Bord Bia will host events all over the world during St Patrick's Week with the aim of increasing the global footprint of Ireland's sustainable food and drink industry.
The Bord Bia events include senior-level trade meetings, online marketing campaigns, retail and restaurant promotions, in-store tastings, cookery demonstrations and on-the-ground Irish food festivals.
Highlights of events this year across priority European and international markets include Irish produce being showcased to over 50,000 people in the UK at the Lord Mayor of London's official St Patrick’s Day consumer event at Trafalgar Square as well as a gathering of 30 premium chefs in Tokyo, who will adapt local Japanese dishes to include Irish beef and lamb.
25 high-end chefs will serve Irish beef in their restaurants in Milan as part of A Taste of Ireland promotion week in Italy, while in China, Irish whiskey will be promoted to over 750 trade guests at the China Drinks Awards in Shanghai which recognises the achievements made by nightlife and beverage industry across Asia.
Meanwhile, in Lagos in Nigeria, the Spirit of Ireland cocktail week will start and in partnership with 10 premium restaurants and bars, unique cocktails using Irish drinks will be available.
I France, Bord Bia is promoting Irish meat and seafood across a large range of retail stores with almost 1,500 stores around France set to receive a Bord Bia St Patrick's Day sales kit.
Bord Bia's chief executive Jim O'Toole said that St Patrick's Day offers a unique opportunity to put Ireland on the global stage and to celebrate the country's largest indigenous industry overseas.
"Through our network of offices around the world, Bord Bia has capitalised on the invaluable platform of St Patrick’s Day to deliver high level business development meetings, targeted trade events and a series of impactful promotional campaigns across 12 countries," Mr O'Toole said.
"Global reach is important for attracting future customers of Ireland and for the long-term development of the food and drink industry. Communicating the quality, safety and sustainability of our food offering through Origin Green is what opens doors for us in international markets," he added.
