Bord Bia has rounded off a tour of Ireland’s top four food and drinks export markets with its annual trade reception at Ireland's  embassy in London.

Agriculture minister Michael Creed and Bord Bia chief executive Tara McCarthy have been meeting C-suite representatives from several of the markets’ largest retailers, wholesalers and processors in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, with a view to developing and strengthening relationships between these industry leaders and Irish food and drinks suppliers.

The visits to these three cover markets that account for almost half of Irish food and drinks exports, more than €6 billion worth. The tour follows a mission to China last month during which Bord Bia announced its ambition to achieve a ten-fold increase in beef trade with China to €120m.

In Germany, the fifth largest market for Irish food and drinks exports, the delegation met Metro Group, the fourth largest retailer globally with a turnover of €13.5 billion and  800 stores in 25 countries, to discuss how Ireland can become a global partner for Metro Group supplying its stores worldwide.

In the Netherlands, third largest market, the delegation met Jumbo Supermarkets, a global chain with 650 stores. Bord Bia aims to grow food and drink exports to the country to €1 billion by 2025, from its present level of €970m.

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In Britain, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are the main targets, given their €80 billion in annual sales, and the meetings focus on ensuring that routes to market remain open and healthy, given continued Brexit uncertainty. The UK is Ireland’s largest market for food and drink exports.

Minister Creed said: “These meetings are about developing key routes to shelf in strategically critical EU markets for Irish food and drinks suppliers, particularly in the context of Brexit. The meetings I have had so far have, without exception, been productive, promising and positive. 

“They have confirmed in my mind the enormous potential that exists for Irish agri-food growth within key EU markets and within an ever-evolving global marketplace.”

Tara McCarthy added: “In both the Netherlands and Germany we are targeting €1 billion in exports each by 2025. The meetings we have had in both of these countries this week are key to keeping us on track to deliver this growth in continental Europe. 

“Our recent Brexit Barometer research revealed that 70% of Irish food and drinks companies intend to grow in the UK despite Brexit headwinds. I look forward to discussing these ambitions with senior UK industry leaders so we can protect and grow our market share of Irelands largest export market and closest neighbour.”

Photo: Menno Wigtman (left) and Olf de Boer (right) of Jumbo Supermarket with minister Michael Creed and Bord Bia's Tara McCarthy.