Bord Bia, hosted an "Irish Beef Masterclass" Zurich, Switzerland for members of the Chefs' Irish Beef Club, journalists and food bloggers. The workshop-based event included a presentation from Professor Frank Monahan, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin on the science behind Irish grass fed beef and how this natural diet influences the characteristics of the meat. Two new members were also officially welcomed into the Club bringing total membership of Swiss Chapter to fourteen.
Switzerland is regarded as a prized marketplace for exporters of premium quality produce where the average food spend per capita is €4,919 per annum compared to the European average of €2,430 (source IGD). As one of the wealthiest countries in the world its affluent society has a preference for high quality goods. Irish food and drink exports to Switzerland were worth over €49 million in 2015.
The Chefs' Irish Beef Club is an exclusive international forum which brings together some of Europe's leading Michelin Star chefs who collectively endorse Irish beef. The Club sees award-winning chefs give pride of place to Irish beef by serving it in their restaurants, some of the finest dining establishments in Europe. Today, there are over eighty member chefs who are spread across Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.