“In Ireland, the future of milk is green”, so wrote Agathe Lejeune, a French journalist with the highly respected trade magazine” Lineaires” following her recent visit to Ireland at the invitation of Bord Bia. Her observations give an insight into how the Irish food industry`s sustainable food production initiatives are received abroad as well as its penetration in the French market and its drive to innovate.
Pointing to Ireland`s ambition to increase milk production by 50%, to 7.5 billion litres by 2020 she wrote that “although this quantity is just a splash on a European scale, it represents a fabulous opportunity for Ireland's 18,000 dairy farms”. She noted that scope exists to increase the yield of Irish dairy cows, with each animal currently producing, on average, 5,500l of milk per year compared to a French cow's 6,800l and added that “the best news is that Ireland intends to use a highly ambitious national sustainability programme entitled Origin Green to help it achieve its objectives” she added.
She described Bord Bia`s Origin Green programme as “an impressive display of national unity”, with its three pillars of raw materials sourcing, manufacturing processes and social responsibility. “The programme is very popular in Ireland, because it is based on individually set, achievable, measurable improvement targets. Origin Green is not designed to be completed and then forgotten. It is a long-term commitment to progress” she wrote. She concluded that although the initiative may not directly raise export prices, it is an excellent mark of quality, recognised by leading organisations worldwide.
More Irish eye-openers for Agathe…
“Ficello, cheesestring is from Ireland….”Who'd have thought, she enthused that “Ficello, France's fourth-ranking children's cheese brand, is produced by Kerry Foods in Charleville, County Cork. since January 2014”. The product has been available in France for the past ten years. “The whole process is carried out in one plant, in the small Irish town of Charleville, which has a population of just 4,000.”
The Milkman's back!
During her visit Agathe also wondered at Ireland`s appetite for milk and the fact that practically everybody drinks it fresh while in UHT is the preferred option for the French. "And they drink plenty of it” she added noting that average milk consumption in Ireland of 130 litres per person per year compared to France wher the figure is 3.5 times lower. “So, you won't find UHT milk in the dairy aisle of an Irish supermarket. All milk sold is fresh, with a shelf life of two weeks”.
She remarked that Glanbia, with its Avonmore brand brought back the old-fashioned milkman in late 2014, backing him up with modern technology through the mymilkman.ie website through which it sells fresh milk for delivery across the country, although most customers are in major cities such as Dublin and Cork, or on the country's west coast.“Yes, Mymilkman.ie delivers more than just milk. Almost one hundred lines are available, with eggs, fruit juice, yoghurts, butter and more - all the ingredients for a perfect Irish breakfast!” she concluded.