EU Campaigns - “Putting Ireland on the map as a food producer”
Sophie Milner, EU Campaigns Executive
Image by: Bord Bia
The first week of September was a busy and rewarding week for Bord Bia’s ongoing European Union (EU) campaigns. Bord Bia officially launched the Asian leg of two of its EU Co-funded campaigns, promoting European beef, lamb and dairy from Ireland across seven Asian markets. The official launches were part of Bord Bia’s ministerial-led trade mission to Southeast Asia and Japan.
Bord Bia’s Senior EU Promotions Manager, Declan Fennell, who was in attendance at the trade mission states, “EU co-funded campaigns are a vital means of putting Ireland on the global map as a food producer. Of particular focus will be the building new relationships between Irish exporters and local importers and distributors in the relevant market. Combined, they represent the largest ever investment in third country markets for the promotion of Irish meat and dairy and will build upon the investment started back in 2017 via the €3.75 million European Beef and Lamb – Excellence in Food Safety and Quality Assurance that ran between 2017 and 2020”.
This insightful article will cover the background of the EU beef, lamb and dairy campaigns, explore why Asian markets were chosen as key destinations, clarify the campaigns main focuses and implications for Irish producers.
Background on the EU Campaigns
EU Beef & Lamb Campaign
Bord Bia’s new EU Beef and Lamb campaign officially began on June 1st 2022. This campaign aims to build awareness of the EU and Ireland as a supplier of high-quality, sustainably produced beef and lamb.
Under the tagline ‘European Beef and Lamb – Ireland, Working with Nature’, the three-year campaign, which is 80% co-funded by the European Union, targets the high potential markets of Japan, South Korea, China and the US. The campaign will invest €4.8 million across these markets and deliver a suite of promotional activities which will be implemented by Bord Bia. The objective of the campaign is to build awareness of, and propensity to purchase, beef and lamb amongst the primary (B2G and B2B) and secondary (B2C) target audiences in each market.
EU Dairy Campaign
The ‘European Dairy – Ireland, Working with Nature’ campaign aims at raising awareness and understanding of high quality sustainably produced European dairy while also increasing the sales of dairy products from 2022 to 2024 in Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The campaign will invest €3.2 million across these markets and deliver a suite of promotional activities which will be implemented by Bord Bia. This campaign is also 80% funded by the European Union.
Why Asian Markets?
Asian markets were chosen as key destinations for these European programmes since Asia has been the centre of Irish food and drink export growth efforts and remains the most promising market for European beef, lamb and dairy ("Irish exports to Southeast and Japan", 2022). In targeting these markets in particular, the programmes are fully consistent with the European Commission’s priorities for the year for it will be aimed at third countries where there is high potential for growth.
The EU campaign’s focus:
- Building awareness of the advantages of the European, and more specifically Irish outdoor grass-based production systems
- Building awareness of the infrastructure that validates a supply of traceable, sustainably produced, nutritious European beef, lamb and dairy
- Delivering business development initiatives that will drive the value and volume of European beef, lamb and dairy imports
Implications for the Irish Food and Drink Industry
Speaking at the Asian leg of the EU campaign roll out event, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., said he was thrilled to see Ireland at the forefront of industry campaigns aimed at building the profile of European beef, lamb and dairy in Japan, a priority market for Irish food and drink exports according to Bord Bia’s Prioritising Markets - Opportunities for Growth study. As part of the beef, lamb and dairy campaigns, almost €2 million will be invested in promotional activities in the Japanese market. Minister McConalogue stated that “This is expected to result in €11.6 million growth in Irish beef and lamb exports and €18.9 million growth in Irish dairy exports to the market - a significant feat for the Irish meat and dairy sectors”
The dairy campaign will host six Asian trade fairs, host nineteen trade seminars and see 84 buyers and journalists, from the five countries, visit Irish farms and processors over three years.
As part of the beef and lamb campaign, Bord Bia will host Irish beef and lamb exporters at an additional twelve trade shows, host twenty-one trade seminars, nine Chef Masters events, three KOL online to offline Seminars and welcome 60 Asian and US trade and media representatives to Ireland.
In addition to these physical activities, the campaign will undertake a suite of digital promotional activities, such as website and social media, advertising and recipe video development. Building new connections that lead to bigger and better opportunities between Irish exporters and regional importers and distributors in the relevant market will be of particular focus of these EU campaigns.
Sources:
Irish exports to Southeast and Japan. (2022). Retrieved 6 September 2022, from https://www.bordbia.ie/farmers-growers/prices-markets/agri-market-insights/irish-exports-to-southeast-and-japan/
Prioritising Markets: Opportunities for Growth - Bord Bia | Irish Food Board. (2022). Retrieved 6 September 2022, from https://www.bordbia.ie/industry/export-assistance/prioritising-markets/#:~:text=The%20Prioritising%20Markets%20report%20offers,our%20food%20and%20drink%20industry.
Bord Bia launches new EU beef, lamb and dairy promotions worth €8 million across Japan and Asia. (2022). Retrieved 30 September 2022, from https://www.bordbia.ie/industry/news/press-releases/bord-bia-launches-new-eu-beef-lamb-and-dairy-promotions-worth-8-million-across-japan-and-southeast-asia/