenue growth.