More than 20 food and drink companies are seeking new business in South Korea and Japan this week with Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture and key State export agencies.
Mr Heydon is leading a trade mission, with Enterprise Ireland, the agency responsible for developing Irish industry, and Bord Bia, which promotes the country’s food business abroad.
The mission’s two legs will involve 22 Irish companies, including the likes of Kerry Group, Jameson, Lakeland Dairies, Carberry, Sliver Hill Duck, Kepak, ABP and Tírlan.
Mr Heydon predicted that the visit would allow the Republic to build on commercial and official relationships it has developed with Korea and Japan.
Japan is the world’s third biggest beef importer while Korea ranks fourth. Between them they buy more than one million tonnes a-year.
The mission will take in Seoul Food, Korea’s biggest exhibition for the food and drinks industries, and Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, expected to lure more than 28 million visitors and in which 160 countries are participating.
The Korean leg will give producers the opportunity to build on the opening of that country’s market to Irish beef last year, when the product was launched in September.
Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia chief executive, pointed out that Irish beef has a competitive edge over rivals as it is grass fed, which the agency’s research shows Korean consumers regard as healthier and more natural.
“This sets us apart from our grain-fed competitors in the market, and one we are using to reach an affluent consumer base,” he said.
Mr Heydon stressed that the mission’s focus was to build on and promote the State’s reputation in agri-food in the Republic of Korea and Japan and the wider Asia market.
It offered opportunities to “showcase Ireland as a source of high-quality food, including dairy products, meat, seafood, drinks, prepared consumer foods and food ingredients”, he added.
The Japanese leg will include a focus on the drinks business, with a dozen companies from that industry represented, including Clonakilty Distiller, Dingle Distillery, Curraghmore Irish Whiskey, and Hyde Irish Whiskey.
Expo Osaka will include an Irish Whiskey VIP Tour for buyers and media. Drinks is one of the Republic’s more valuable home-grown industries, serving 113 export markets worth €2 billion in 2024.
The mission will also have a political element with two ministerial meetings. Mr Heydon recently pointed out that it was critical for Irish agri-food to continue seeking new markets.
