The final and third year of Bord Bia's pan European Beef Promotion involves Irish beef being promoted in 13 export markets, covering the UK and Continental Europe. Thirty eight European retailers will participate throughout 10,000 supermarket stores with a potential reach of over 100 million consumers. Since Bord Bia launched the European Beef Promotion in 2005 the volume of Irish beef exported to the European retail market has grown by some 100,000 tonnes (cwe) from 145,000 tonnes (cwe) to 245,000 tonnes (cwe) in 2007.
Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia commenting on this significant growth said “Irish beef is currently distributed to more retailers in Europe than beef from any other country. This provides us with an ideal platform to develop the higher value and premium segments of the retail and foodservice market for Irish beef.”
“The European Beef Promotion has been instrumental in building the presence and reputation of Irish beef with consumers and trade in order to support this significant sustained growth. We are now finalising plans with stakeholders on how we can build on the successful repositioning of Irish beef in the European marketplace as the final phase of our three year campaign comes to an end. Securing our position and seeking higher returns from the market remain critical for the future of Irish beef production in the face of formidable competition from low cost producers” he concluded.
The German market in particular has experienced strong growth. Metro, the German Cash and Carry chain, has recently listed Irish beef and lamb in 59 outlets across the country, while the high end department store Karstadt has now extended their stock of Irish Beef from two to twelve stores. This is in addition to Irish beef’s presence in Kaufhof, a prestigious national department store chain.
The high end European foodservice sector is targeted by Bord Bia’s Chefs Irish Beef Club, currently with 30 members across Europe. These Michelin star and celebrity chefs endorse premium Irish beef in all their restaurants. The Chefs’ Irish Beef Club was set up to unite top quality chefs from France, Holland, Italy and the UK who are users of quality Irish beef. Otto Gourmet, one of Germany’s high end foodservice meat importers, is currently supplying Irish Hereford beef and promoting dry aged beef to its prestigious gourmet chef clientele.
The 2007 pan European Beef promotion sets out to increase consumer awareness of Irish beef; establish the Irish beef brand as a premium offering with high integrity and eating quality and to support new and existing listings in the higher value foodservice and retail sectors. The campaign includes point of sale activity, on pack promotions, posters, information and recipe leaflets, sampling and merchandising. While some of the promotional activity has been ongoing, the focus and intensive period of promotion will run for nine weeks in both October and November.