BORD BIA / 03 BORD BIA BREXIT BAROMETER In June Bord Bia released the Brexit Barometer: Industry findings report, route to market, supply chain management, customs & trade and currency were highlighted as key issues for the 139 Irish suppliers that completed the Barometer. In direct response to the findings of the Brexit Barometer and the recommended actions articulated by the Barometer’s supporting document, Bord Bia hosted a Brexit Workshop Day in September. This addressed the key risks facing Irish manufacturers exporting to the UK and outlined practical, grounded steps companies can take to mitigate these risks. A plenary session included presentations on currency strategy, buyer price negotiation, supply chain logistics, and customs and market diversification. This was followed by structured breakout sessions where clients discussed issues and strategy in depth with experts. For updates on Brexit go to bordbia.ie ✽
LEAN INITIATIVE FOR HORTICULTURE In September The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed TD announced additional funding for Bord Bia. Included in this funding is an initiative towards implementing lean initiatives in the horticulture sector which is commencing this autumn. This activity will build on the pilot lean project which was carried out with the mushroom sector earlier this year and will include further pilot initiatives with the mushroom as well as other selected horticulture sectors. The pilot mushroom industry lean project was completed in April with very positive outcomes for the participants. ✽
10
POTATO PROMOTION
NATIONAL POTATO DAY
Bord Bia’s joint industry and EU funded potato promotional campaign Potatoes: More Than a Bit on the Side, continues in 2017. The key burst of advertising took place during June and into early July. The promotional activity featured print, out of home and digital advertising focused on driving consumers back to the campaign website potato.ie. The out of home posters included coverage on bus shelters, as well as DART and Luas lines in the Dublin area. There was also a photo shoot and PR around the new season potatoes launch. A consumer evaluation of the latest burst of activity was carried out which indicates that the visibility of the range of advertising across various channels and the cut through of the campaign messages are performing well when compared with earlier evaluations. Burst 5 of the campaign commenced at the end of September and ran throughout the month of October. Key activity included outdoor and digital advertising. ✽
National Potato Day took place on Friday 6 October. On that day there was a potato supplement in the Irish Independent celebrating the day and highlighting the potato campaign activity, recipes and key messages around the convenience, health and versatility of potatoes. In addition, campaign ambassador Aoife Hearne also featured in the supplement highlighting among other things the nutritional content of potatoes and their role in a healthy balanced diet. National Potato Day activity was supported by PR and online promotional activity which achieved significant coverage. The industry and campaign stakeholders were provided with digital assets to use on National Potato Day to promote the day and the potato. In addition promotional activity on TV3 included chef Padraic Og Gallagher (owner of the Boxty House Restaurant in Temple Bar) featuring on the Six O’Clock Show cookery slot, and Aoife Hearne (who is also a dietician and nutritionist) was interviewed on the Ireland AM programme on National Potato Day, while the programme resident chef cooked a potato recipe. ✽
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Winter 2017
