Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, joins Gulfood in celebration of its Silver Jubilee this year by showcasing sustainably produced products from Irish dairy and meat producers. Visitors at the world's largest annual food and drink trade expo, taking place from February 16 to 20, 2020, will have the chance to see 11 Irish meat and dairy companies, all verified members of Ireland's Origin Green sustainability programme. Origin Green is the only programme in the world functioning at the national level, and highlights Ireland's continuing efforts to open new corridors globally for Irish products with a focus on sustainability. Ireland's presence at Gulfood has assisted Irish exporters in finding new customers and strengthening relationships with existing customers across the Middle East and Africa. The UAE acts as a strategic location for developing further links into neighboring markets in the Gulf, the Indian subcontinent, North and West Africa, and generally contributing towards the volume and value of Irish exports worldwide. This year, Bord Bia is proud to introduce Tipperary Coop, a leading Irish supplier of high-quality milk powders for infant formula and ingredient manufacturing to Gulfood while award-winning Irish Yoghurts launches its ‘Clonakilty Greek Style Snack Pots' into the Middle East market. The two companies add to the five dairy and four meat producers for a growing line-up that signifies the importance of the Middle East markets as an export destination for Irish meat and dairy. David Kennedy, Bord Bia's International Markets Manager with the remit for the Africa, Asia, Russia and Middle East regions, said: "Having 11 Irish companies that are all voluntary members of the Origin Green program, participate in Gulfoood speaks a lot about Ireland's commitment to the environment. 2019 has been a bumper year for Ireland's food industry with a record-breaking exports figure of €13bn for Ireland's food, drink and horticulture, capping a decade of consistent growth of 67% since 2010." He added: "The total volume of Irish exports to the UAE from January to November 2019 reached 28,000 tons. Our expectation for 2020 is there will be continued growth in Irish exports to the UAE with EXPO 2020 contributing to this growth." Bord Bia Middle East Director Claudia Saumell acknowledged the important role of Ireland's continuous participation at Gulfood and representing the country on a global stage. "Ireland has been at Gulfood since its 10th edition and we're proud to be part of this year's 25th-year milestone. We have seen the show growing and becoming one of the most important tradeshows globally. There is more Irish produce on the shelves of supermarkets in the UAE than in any other market outside the UK and Ireland so Ireland's participation in Gulfood is a testament to the country's commitment to provide the Middle East with products that suit the region's need. What we are doing is responding to a region that cares deeply about the provenance of their food and who also has a demand for high-quality, grass fed, sustainably produced food." — SG
