Food for Thought

There is more Irish produce on the shelves of supermarkets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) than in any other market outside the UK and Ireland, says Kieran Fitzgerald, Bord Bia’s new manager for the UAE and ME.

Irish food and drink has some pretty impressive feathers in its cap these days, like the fact that we produce enough dairy each year to fill about 3,000 olympic-sized swimming pools; that Irish beef is served at the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai; and there is more Irish produce on the shelves of supermarkets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) than in any other market outside the UK and Ireland.

During the 1840’s famine period in Ireland and for a very long time afterwards, Ireland’s biggest export was our people. Not any longer though. As an island nation with a population of just five million people, Ireland now produces enough food to feed 25 million people.

Food and drink is now Ireland’s most important indigenous industry and one of our fastest growing export areas (if you’re on an Emirates flight you’ll notice Keogh’s crisps are being served). Having worked for Bord Bia in China and being part of the team that launched Irish beef in China and Irish lamb in Japan, I know what consumers come to expect of Irish produce.

I am delighted to see a new generation of talented young people in Ireland being attracted into farming and food production, who value excellence in our indigenous industry, because when it comes down to it, what makes Ireland really stand out as a food producer? Ireland’s mild climate and rainfall with little heavy industry is the reason that 80% of the country is covered in lush green grass year-round and this unspoilt landscape allows farmers to produce in harmony with nature.

Food has always been intrinsically linked to both of our cultures, where consumers hold food security and traceability as priorities. In the UAE and ME consumers are very familiar with our Irish beverages, grass fed beef and dairy, seafood from our Wild Atlantic Way, and our prepared consumer foods – think Flahavan’s oats, Golden Irish eggs, and Butler’s Chocolates. As a committed member of the EU, Ireland adheres to the strict EU food safety standards and we encourage our farmers and processors to reach even higher standards by participating in our Bord Bia Quality Assurance Schemes, refined over the last 20 years, in a process of continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence.

As we enter the final decade of delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the global food and drink sector is facing unpresented reputational, regulatory and market pressures to reduce its environmental and social impact, as well as develop innovative solutions to increasingly complex consumer demand. Bord Bia recently completed a Future Proofing toolkit to further understand preferences and behaviours from consumers in UAE

and Saudi Arabia emerging from the pandemic. What we found is a growing interest in healthy and organic foods to boost immunity along with safely packaged food – a direct response to food security concerns from consumers who are now more inclined to purchase from a well-known brand where the origin can be traced.

Ireland is perceived worldwide as a clean, green country and an ideal place to produce food. This is true. But today saying this is not enough, we prove it through the Irish government’s Origin Green initiative – the only one of its kind worldwide - working across the supply chain to assist farmers, companies, retailers and food service operators to meet their sustainability commitments on an on-going basis.

Irish food and drink exports to the Middle East was worth €344 million in 2020, a very strong performance given difficulties presented by the pandemic, especially for those companies supplying to the foodservice sector. This growth is a direct result of our invested relationship with the region.

Looking ahead, Bord Bia has a number of exciting announcements in the UAE and ME, including the launch of Irish lamb to Kuwait in November 2021 and the relaunch of our acclaimed Chefs’ Irish Beef Club in Dubai, an exclusive international forum which brings together some of the region’s leading chefs who collectively endorse Irish beef.

Kieran Fitzgerald

Food and drink is now Ireland’s most important indigenous industry and one of our fastest growing export areas.

Bord Bia will be present at Expo’s Food, Agriculture and Livelihoods themed week from 17th- 23rd February 2022, and at Gulfood 13th-17th February 2022.

SPREADING IRISH FLAVOUR

Ornua, owner of the world-renowned Kerrygold brand and is Ireland’s largest export of dairy products, is expecting strong growth in the Middle East in the coming years.

Ornua is a dairy co-operative which sells dairy products on behalf of its members - Ireland’s dairy processors, and in turn, Irish dairy farmers. Ornua has been establishing successful routes to market for Irish dairy for more than 60 years. Today, the cooperative exports to more than 110 global markets. With a presence in the Middle East spanning many decades, Ornua’s portfolio within the region includes a range of cheese and butter products sold under the Kerrygold brand. In 2016, Ornua established a manufacturing facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to produce a selection of innovative white cheese solutions on behalf of the B2B ingredients sector.

Previously the Irish Dairy Board, Ornua & Kerrygold’s presence in the Middle East market dates back to the 1980’s. With a view to driving the strategic development of the brand across the region and aligning teams with customers and consumers on the ground, Ornua established a local sales office in Dubai in 2008. Sustained presence in the market has facilitated the local sales teams in overcoming some of the challenges of doing business across the diverse Middle East markets – through market insight and strong customer relationships.

In terms of Ornua’s flagship Kerrygold brand, numerous market dynamics point to strong opportunity throughout the region over the coming years. Covid-19 has resulted in an upsurge in consumer retail spending and an increased demand for foods deemed healthy, natural and less processed (1). Food accounts for the second-largest consumer spending category in the Middle East – the fastest growing retail landscape worldwide (2). Ireland enjoys an excellent reputation as an exporter of quality consumer foods to the region, especially among European ex-pats who have an existing familiarity with Irish produce, including Kerrygold’s portfolio of butter and cheese.

This is reflected in the wider success of Irish exports to the region, registering 6.4% growth in 2020 on the previous year (3). Further opportunities for Kerrygold exist in targeting the ethnic majority communities across the GCC – predominantly Arab and

South Asian consumers who purchase butter frequently and are becoming increasingly brand and quality-conscious. Visibility across the online channel will also be of strategic importance for the brand – with E-commerce in the region experiencing exponential growth amid the Covid-19 landscape (4).

Ornua Ingredients produces a range of bespoke white cheese offerings on behalf of B2B ingredients and bakery customers. The facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia employs recombined technology, previously developed in partnership with Teagasc in Ireland. Sold under Ornua’s foodservice brands, Palatina and Mersin, the products produced here include labneh and white cheese - popular fillings within pastry-based ‘on the go’ snacks in the Middle East. The facility’s customer innovation centre allows for development of these ingredients directly alongside the customer, facilitating the region’s diverse flavour and application requirements.

Ornua has been a long-term ingredients supplier to customers throughout the MENA region and success can be attributed to the preference that numerous food manufacturers have for Irish dairy ingredients – primarily due to their premium taste and quality. With an agile production process, strong customer service and an innovative product offering, Ornua has proudly increased both its consumer base and product portfolio on a year-onyear basis. Despite the numerous challenges posed to the B2B and foodservice channels throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the outlook moving into 2022 is positive. The GCC will host both Expo2020 and Qatar2022 over the coming year, with an expected upswing in visitors to the region and in line with that, renewed opportunity across these channels.

The Middle East food landscape is a challenging arena for food imports, with strong competition from global food manufacturers. However, through continued investment in line with market dynamics – including increasing consumer demand for taste, quality and healthier food, Ornua is well placed for sustained growth within the Middle East over the coming years. In terms of Ornua’s flagship Kerrygold brand, numerous market dynamics point to strong opportunity throughout the region over the coming years. Covid-19 has resulted in an upsurge in consumer retail spending and an increased demand for foods deemed healthy, natural and less processed.

BECAUSE TASTE IS EVERYTHING. BECAUSE TASTE IS For seasonal recipe inspiration, visit www.kerrygold.com/arabia EVERYTHING. For seasonal recipe inspiration, visit www.kerrygold.com/arabia