focus - irishfood magazineupdates on ireland’s agri-food and drinks industry. issue 2 2016 3...

Issue 2 2016

Focus on Nordic markets

Dublin Craft Beer and Cider Cup winners

Meet Bord Bia’s new director of markets

www.irishfoodmagazine.com

Research for healthy ageingMeet Nobó, winner of Bord Bia’s Innovation AwardDawn Farms heats up innovation in cooked meats

FOCUS:RESEARCH & INNOVATION



Dawn Farms is a founding member of Origin Green. Origin Green is an Irish government initiative by Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board, which provides verified commitment to sustainability all along the food supply chain.

2015/16

DAWN FARMSIS NOW AZERO WASTETO LANDFILLCOMPANY

RELATIVEENERGY USAGE

HAS BEENCUT BY 30%

ENOUGH ENERGY SAVED TOPOWER 20,000 IRISH HOMES

FOR A WHOLE YEAR

RELATIVEWATER USAGE

HAS BEENCUT BY 30%

ENOUGH WATER SAVEDTO FILL 56 OLYMPIC SIZED

SWIMMING POOLS

RELATIVECARBONEMISSIONSHAVE BEENCUT BY 20%

Dawn Farms is a founding member of Origin Green. Origin Green is an Irish government initiative by Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board, which provides verified commitment to sustainability all along the food supply chain.

ZERO WASTETO LANDFILL

ENERGY USAGE

CUT BY 30%ENOUGH ENERGY SAVED TO

POWER 20,000 IRISH HOMESFOR A WHOLE YEAR

WATER USAGE

CUT BY 30%ENOUGH WATER SAVED

TO FILL 56 OLYMPIC SIZEDSWIMMING POOLS

CARBONEMISSIONS

CUT BY 20%

www.dawnfarms.ie

Dawn Farm 210x280.indd 1 14/01/2016 10:10


Follow on Twitter @IrishFoodMag for more updates on Ireland’s agri-food and drinks industry.

3Issue 2 2016 3

editorial

Issue 2 2016

T he evolution of Ireland’s agri-food and drinks industry, from a commodity-based industry to a value-added exporter, has seen it become one of the most important export categories for the Irish economy.

In 2015, Food Wise 2025 was published. This is an industry-led strategy to capitalise on a host of new growth opportunities in the agri-food and drinks industry over the next 10 years. Food Wise 2025 sets out ambitious targets for growth, including increasing the value of agri-food exports by 85 per cent to Ð19 billion; increasing the value of primary production by 65 per cent to Ð10 billion; and delivering a further 23,000 jobs in the agri-food sector by 2025. Innovation was identified in Food Wise 2025 as an essential component of continued growth and success internationally. Many of Ireland’s industries have been making great strides in the area of innovation, notably Ireland’s dairy industry, which has attracted three of the world’s leading international infant formula producers and is now seeing infant milk formula production by home-grown multinationals. While Ireland produces close to 15 per cent of the globally-traded infant milk formula, the Irish dairy industry is now looking at opportunities for life-stage nutrition solutions. Speaking with , Jens Bleiel, CEO of Food for Health Ireland, says Ireland has the potential to impact the healthy ageing category in the same way it has the infant formula industry (see page 22-23). Beyond dairy, Ireland is seeing greater innovation across its export categories, with more and more food entrepreneurs emerging across the country. Our research and innovation focus reports on the work of many of these innovators.

As always, we have the latest news and interviews with Ireland’s industry leaders.

Enjoy!

Oonagh O’MahonyEditor

contents

4 Issue 2 2016 www.irishfoodmagazine.com

contents

Issue 2 2016

Focus on Nordic markets




Research for healthy ageingMeet Nobó, winner of Bord Bia’s Innovation AwardDawn Farms heats up innovation in cooked meats

FOCUS:RESEARCH & INNOVATION



Editor: Oonagh O’Mahony

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Production: Martin WhelanCiarán Brougham, Niall O’Brien, Michael Ryan

Chief Executive: Rebecca Markey

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Accounts: Tricia Murtagh

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Publisher: David Markey

Copyright IFP Media 2016.No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form without the express written permission of the publishers.

Published by:

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Republic of Ireland.

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6 News• Teeling Whiskey shines on

international stage• Ireland to double

contribution to UN World Food Programme

• Reformulation leads to significant reductions in fat, saturated fat, sugar, salt and calories, FDII reports

• 13 Irish companies exhibit at the world’s largest sweets and snacks trade fair

• Ireland to host World Congress of Food Science and Technology

12 Celebrating St Patrick’s Day

Every year, Bord Bia offices around the world work with Irish Embassies and other State agencies in hosting cultural events to mark Ireland’s national holiday, St Patrick’s Day

• Ireland to host World Congress of Food Science and Technology

10 Market leader Padraig Brennan, who was recently named Bord Bia’s director

of markets, talks to about his new role and the ambitions of Bord Bia internationally

29Issue 2 2016www.irishfoodmagazine.com 29

focus

Nordic Markets

13Issue 2 2016www.irishfoodmagazine.com

focus

Research & Innovation

38 Ambassador insights speaks with the

second cohort of Origin Green Ambassadors as they begin their placements in Origin Green host companies

40 Export excellenceIn 2015, Gallaghers Bakery in Donegal won two Exporter of the Year awards. speaks to the company’s managing director, Declan Gallagher, about export success and future ambitions

42 Spotlight OnIrish craft beer and cider producers are enjoying a period of growth and two companies were honoured with Dublin Craft Beer and Cider Cups at the Alltech Craft Brews and Food Fair

Issue 2 2016www.irishfoodmagazine.com 13

13 Research & Innovation

14 Fishing for opportunitiesTeagasc is about to undertake research that will explore the potential of innovative processing techniques to preserve positive health effects in pelagic fish products

16 Consumer-focused innovationAlbert McQuaid, chief technology officer at Kerry Group, says the global food industry is in a state of ongoing change, with competition intensifying for business, while consumer demands continue to grow

20 Hot innovations from Dawn Farms

Spice and layers of flavour are going to be the key ingredients to excite consumers in 2016, explains Conor Cahill, head of Science and Innovation at Dawn Farms

22 A maturing dairy marketJens Bleiel, CEO of FHI, says Ireland has the potential to have the same impact on the global healthy-ageing market as it has had on the infant formula market

24 Award-winning innovation

Nobó is enjoying export success and is tapping into a growing healthy-eating market

26 Innovation supports global growth

Innovation has played a crucial role in the success of Ireland’s food and beverage industry to date and Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting ongoing innovation in the sector to drive continued growth

28 Reimagining delivers innovation success

Having achieved success with its core range of products, Paganini has reinvented some of its popular desserts to create a new premium dessert range, Coolhull Farm

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5Issue 2 2016 5

29 Nordic Markets

30 Green light for Irish exports to Nordics

Linda Madigan, Nordics market manager, Bord Bia, says Origin Green is helping open doors in the Nordic markets

34 Healthy international growth for Chia Bia

Stephen Butler, sales director, Chia Bia says the company’s products are a perfect match for health-conscious consumers in Nordic markets

36 A thirst for diversity

Catherine Bernard, export sales at Carlow Brewing Company, explains that offering consumers a diverse product range is key to ongoing success in the Nordic markets


news

Teeling Whiskey shines on international stageThe Teeling Whiskey Company picked up four top accolades at the first stage of the World Whiskies Awards; these are Whisky Magazine’s product awards, which honour the very best whiskies in the world. The Teeling Whiskey Company triumphed with its Single Grain, Single Malt, 24 Year Old Single Malt and ‘The Revival’ 15 Year Old Single Malt, all scooping top honours. It will now go on to compete at the next stage of the competition for the global title. The Teeling Whiskey Company has also been shortlisted for a prestigious business award. The company has been nominated in the entrepreneurial category at the eighth annual Financial Times ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards.

The overall winners of both illustrious competitions will be announced on the evening of March 17 (St Patrick's Day) in London.Jack Teeling, founder of the Teeling Whiskey Company, commented: “We are delighted to see that our commitment to quality and innovation within Irish whiskey continues to be acknowledged on the world stage. As we strive to bring an independent voice back into a category dominated by multinationals, it is very rewarding that a prestigious publication such as the Financial Times has recognised our efforts and we look forward to March 17 when the overall winners of the World Whiskies Award and the FT Boldness in Business Awards will be announced.”

Ireland to double contribution to UN World Food ProgrammeIreland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has committed to providing a minimum of €20 million a year to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) for the next three years, a doubling of the previous annual contribution.The three-year, strategic partnership agreement, which sets out shared objectives in the area of humanitarian assistance, was signed by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, Minister for Development, Trade and North South Cooperation, Seán Sherlock, and the executive director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin.Minister Coveney said: “The WFP feeds 80 million of the most malnourished people in 75 countries. It also plays a significant role in the UN’s global campaign for zero hunger, and is at the forefront of dealing with the migration crisis. I am delighted that Ireland has doubled its funding commitment to WFP, and helps provide the budget certainty required with this multi-annual agreement. I hosted an event in EXPO Milan last year to encourage other governments to make similar advance commitments. This support is particularly necessary in the context of the current refugee crisis, where large parts of our funding will be targeted.”

Pictured at the Teeling Whiskey Company distillery in The Liberties, Dublin, are brothers Stephen and Jack Teeling with the brass spirit safe that holds the first whiskey spirit to be produced in Dublin in almost four decades.

news

Kerry – Irish Food Ad.indd 1 02/03/2016 17:40Kerry 210x280.indd 1 03/03/2016 14:15


news

Reformulation leads to significant reductions in fat, saturated fat, sugar, salt and calories, FDII reportsFood and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII), the main trade association for the food and drink industry in Ireland, recently launched a report that shows significant reductions in fat, saturated fat, sugar, salt and calories were achieved through reformulation, which includes changing the recipes of some of Ireland’s most popular foods and beverages.The FDII /Creme Global Reformulation Project report, compiled by leading analysts Creme Global, used data on 600 products from 14 of Ireland’s major food and drink companies and was supported by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). It showed that, over seven years (2005-2012):

• salt content of the products analysed reduced by 37 per cent;

• sugar content fell by 14 per cent;• the amount of energy, as measured in calories,

reduced by 12 per cent; and • both total fat and saturated fat intake reduced

by approximately 10 per cent.

“This FDII report is the first of its kind in the world,” said Paul Kelly, director FDII. “Never before has the impact of reformulation on the diet of an entire nation been analysed. The commitment of food and drink companies to change recipes and introduce new products has had a significant and positive impact on the diet of Irish consumers.

“A recent report by McKinsey Global found that reformulation by industry is second only to consuming smaller portions in the impact it has on tackling obesity. In this report, we demonstrate and acknowledge the commitment of food and drink companies in Ireland to improve the health of the nation through reformulation while maintaining the highest standards of product safety, integrity and taste.”The 14 major consumer food and drink companies will now provide reformulation data for the period 2013 to 2015. This will be the basis of another report to be published next year to allow trend analysis and better-informed business and policy decisions in the future.

Pictured at the launch of the world’s first report measuring the impact of the reductions in salt, saturated fat, fat, sugar and energy made by food companies

on the nation’s diet, are: Dr Wayne Anderson, FSAI; Paul Kelly, FDII; and Dr Mary McCreery, consultant rgistered dietician nutritionist at FDII.

Reformulation leads to significant


newsIreland to host World Congress of Food Science and Technology

In 2016, Ireland will host the world’s most prestigious and largest food science, technology and innovation event, the World Congress of Food Science and Technology. The event will be held at the RDS in Dublin between August 21 and August 25, 2016.The theme of the congress is: ‘Greening the Global Food Supply Chain through Innovation in Food Science and Technology’.The Congress is considered a unique opportunity to demonstrate that Ireland is a global innovation leader in this strategically important sector. Some of the major topics that will be explored during the Congress include: innovation in food quality and processing; food supply chain and distribution systems; future foods; food sustainability; societal challenges in nutrition and health; and global and local food safety and security.The Congress will be hosted by the Institute of Food Science and Technology of Ireland as the adhering body to the International Union of Food Science and Technology. Over 1,800 delegates (including food scientists, engineers, food industry professionals, thought-leaders, decision-makers, regulatory authorities and students) from around the world are expected to attend, with a significant presence from Europe, the Americas and Asia.

13 Irish companies exhibit at the world’s largest sweets and snacks trade fairBord Bia and 13 Irish sweet and snack companies recently participated in the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) in Cologne. ISM is the world’s largest trade fair for the confectionery and snacks industry attracting some 37,000 trade visitors and over 1,500 exhibitors.The Irish exhibitors were looking to build on the impressive 16 per cent increase in exports from the sector in 2015, which was valued at €261 million. Bord Bia coordinated the presence of 10 companies on two Ireland stands under the Origin Green umbrella, with three companies attending independently. Chocolate confectionery exports from Ireland increased by 18 per cent last year to an estimated value of €242 million, driven largely by a recovery in exports to the UK on the back of sustained investment in promotional campaigns, with some growth to other EU markets such as Germany. Sweet confectionery exports also experienced an increase as a result of a recovery in consumer spending and a rise in exports to the US and the UK, while higher unit prices resulted in improved exports to other EU markets such as Germany, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands. Bakery products and snacks were one of the strongest performing export categories within prepared foods in 2015, growing by over 35 per cent, reflecting higher sales to the UK in particular.

9Issue 2 2016 9


interview

Market leader

P adraig, who hails from Kilkenny, has extensive experience, having worked in Bord Bia since 1995. He has held various

roles within Bord Bia, including market researcher, senior business analyst and, most recently, sustainability development manager.

Speaking about his new role, Padraig says it involves two important facets: managing overseas offices and talent development in the food industry. “My new role is about building the reputation and continuing to grow the awareness and understanding of Ireland as a source of high-quality, sustainable food and drink products. That is what we will be focusing on as a markets team, as we have always done.”Padraig explains that this is a continuation of the work he has been doing over the last number of years, particularly in his role as sustainability development manager for Origin Green. “The experience I have in dealing with a lot of international customers around Origin Green gives me an understanding of how we can build relationships with some of these customers; customers that are looking for consistent supply and are looking to partner with countries and suppliers. I see that as an opportunity for Bord Bia to help establish links between such customers and Irish food and drink companies.”

Padraig says much of Bord Bia’s work is driven by Food Wise 2025, the strategic development plan for the Irish agri-food industry. “We all know the key target of growing the value of our exports by 85 per cent by 2025, so Bord Bia’s key role is to work with the industry to find new markets, new customers and new routes to market that can ensure the sector can help deliver on that target.”

leaderfrom

Kilkenny, has extensive experience, having worked in Bord Bia since 1995. He has held various

, including market researcher, senior business analyst and, most recently, sustainability development

new role, Padraig says it involves two important facets: managing overseas offices and talent development in

is about building the reputation and continuing to grow the awareness and understanding of Ireland as a source of high-quality, sustainable food and drink products. That is what we will be focusing on as a markets team, as we have

this is a continuation of the work he has been doing over the last number of years, particularly in his role as sustainability development manager

Origin Green. “The experience I have in dealing with a lot of international customers around Origin Green gives me an understanding of how we can build relationships with some of these customers; customers that are looking for consistent supply and are looking to partner with countries and suppliers. I see that as an opportunity for Bord Bia to help establish links between such customers and Irish

Padraig says much of Bord Bia’s work is driven by Food Wise 2025, the strategic development plan for the Irish agri-food industry. “We all know the key target of growing the value of our exports by 85 per cent by 2025, so Bord Bia’s key role is to work with the industry to find new markets, new customers and new routes to market that can ensure the sector can help deliver on that target.”

Padraig Brennan, who was recently named Bord Bia’s (the Irish Food Board) director of

markets, talks to about his new role and the ambitions of Bord Bia internationally


interview

Eyes and earsBord Bia currently has 11 overseas offices, with two new offices to come this year. Padraig explains that it is really important to have a physical presence in emerging markets. He says Bord Bia’s role in these markets is to act as the eyes and ears for the food and beverage industry. “By having a permanent presence on the ground you get to understand how the market works, who the main players are and you can facilitate the introductions and understanding that will allow Irish companies to grow business.”

Growing networkEarlier this year, Bord Bia announced it was expanding its global footprint with two new offices in Singapore and Warsaw. Padraig says Bord Bia takes a number of factors into consideration when it comes to determining locations for new offices in developing regions. “In particular, we look at the income growth, import demand trends, the stability of the region and any market access issues that have to be overcome.”Southeast Asia, he says, offers considerable potential for further growth. “Particularly in the dairy sector but also for meat, seafood and beverages.” He highlights the high import requirement of countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, particularly for dairy, as an important opportunity for Ireland. Padraig says Bord Bia and Irish exporters have made good inroads in the value of Irish food and drink products going to those regions and will continue to do so in 2016. Commenting on the new offices, Padraig explains that China is such a vast market that it demands its own focus. Therefore,

he says: “In addition to our office in Shanghai, it was really important to have a second presence in the region to solely address southeast Asia. “Likewise with Warsaw, in Eastern Europe considerable potential exists to grow the level of Irish food and drink exports to the region.”Padraig says Bord Bia hopes to have both offices up and running with people on the ground by early summer. “We are already in the process of interviewing for both of those positions and we have some really strong candidates.”

Ongoing developments“Over the last number of years, Bord Bia has broadened its presence with the opening of offices in a number of different regions, such as Dubai and increasing our focus on Africa. We would hope that in time we will have a permanent presence in Africa. However, because it is such a vast region, we have to be clear about where we want that to be,” Padraig says.As well as looking at new opportunities, Bord Bia remains loyal to its existing markets. “Despite the fact that a lot of the growth in food and drink export values over recent years has come from outside Europe, we still send in excess of 70 per cent of our food and drink exports to European markets. So, we have to be sure that we are focusing considerable resources on growing our key markets and segments.”

Talent pool Another important element of the Food Wise 2025 plan is the development of talent for Ireland’s agri-food industry. Bord Bia is supporting this through a number of programmes including its Marketing Fellowship and the Origin Green Ambassador programme. The Marketing Fellowship is preparing to take on its eighth round of recruits. “We will have 20 more fellows coming on board in the middle of this year who will be undertaking 80 assignments for food and drink companies in markets around the world. These are specific assignments that are undertaken for companies who are seeking to develop new business in a given segment or market and, at the same time, the fellows are getting fantastic commercial experience in the marketplace.”Padraig says maintaining and developing the likes of the Marketing Fellowship and Origin Green mbassador programmes is an important element of his role. “These have been really good in creating links with key customers and retaining top young talent in the industry after they have finished one of our programmes. So, we are building the talent pool in the industry to really drive the sector forward. In time, such graduates will hopefully be future leaders of the industry.”

presence on the ground you get to understand how the market works, who the main players are and you can facilitate the introductions and understanding that will allow Irish companies

Growing networkEarlier this year, Bord Bia announced it was expanding its global footprint with two new offices in Singapore and Warsaw. Padraig says Bord Bia takes a number of factors into consideration when it comes to determining locations for new offices in developing regions. “In particular, we look at the income growth, import demand trends, the stability of the region and any market access issues that have to be overcome.”Southeast Asia, he sayspotential for further growth. “Particularly in the dairy sector but also for meat, seafood and beverages.” He highlights import requirement of countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, particularly for dairy, as an important opportunity for Ireland. Padraig says Bord Bia and Irish exporters have made good inroads in the value of Irish food and drink products going to those regions and will continue to do so in 2016. Commenting on the explains that China is such a vast market that it demands its own focus. Therefore,

he says: “In addition to our office in Shanghai, it was really important to have a second presence in the region to solely address southeast Asia. “Likewise with Warsaw, Europe considerable potential exists to grow the level of Irish food and drink exports to the region.”Padraig says Bord have both offices up and running with people on the ground by early summer. “We are already in the process of interviewing for both of those positions and we have some really strong candidates.”


st patrick’s dayst patrick’s day

E very year, Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) offices around the world work with Irish Embassies and other

State agencies in hosting cultural

events to mark Ireland’s national

holiday, St Patrick’s Day. This includes

food promotions and tastings in

targeted markets, which introduce

new customers to Irish food and drink

and helps to strengthen relations with

existing customers.

Each year, Bord Bia also provides a

showcase pack of Irish food to Irish

Embassies in priority overseas markets.

The showcase packs assist the Embassies in their

promotion of Irish food and drink at their St

Patrick’s Day receptions. The showcase pack is

designed to reflect the best of Irish food available,

within the constraints of transport and food

safety. It is meant to provide each Embassy

with a taste or flavour of Irish food and allows

for a selection of canapés for up to 150 guests.

Sheridans Cheesemongers manage the sourcing

of the food products on behalf of Bord Bia.

The project has a global reach of 60 countries,

spanning all seven continents and up to

15,000 guests.

Since 2013, the programme has focused on

communicating and developing Origin Green.

Celebrating St Patrick’s DaySt Patrick’s Day


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Research & Innovation


focus

Fishing for opportunitiesTapping into the growing trend towards positive health, Teagasc is about to undertake research that will explore the potential of innovative processing techniques to preserve positive health effects in pelagic fish products

A s the national body providing integrated research, advisory and training services to agriculture and the food industry, Teagasc plays an important part in supporting

research into novel food solutions for export. Now it is about to embark on a new research programme, ProHealth, which will explore opportunities to better preserve the positive health effects of pelagic fish with a view to developing food products that will appeal to a growing market of health-conscious consumers.

There is increased awareness of the diet’s importance for overall health, explains Dr Brijesh Tiwari, senior research officer, Teagasc. He says that, while consumers want products with enhanced health benefits, these products must also offer good sensorial properties if they are to be successful at market. In particular, ProHealth is looking at techniques to preserve the health benefits of pelagic fish species. “Pelagic fish is rich in omega-3 lipids, with documented beneficial effects against coronary heart diseases, easily digestible proteins and vitamins E and D,” explains Brijesh. “Therefore, pelagic fish is a valuable food resource in a healthy diet.” Today, however, pelagic fish are not widely used for pre-prepared processed products. Brijesh explains that during processing, high temperatures, exposure to air, and prooxidative components, such as heme, may lead to loss or destruction of the valuable healthy components ie., oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids and proteins. During raw material storage, microbial contamination can lead to formation of histamine. Therefore, he says, optimal processing technologies to transfer healthy pelagic fish raw material into healthy and safe pre-prepared food products is needed. ProHealth will explore opportunities for the industry to adapt applicable technologies to produce ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook, healthy pelagic fish products that will offer a solution to the increased demand for convenient, healthy food products.

Mutually beneficialConsumers are increasingly experiencing time-stressed lifestyles, which, Brijesh says, affects dietary patterns, increasing intake of processed and fast food. Therefore, this research suggests, ready-to-eat fish products ie., sous vide products, fishcakes rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and natural antioxidants could be an option for a healthy diet. “In order to guarantee healthy pelagic fish products for the consumer, quality and beneficial components should be preserved through the whole processing chain. ProHealth will help to overcome processing challenges and knowledge gaps that hinder development of healthy pelagic fish food matrices.”As well as meeting the consumer’s need for a healthy food option, this research suggests improvements in the quality and healthiness of pelagic fish products could also have beneficial environmental impacts. “Most of the Atlantic herring and mackerel landed in Norway and Ireland, which is approximately 600,000 tonnes, is frozen and exported to other countries for processing. Most of the Baltic pelagic fish, such as sprat and herring, is used for fish meal because of the lack of a consumer market. Thus using pelagic fish to meet consumer expectations for healthy food, will increase human consumption, as well as local processing, which is important from both a global nutrition and environmental perspective.”


Exploring opportunitiesThe ProHealth activities are directed to optimise existing processing technologies, as well as applying novel technologies, to develop healthy, high-quality, safe and sustainable fish products from pelagic fish species. The research is exploring opportunities in both conventional – Atlantic herring, Baltic herring and Atlantic mackerel – and underutilised – boarfish and Baltic sprat – pelagic fish raw materials. The project aims to preserve the positive health effects in pelagic fish products through the whole processing chain, from raw material to final product, and to spread the results to industry, society and academia. This would lead to increased food quality, consumer acceptance and later increased consumption of healthy food. “This also addresses the European Council demand ‘to provide the consumers with safer, high-quality and health-promoting foods’,” Brijesh notes. The ProHealth project is co-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Joint Programming Initiative – A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life (JPI-HDHL), an integrated European research initiative, focused on providing coordination of research on the impact of diet and lifestyles on health and wellness. ProHealth will combine the expertise of three European research and academic groups, and also includes three industrial collaborators. These research bodies, Brijesh explains, are well placed to conduct this research, building on their long experience in processing of food for better quality and safety. Furthermore, all participating countries have pelagic fisheries where better and more efficient utilisation of the catch for human consumption is needed. “The combination of the research knowledge and experience of handling and processing of pelagic raw materials will enable technology transfer both to the pelagic fish industry but also to the consortium supporting the optimisation of technological solutions for improved processing of fish,” says Brijesh. Teagasc, in particular, has extensive knowledge and experience in the area of novel food processing,

with a strong focus on extraction technologies. The current research is related to the investigation of green and sustainable technological solutions to food industry challenges.

Impact for the processing industry Brijesh says the knowledge and novel technologies developed in ProHealth will help increase the competitiveness of the European processing industry.Through consumer research, ProHealth will deliver improved understanding of consumer preferences for pre-prepared, ready-to-eat fish products. This will be valuable for the industry when entering the new processed products market, Brijesh explains. From a processing perspective, the research will deliver improved processing technologies for preserving the healthy components, quality and shelf-life of pelagic fish, which will enable the industry to have better quality raw material for further processing. This will create opportunities for the development of new, value-added products with good shelf life. Furthermore, Brijesh says, expanding the knowledge and technology base of processing technologies for the production of safe, high-quality pelagic fish products, which offer preserved beneficial components, will enhance the competence of European SMEs operating along the fish processing chain. Furthermore, ProHealth, suggests that the knowledge of the bioavailability and bioactivity of health beneficial components in model pelagic fish products can be used for future health-related applications, for example, developing functional food for people with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and elderly people needing easier digestible protein sources. However, Brijesh notes, for health-related applications more investigation will be needed. Overall, he explains: “The project results have the potential to contribute to strengthening the European market for fish products, thus securing employment and improving the profitability of the pelagic industry.”

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focus

Consumer-focused innovation

Albert McQuaid, chief technology officer at Kerry Group, says the

global food industry is in a state of ongoing change, with competition

intensifying for business, while consumer demands in terms of

food safety, nutrition, security and quality, continue to grow


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17

A lbert says the marketplace is more dynamic than ever before. He says there is a growing trend in

foods that are ‘good for you’ and ‘better for you’. “Good for you is aiming to increase the benefits and better for you aims to minimise the negatives.” This, he says, is giving rise to greater demand for clean label products. “What people call clean-label is more recognised ingredients.” Consumers, Albert says, want to see products that they feel comfortable with. “Built into that is the area of free-from, gluten-free, lactose-reduced, and dairy-free. Vegetarianism might fall into that too, as well as organic lines and GMO free.”

These consumer demands create significant challenges for the food industry, says Albert. “When you process food that will feed thousands of people and you are doing it on an industrial scale, there are realities that you have to address in terms of how you process a product, how it moves through the processing line, the shelf-life and textural challenges. In the past, a lot of those challenges have been solved by what were deemed chemical ingredients. So, when you want to make that change to remove those chemicals from a product you have to find other ways to do that.” Albert says that this aligns well with Kerry’s heritage. “We started out with milk and making commodities with that milk, but today, dairy means so much more to us. It’s how you can create a texture in a product using dairy components and how you modify and process those components in a way that modifies the texture of a food, how you can enhance the inherent taste of dairy products.”

He adds that there are ways to leverage food science to create a clean-label solution to what was, in the past, delivered through non-natural ingredients.

Not for the sake of scienceAlbert says: “Our remit is not science for the sake of science, it is about developing products for our customers and consumers.” He says this is what makes Kerry unique. “We go back to that basic level of making food from the core ingredients and we have an opportunity to apply science and build functionality within a product that meets the needs of the total supply chain.” Those supply-chain needs include industrial-scale production; distribution networks; climate; and end-use. “A product has to be robust, has to meet all the changes of climate and temperature, processing requirements etc., and so you have to build functionality into the food but you have to do it in such a way that the consumer is comfortable that it is still a food product and not a chemical at the end of the process.”

Leveraging capabilitiesIn 2015, the Irish multinational opened its Global Technology and Innovation Centre in Naas, Co. Kildare, which brings together the full depth of Kerry’s capabilities under one roof. Albert describes the network at Naas as critical to the Kerry business model. “Very few of our customers would have been fully aware of the breadth and depth of our technologies, but this brings it to life for them. Our scope with all of our customers would have broadened out. It is unique. There is no other example of such a broad technology and innovation centre, anywhere in the world.”

Albert says the centre supports the ‘One Kerry’ business model that sees the company integrate its technologies and cross-leverage its capabilities to give customers the full value of Kerry’s expertise. “When a customer comes to us, we would interpret their need, identify clearly what that is and look at what we can leverage to solve that problem.”

Delivering solutionsOn a day-to-day basis, Kerry’s Naas facility offers customers solutions to problems around taste, texture, shelf life etc. “Kerry’s approach is very much around leveraging a multitude of different technologies to bring a solution to a specific demand.” Results are delivered through the cooperation of a number of teams at Kerry. “The applications teams are focused on end-use applications or end-use markets,” says Albert. “Those teams are experts in those areas and they know how you make products, both at a product level and a process level. They fully understand the remit of what the product will go through at a manufacturing level and what sort of functionality it needs to have.” A second layer of technical expertise is delivered through a number of specialised technical teams, such as dairy, cereal, protein and/or enzyme technologists. Albert explains that these teams “go deep” in terms of the research within each of these particular platforms, to understand and build the science around that specific area. This scientific understanding is then aligned to the application requirements of customers and the knowledge is shared with other technologies to solve particular application challenges. Supporting those structures is a network that includes analytics, sensory research,


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regulatory departments, and nutritionists.” Albert says all of these contribute to solving a customer’s need. “For example, the nutritionist will come into a project brief and explain the nutritional requirements and how can we deliver those requirements and will we meet the regulatory guidelines from a nutritional perspective, or how we can formulate it in a different way to bring a more nutritionally relevant product into that application. Our analytical team will do work around validating the solution that we have offered. It takes analytical work to deliver confirmatory validation.”While every piece of the Kerry puzzle plays its part, Albert says the sensory team is critical. “When we think of food and beverage, taste is the number one aspect that a consumer is going to be focused on and to validate the sensory part or the taste of the product, we use sensory science. That comprises a range of different types of models that we use, from trained panelists to the general population, using different triangular testing and so forth, to validate that the target we have set ourselves in relation to a sensory requirement, is being met. We can provide factual data around things like taste, so we are not just saying ‘yes that tastes good’ or ‘that tastes like a fresh strawberry’, we can quantify data to validate that we are delivering on our targets.”

Response timeThe Naas site can cater for customers from concept right through to a finished product, in a very short period of time. “Time is a key factor. As each brand looks at a consumer trend changing they want to be able to react quickly to it and they want to be able to shorten the development cycle, so this facility is critical to that.”With 14 research labs at Naas, Kerry can move from making a product in the lab to one of its commercialisation facilities,

which replicate the manufacturing lines within its own business, as well as those of its customers’ plants. “We can then scale that product up both at ingredient level and at finished product level and we can give that to the customer to go away with. They can then give it to their marketing team to do consumer work with, to do internal validation work with, so they can then decide if it is appropriate for their market and how they can launch it in that market.”

Ongoing researchThrough the establishment of its Naas facility, Kerry made a clear statement of its commitment to ongoing research and innovation. “We have a programme of work where we continually try to innovate within the business, at different levels, on the nutrition side. One of the remits of this centre is that it is our global centre of excellence for nutrition and from this centre we pilot and drive our research into pure, high-level nutrition.”Albert explains that Kerry is also part of a number of external research programmes with universities across Ireland and internationally. “We are part of the Food for Health Ireland (FHI) programme, which is investigating the components of dairy and the functionality of those dairy products, as well as conducting clinical work to validate that. “We also do our own research independently of that with the separate universities in Cork and DCU in Teagasc and internationally, in Monell University in Philadelphia.”

Research for the future“As we look to the future, we are seeing that there is an ageing population across most of the world, particularly the developed world, and those people are looking to have good quality of life, they

want to age in a healthy way and they are looking for technology and food that can help deliver that,” says Albert. “We would see ourselves as unique in that space as we have the capabilities in nutrition and innovation and we also have capabilities around taste.” Albert says taste is key when it comes to attracting consumers. “No matter what type of product we develop and offer to consumers, no matter how nutritionally valuable it is, if that product doesn’t taste good you won’t get consumers to take it on a regular basis. The overlap and synergy that happens between taste and nutrition is very important and is in tremendous demand in the marketplace. That is where we have a range of unique technologies and capabilities to be able to influence both of those at the one time.”

Creating synergyAccording to Albert, a key asset of Kerry’s Naas facility is its ability to bring various competencies together. “You can’t get that synergy actively working unless you have the people in proximity to one another, where they are interacting with one another. What we find is that it is not only organised links that are important, it is the informal links, where people are meeting each other on an informal basis and sharing requirements or needs and, through that, getting the means to solve problems,” says Albert. “We have examples where a customer might come into us, for example an ice-cream customer, and we use technology that we would traditionally use in our meat applications to find a solution for that ice-cream market. Before the establishment of our Naas facility, this wouldn’t have happened because teams wouldn’t have been thinking that way and there wouldn’t have been that cross opportunity.”

Teagasc researchers partner with the industry to drive innovation in the agriculture and food sector. The Teagasc advisory network assists farmers to combine environmentally sensitive technical innovation with prudent business management, and Teagasc education courses equip future farmers to become lifelong innovators.

www.teagasc.ie

Innovation Partner for the Agriculture and Food Sector

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New Product Development

Teagasc 210x280 page.indd 1 25/06/2014 12:27


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Spice and layers of flavour are going to be the key ingredients to excite consumers in 2016, explains Conor Cahill,

head of Science and Innovation at Dawn Farms

D awn Farms is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of cooked and fermented ready-to-eat meat toppings. It

supplies toppings to some of the best-known pizza brands in the world from its plants in Co. Kildare and Northampton and is constantly tracking consumer trends to deliver innovative products that will meet consumer demand.

“We recognise the importance of menu excitement among the major brands to compete for share of consumer spend,” says Conor, who leads the innovation team at Dawn Farms. “Today’s consumer has higher expectations – it’s no longer about offering the lowest price, it’s about providing ‘good food fast’. Consumers want consistent high quality and great taste, alongside affordable prices.” In the coming year, Dawn Farms predicts ongoing demand for rustic, natural and authentic products. Furthermore, the company believes gourmet Italian,

Americana and ethnic fusion will be at

the heart of key pizza trends. “Eating out

of home is where consumers want to treat

themselves. On a special occasion, they

are indulging, whether it’s a weekend or a

birthday,” says Conor.

Evolving flavoursSome trends remain constant, explains

Conor. “Pepperoni is still the most popular

pizza topping and, according to Technomic

2015, was among the fastest-growing pizza

toppings last year, despite being so well-

established on pizza menus.” Conor adds

that pepperoni, being quite spicy, remains in

tune with today’s consumer tastes.

To offer its customers an edge in the

well-established pepperoni category,

Dawn Farms has been developing a ‘new

generation’ of pepperonis, such as chipotle,

BBQ, and jalapeño with visible herb

particles. The company has also introduced

new formats like pepperoni chunks to

ensure there is pepperoni in every bite.

Discerning differenceConsumers, especially Millennials and the

up-coming Gen Z (14-18-year-olds), are

more experimental and more discerning

with diverse culinary dietary habits and a

willingness to adapt to meet their needs, says

Conor. With that consumer in mind, Dawn

Farms has introduced a premium pepperoni,

made with 100 per cent pork. It has added a

premium smoked ham and crumbled Italian

sausage in addition to its firmly established

chorizo sausage.

Furthermore, spotting the demand in the

independent trade for on-trend toppings and

spicier flavours, Dawn Farms has introduced

a new range of innovative meat toppings

for 2016 under the Cooked Cuts brand.

The Cooked Cuts range includes jalapeno

pepperoni, a taco mince sauce and pulled

pork and beef toppings. It is available in the

UK through Dawn Farms’ long-standing

partner Portal Foods, which is a leading

supplier of products to the independent

foodservice sector in the UK, and SCAL in

Hot innovations from Dawn FarmsHotHot innovations innovations Hot innovations HotHot innovations Hot

from Dawn Farms


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France. “We have combined all the best-selling toppings – mini pepperoni, chicken, beef and ham – in our trademark Meat Feast product, providing a simple solution for stores with limited facilities, which can now offer this popular menu item.“With consumers looking for punchier tastes, as well as authentic flavours and more rustic, artisan-style pizzas, Cooked Cuts is a competitively priced, premium quality range that will satisfy the changing tastes and demands of 2016 consumers – and all the products are free from MSG, hydrogenated fats and made with 100 per cent natural colourings,” says Conor.

Expanding repertoiresDawn Farms says there is increasing fragmentation of pizza toppings, with consumers’ meat repertoires growing. The company says the demand for pork has been the most noticeable in recent times. “Demand for pork was due to the overwhelming popularity of pulled pork, so we expect other slow-cooked, pulled meats, such as beef and chicken, to be in demand for pizzas in 2016.” Conor adds that, while demand for chicken toppings is also on the rise, chicken as a pizza topping must deliver on flavour. “For example, chargrilled or roast chicken rather than simply plain."Seasonally, Conor explains, there have been

more duck and lamb pizza toppings, an evolving trend, which Dawn Farms expects to see extending not just to Christmas but all year round in coming years.

Global influences “Last year was the year in which Italian-style pizzas fought back against the growing monopoly of American pizzas with more gourmet artisan pizzas featuring in retail premium ranges,” says Conor. He adds that, according to a Technomic report in 2015, salami is featuring on 25 per cent more pizza menus in 2015. This, he says, reflected a general trend towards more premium, gourmet toppings. To satisfy this growing trend, Dawn Farms has also been developing a wider selection of rustic, authentic salamis such as peppery, fennel finocchionna, sopressata, and Milano. Dawn Farms describes its nduja salami as a bold, slightly bitter, soft Calabrian-style salami that has grown in prominence.Despite growing diversity in flavours, Dawn Farms says the Americana trend is remaining vibrant and will continue to do so in 2016. With huge enthusiasm remaining for products like gourmet burgers and ribs, Dawn Farms is exploring new ways of capturing the best of US tastes in pizza toppings and has added Philly beef, slow-cooked beef brisket and peppery pastrami to its Cooked Cuts range as they show strong

signs of migrating from sandwiches to the pizza counter. Jalapeño pepperoni, chilli beef, fajita chicken, and smoked bacon are all popular and relevant.“Consumer expectations of more complex, layered flavours certainly look set to continue this year, so the meat toppings really need to pull their weight,” says Conor. “This means maximising the taste and flavour from every single ingredient, with more marinated meats in the key ethnic cuisines like Indian, Mexican and Chinese, as well as more generic ones such as garlic-infused chicken. We also expect to see more variety in base sauces and ‘post-cook’ drizzles, and more experimenting with ingredients that add crunch, texture and freshness, from full slice crispy bacon, pepperoni chunks, pigs in blankets to chunkier vegetable and fresh herb toppings.”

Answering consumer needsDawn Farms has been in this business for over 30 years and prides itself on being at the forefront of trendsetting and innovation with consumer insights front and centre of all its new product development activity. “My job,” says Conor, “is to discuss insights, products and innovation strategy with our customers and, through our own expertise and experience, develop relevant, on trend products that meet their needs and their customers’ needs.”


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A maturing dairy market

Jens Bleiel, CEO of Food for Health Ireland (FHI), says Ireland has the potential to have the same impact on the global healthy-

ageing market as it has had on the infant formula market

A ccording to a 2013 report from the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Population Division,

population ageing is taking place in nearly all the countries of the world. It notes that ageing results from decreasing mortality, and, most importantly, declining fertility, which leads to a relative reduction in the proportion of children and to an increase in the share of people in the main working ages and of older persons in the population. According to the UN’s figures, global share of older people (aged 60 years or over) increased from 9.2 per cent in 1990 to 11.7 per cent in 2013 and will continue to grow as a proportion of the world population, reaching 21.1 per cent by 2050.

Jens explains that this growing cohort of consumers are increasingly aware of their nutritional requirements, which is leading to a growing demand for healthy ageing products. He believes Ireland is in a strong position to deliver product solutions for this category, taking advantage of the country’s research base and its grass-fed dairy industry.

Protein researchFHI recently published data from research it conducted in Ireland that demonstrates an increase in lean-tissue mass among participants who consumed a dairy protein mix. In a six-month intervention study, involving 60 participants between the ages of 50 and 70, the volunteers consumed either a beverage containing a high-quality, milk-based protein, or a placebo with similar calories but zero protein.“We gave that to the participants in the

morning and at lunchtime because that is usually when we do not get enough protein. Most of our protein comes with dinner but there is a maximum that our bodies can work on. The ideal amount is approximately 30g per meal. If we get 80g of protein at dinner and 10g at lunchtime but nothing at breakfast it doesn’t really help because we can only assimilate 30g per meal occasion,” explains Jens. The study found that, when combined with an exercise regime, the participants who received the protein mix increased lean tissue mass by 600g over a period of six months.“This might not sound like a lot but, when you consider that we lose 5 per cent of our muscle mass every decade after the age of 40, it shows its significance.”


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23

Jens says this ongoing muscle wastage can go unnoticed because it is a very slow decline. “That is 0.5 per cent every year, but we could show in this study that if you take this supplementation with a high quality protein in the right way you can actually gain 0.6kg over six months, or 1kg a year, rather than losing lean tissue.”

Base ingredientsJens believes Ireland is well positioned to contribute to this evolving market. “The idea is that Ireland needs to become in the healthy and smart ageing market what it has become in the infant formula global market. As we know, 15 per cent of the globally traded infant formula is made in Ireland and I think the ambition for the country has to be that we become as important for the smart ageing economy in the future.”As we age, the body’s demand for proteins changes and Jens explains that, while the base ingredient for infant formula and its healthy ageing solution is the same, the

science, composition and technologies to develop it are different. “It all starts with the milk that we are generating in Ireland. You have to use different science. Healthy ageing is much closer to what you find in sports and performance nutrition. So the mechanism is basically the same, if you have a body builder who wants to build muscle mass this is a similar mechanism.” Jens says, however, that in elderly consumers there are other factors to be considered including the slower rate of digestion, which makes the absorption of protein more difficult.

Commercial opportunityFHI is a unique collaboration between seven Irish research institutions and five of Ireland’s leading dairy companies. Majority funded by Enterprise Ireland, the five dairy companies – Carbery, Dairygold, Glanbia Ingredients Ireland, Kerry Group and Ornua – also fund the research work of FHI. FHI’s objective is to identify new bioactives from milk and to develop new functional food ingredients and products, which can be commercialised by its industry partners. The protein mix that FHI used in this investigation, which also includes some vitamin D and calcium, has since been patented. Now that mix has been made available to FHI’s industry partners who have the opportunity to commercialise it on the global market.“They are talking with their customers, it is not on the market just yet as we have only signed those licenses recently.”

Investigating raw ingredientsFor FHI’s study, the protein mix was delivered in a sachet. Jens says it has developed the basic ingredient, but its industry partners will now advance that research to deliver different product solutions using that base. “The research we do is with the raw component because all our industry partners would use different food matrixes later on. An idea would be to work with a customer and maybe make a drink out of it or a bar but that would need more application work.” Jens says its industry partners are well placed to bring these ingredients to market, building on long-established relationships internationally, as well as Ireland’s reputation as a safe and sustainable source of dairy ingredients.


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Award-winning

innovationIn 2012, Nobó founders, Brian and Rachel

Nolan, began testing their innovative, dairy-free ice-cream at local farmer

markets in Dublin. Just over three years later, the company is enjoying export success and is tapping into a growing

healthy-eating market

N obó is the world’s first ice-cream alternative made from avocado and coconut milk and sweetened with pure

honey. It’s no surprise then that the company has won the Innovation Award category at the Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) Food and Drink Awards 2015.

Speaking to , Brian and Rachel explain that they believe its award-winning quality stems not just from the originality of the product and ingredients, but also from the fact that the product is not pigeon-holed as a free-from food. Instead, it competes on the same playing field as traditional ice-creams and is gaining loyal customers. “Our perspective from the very start was that we are a healthier version of ice-cream. We are appealing to a larger portion of the market that are looking to make healthier choices; people who are looking at ingredient lists and want to cut out refined sugar,” explains Brian. “We took the logic that people who are lactose intolerant would come across or buy the product anyway because it is the best in its class there but our focus and our

targeting of the other consumer population is interesting, specifically for a product that would previously have been seen as quite niche and unique.”

Outpacing projectionsBrian says the pace of growth for Nobó has over delivered on the company’s own projections. “That is helped by the profile of people buying the product from a lifestyle perspective, rather than just consumers who are coeliac or lactose intolerant, and that has definitely driven our growth. So, when you compare us now to where we were two years ago: we are now stocked in 850 stores across Ireland, the UK and the Middle East, which has gone from a few independent health stores in our first few months. Where it has gone over a relatively short space of time, for a new food, really shows the appeal of our product.”

Brand appealRachel explains that branding has been a

really important focus for the company. She

says this is resonating with consumers who

are engaging with the company on social

media and making returning purchases.

Rachel says an important element of this has

been the company’s openness. “Partly, its the

ingredients that people are engaging with

and the fact that we have nothing to hide, we

are very clear about what it is made from

and also, the brand is hitting the right notes.”

Nobó has also received positive feedback on

its packaging. “It is quite innovative within

the category,” says Brian. “Health-food

brands have, historically, had a particular

look and we wanted to mix that up and we

have benefited from it.”

He adds that there were two messages

that the company wanted to

communicate through its packaging; its

clean ingredients list and its quality. “The

challenge with our product is that there

are so many things that we can shout

about, whether its gluten-free, dairy-

free, no refined sugar or additives, so the message can be unclear. So, we flipped

it on its head a little and went down the


clean route, with the packing reflecting

the purity of the product.”

However, Brian adds, as the product is

competing in the ‘ice-cream’ category, it

was important for the brand to convey a

sense of fun. “Hence the colouring and

large block writing of our logo,” Brian says.

Product development The initial idea for the product stemmed

from Rachel and Brian’s personal interest

in food and healthy eating. In 2012, the

couple were recently returned from New

York, where there was a growing trend in

healthy eating. Rachel says this market wasn’t

as developed in Ireland and, from her own

need, an idea was born. However, while

healthy eating was a motivation, Rachel says

it was important that the product had the

same feel and indulgent quality of ice-cream.

They spent almost two years experimenting

with the recipe and testing products.

During this time, the product became one

of the first to be listed on the Foodworks

programme, which is a collaborative

programme between Bord Bia, Teagasc

(the agriculture and food development

authority in Ireland) and Enterprise Ireland (the Government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets). Rachel explains that during this time the company remained true to its ambitions. “We always had a core idea of what we wanted to do and we stayed true to that. We knew we wanted to use plant fats, we knew we wanted to keep it free from gums and stabilisers and anything that didn’t need to be in it.” Today the product is made with avacado, coconut milk, and honey. The company began with three flavours and has since added two more, with two limited edition/seasonl flavours in the mix.Rachel outlines the company’s range: “We have our Fresh Lemon, which was awarded one of the top 50 foods in Ireland and the UK. It has also won three gold stars at the Great Taste Awards and is our most awarded flavour; we have Vanilla and Coconut, which only has four ingredients; we have Chocolate with Toasted Almonds; Irish Salted Caramel; and Passion Fruit and Mango. Our current limited edition is a Mint Humbug flavour. The sweetness is

coming from coconut sugar, which

is a low GI sweetener and also gives

caramel flavours.”

In May, the company will be launching

a summer-flavour limited edition.

Ongoing growth Brian and Rachel are quick to commend

the support of Bord Bia who assigned the

company a Bord Bia fellow in both Dubai

and London. “It is hugely helpful because

we are such a small team ourselves and

resources are tight.” This is helping them

to build insights on international markets,

as well as contacts. To date, the company

has been lucky that opportunities have

presented themselves for continued

growth. Brian believes there is potential

to continue expansion in existing markets

but is also looking at new ventures in both

Europe and further afield.

As well as new markets, Nobó is also

expanding into the foodservice category

with new listings in Ireland with the

Compass Group and Musgraves. Brian

says they hope to see this rolled out

internationally in the future.

25Issue 2 2016 25

We always had a core idea of what we wanted to do and we stayed true to that. We knew we wanted to use plant fats, we knew we wanted to keep it free from gums and stabilisers and anything that didn’t need to be in it.”

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I reland’s food and drink sector performed extremely well in 2015, says Jennifer Melia, manager of prepared consumer foods and food start ups at Enterprise Ireland. “The sector accounts for Ð25

billion in annual turnover, sustains 230,000 jobs and, in 2015, grew exports to Ð10.8 billion making it one of the economy’s strongest sectors and a sector with a very strong footprint across the regions.” Enterprise Ireland views the food and beverages sector as a priority. “We work closely with our clients in supporting them in the areas of expansion, innovation, competitiveness, leadership and management development so that they can grow their international footprint.” Enterprise Ireland works with more than 600 food and beverage companies who employ over 41,000 people directly. Jennifer says exports of food and drink from these client companies continue to grow and contribute to approximately 55 per cent of total Enterprise Ireland client exports.

Staying ahead with innovation“Contributing to this growth in food and drink exports is Ireland’s reputation as a manufacturing location where food safety, agricultural sustainability systems, and pharma-grade food manufacturing is a priority.” Innovation, Jennifer says, also plays a crucial role in companies’ ability to compete in international markets. “Being more competitive in turn improves profitability so that a company can reinvest in its future growth. We believe that constant innovation will help our companies to get ahead of their competitors and will strengthen their foothold in overseas markets. We have a suite of supports to assist our client companies to put innovation at the forefront of their agenda. These supports assist companies to undertake high risk projects either in-house or in collaboration with third-level knowledge providers and are instrumental in driving the innovative capability within the company.” Enterprise Ireland has partnered with the Irish Management Institute (IMI) to deliver Innovation 4 Growth (I4G), a unique programme specifically designed to meet the needs of ambitious and entrepreneurial Irish companies seeking to use innovation as a way to unlock opportunities in the marketplace. Management teams are brought through an end-to-end innovation journey and will focus on delivering on one or more innovation initiatives. The programme is divided into three phases and is delivered through a mix of peer learning forums, in-company coaching and workshops in Ireland and overseas.

Innovation supports global growth

Innovation has played a crucial role in the success of Ireland’s food and beverage industry to date and

Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting ongoing innovation in the sector to drive continued growth


Adding colour to the industryEnterprise Ireland played an important role in the development of a partnership with Cork-based food ingredient company, Cybercolors, and Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority in Ireland. “We specialise in the sourcing, research and development (R&D), manufacture, promotion and selling of natural food colour ingredients for the global food and beverage industry,” explains Noel Sexton, managing director, Cybercolors. “We have been involved with Enterprise Ireland from the time we started, when they gave us support with a feasibility study grant.” Enterprise Ireland has also supported Cybercolor’s research and development activities. “One example is the development of a natural vegetarian orange colour for beverage applications.” A more recent example is a research project it undertook with Teagasc to develop a solution for the cheddar cheese producers that use the company’s annatto colourant. Noel explains that the annatto colour was entering the whey stream during cheese production, which meant that whey was not suitable for use in the added value whey ingredient market.“Together with Enterprise Ireland, we set up an R&D project and we developed an alternative annatto colour that will allow the cheese to be coloured but with zero colour transfer to the whey stream. With the support of Enterprise Ireland, we patented that product worldwide.” Noel explains that the development of this new colour solution, as well as the opportunity to patent the product globally is extremely significant for the company and will present important opportunities internationally. “It is where a lot of our market focus is at the moment in terms of growing markets.” Noel says that Cybercolors is committed to identifying niche opportunities for the development of natural food colourants for the food industry. He explains that Enterprise Ireland’s support is vital to helping drive innovation in response to these customer needs. Furthermore, Noel says, Enterprise Ireland’s international network supports the company in understanding new markets and engaging with new customers globally.

Dairy opportunitiesIreland’s dairy industry has evolved from a commodities market to one that is focused on the production of value-added dairy products and high-value dairy ingredient. “While Ireland produces and exports approximately just 1 per cent of global milk supply from our shores, advanced dairy ingredients from Irish-based processors feed almost one in five babies worldwide. These advanced ingredients are, by their nature, more value added, highly specified and in global demand. By driving their innovation agenda, our dairy clients are responding to these opportunities and are winning in new markets with innovative and value-added dairy ingredients and products.”Enterprise Ireland funding has supported the establishment of the Food for Health Ireland (FHI) technology centre and the recently launched Dairy Processing Technology Centre (DPTC), which provide the necessary infrastructure, expertise and commitment to drive future innovation within advanced food ingredients and manufacturing processes over the coming years. “Looking to the longer term, engineers and scientists working within these technology centres will also take their expertise and innovative capabilities into the food sector as their careers develop.”Jennifer says wider opportunities exist for this sector across life stage nutritional applications, ranging from infant and toddler growing-up products and maternal nutrition applications, to sports nutrition products, and medical and convalescent/elderly nutrition.

Ingredients for innovationNutrition Supplies and Services (NSS), located in Cork, has manufactured precision nutritional premixes for 40 years. Its focus is on the nutritional functionality of products and its premixes include vitamins, minerals, nucleotides, and amino acids. Customers are predominantly manufacturers of infant milk formula (IMF), and life-stage nutrition products. “We choose from hundreds of different active ingredients and that is part of our expertise. We look at customer needs in terms of their process and the nutrient and sensory requirements in the final product before formulating the premix - that is all part of the

technical supports built around our products”

says Dr Frank Cremin, managing director,

NSS. “We don’t have a standard range of off-

the-shelf products, everything is customised

for each of our customers.”

NSS premixes are sold to leading global

IMF manufacturers giving NSS premixes

significant global reach. Now, as part

of a Ð3 million expansion, supported

by Enterprise Ireland, the company

is expanding and extending its global

footprint through direct export.

“We wish to develop long-term, strategic

partnerships with IMF and life-stage nutrition

companies that manufacture consumer

products, which span all of the life stages,

from infancy to old age. We see a growing

need, and application, for our premixes

in food for special medical purposes and

throughout the entire consumer life cycle.”

The company’s investment at its facility

includes the establishment of an R&D centre

of excellence that will deliver innovative,

cutting-edge technical support and service

to its strategic partners. NSS now employs

20, including 11 technical personnel. “Our

investment has quintupled our cleanroom

area and enables us to substantially increase

our manufacturing output, along with our

technical services. In parallel, we expanded

our laboratory facilities and invested in state-

of-the-art equipment, technology and people.”

Frank says innovation is not just about

responding to commercial demand,

it is also about anticipating what the

customer is going to require. “Our centre of

excellence, manufacturing capabilities and

technical support will answer those current

and future needs.”

Future focusIreland’s success in the food and drinks

export industry has centred on a combination

of quality, safety, and security, as well as an

ongoing stream of research and innovation

by Irish companies. As the sector strives to

increase the value of agri-food exports by

85 per cent to Ð19 billion by 2025 (as set

out in the strategic development plan for

Ireland’s agri-food industry, Food Wise 2025)

continued innovation will be a central focus

of all involved and Enterprise Ireland is

committed to supporting companies on their

innovation journey.

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Reimagining delivers innovation successPaganini is a family-run business that manufactures ice-creams and desserts using Irish dairy. Having achieved success with its core range of products, the company has reinvented some of its popular desserts to create a new premium dessert range, Coolhull Farm

I n March this year, Paganini will continue its tradition of innovation with the launch of its new Coolhull Farm range, which is being

launched at IFEX 2016 in Belfast.

The story of Paganini has long been of evolution and reinvention. Tomas Murphy began making ice-cream on his family dairy farm in Wexford in 1990. Following a few years working abroad, Tom’s son Barry returned to the family business with an idea to produce protein-enriched ice-creams that would appeal to two markets – healthcare and sports and fitness. Adapting the family business and recipes, the company launched two products, Fitfuel Nourish and Fitfuel Perform. This diversification was followed by the introduction of a dessert range, which was developed at the company’s NPD facility in Wexford.

Coolhull FarmNow, more than 25 years after producing its first ice-cream, Paganini continues to diversify its product offerings with the launch of a new premium dessert range, Coolhull Farm. The new range continues to use milk from the family farm in Coolhull. The company says the new Coolhull Farm range is a tribute to Paganini’s origins and

it showcases Coolhull’s nutrient-rich, grass-fed milk and Paganini’s baking expertise in new and innovative ways.“We are really delighted to announce our new premium range, Coolhull Farm, which has come about due to a number of conversations with our customers” says Barry Murphy, managing director, Paganini. “Some of the best innovations involve doing similar things a little differently and that is what we are doing with the Coolhull Farm range. We’ve brought everything that is great about Paganini together, added a little bit of extra luxury and presented these wonderful Irish desserts innovatively. For example, the new Coolhull Farm Apple Pie Cheesecake brings together Armagh Bramley Apples, which have achieved protected status and are grown by Andrew Glass in Armagh, and Coolhull Farm cream cheese, with spectacular results. The Bramley apples are baked and caramelised in a shortcrust pastry base and topped with a layer of Coolhull vanilla cheesecake. This delicious dessert is a completely new take on the traditional favourite of apple pie with ice-cream or cream and it will be appearing on menus very soon.”Barry says the range’s natural yoghurt cheesecake reflects the advantages of Coolhull Farm’s milk as, he explains: “The cream cheese is so flavoursome

it needs very little enhancement.” The Coolhull Farm Natural Yoghurt Cheesecake is a light natural yoghurt cheesecake on a wholemeal biscuit base with oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and cranberries. The new range also includes a selection of two-in-one cheesecakes. Paganini says it made these desserts extra tall to deliver extra impact. For example, the Coolhull Farm two-in-one Brownie Cheesecake is a tall, white-chocolate cheesecake on a Belgian chocolate brownie finished with dark chocolate shavings.

Farm to forkMurphy adds that there is a growing interest from customers in the production of Paganini’s desserts and its ingredients. “This really is a neat fit for us as so much of what we do starts with the milk from the Murphy family farm in Coolhull. We collect the milk from Coolhull on a daily basis and use it to make, among other things, all of our own cream cheese. We now also bake all of our own biscuits for the bases of our cheesecakes, resulting in a more wholesome crunchy biscuit base that sets off the cheesecakes. Customers can see, and taste for themselves, that we really do use the finest of ingredients.”

Tomas and Barry Murphy, Paganini at Coolhull Farm Wexford.


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Nordic Markets


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Green light for Irish exports to Nordics

Speaking to from Bord Bia’s (the Irish Food Board) office in Stockholm, Linda Madigan, Nordics market manager, Bord Bia, says

Origin Green is helping open doors in the Nordic markets


N ordic countries are highly reliant on beef imports; therefore Linda says, Ireland represents a positive import partner

for Nordic countries as the market’s commitment to sustainability, animal welfare and transparency are reflected in Ireland’s food production systems.

“There is a sustainability index here and it benefits both the retailer and the consumer to deal with a producer that has sustainability as one of its key strategic pillars,” says Linda. With that in mind, she says Origin Green is opening doors with buyers in Nordic markets.The Nordic market, which consists of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, is considered the twelfth largest market in the world. For Ireland and Irish food and drink exporters, the Nordic markets are the sixth most important market, accounting for approximately Ð275 million per annum. Linda says Sweden commands the greatest proportion of exports, accounting for approximately 53 per cent; that is followed by Denmark, which accounts for 39-40 per cent; and Finland and Norway make up another 8 per cent.

Building beef exportsBeef is the leading export category for the region, Linda explains. “We have a good reputation for beef, especially in Sweden and Denmark where we predominantly export beef to. The traditional Swedish low-value, high-volume beef market is evolving. Premium beef is becoming trendy. Ireland is Sweden’s largest beef supplier in volume, accounting for 26 per cent of total imports in volume, and second in value. It is the most visible imported foreign beef at retail level with a strong on-pack, Irish identity.” In line with Bord Bia’s ambitions to build and diversify markets across the globe, the State agency is working on building exports of higher-value beef products to the market. “In Denmark and Sweden, they are very conscious of country of origin and animal welfare,” Linda says, adding that Bord Bia is also working on building awareness of Ireland’s work in this area. “The Origin Green initiative is helping with that because the whole sustainability message is well received over here.” Linda says hosting inward visits to Ireland by buyers/stakeholders from the Nordic market has been very successful in communicating with buyers and demonstrating Ireland’s grass-based,

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Farmer John Coughlan showing Jerner Sjoberg, Sebastian Strid, Linda Madigan, Bord Bia and members of a 15-strong contingent from Sweden around his farm at Ballyellis, Doneraile, Co. Cork during the groups' three-day visit to Ireland.


traditional and sustainable farm-to-fork production systems. “We bring stakeholders to Ireland as a group and show them the whole system, through processing, packaging. We bring them onto a farm where they can see first-hand our high welfare systems of production and the requirements of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme. This model has been really successful.” Linda explains that farming in the Nordic region would be on a much larger scale than in Ireland. “When they meet our farmers and see the size of our fields, they better understand that it is a totally different system. The system in the Nordic market is quite intensive and the climate means animals are indoors for most of the year. Therefore, Ireland is quite novel and it resonates really well with the stakeholders in this market.”As well as inward visits, Bord Bia is also engaging with stakeholders with events such as butcher/chef/buyer workshops. “We invite groups together to learn about and cook Quality Assured Irish beef. At our latest event, a well-known celebrity chef, Roland Perssons, guided guests through five recipes using different cuts of meat. They were able to

handle, cook and eat the product and it was a nice, educational experience. We hope this marketing activity will result in new listings.”Bord Bia is also working with chefs in the market, through its Chefs’ Irish Beef Club (CIBC), to increase market understanding and recognition of Ireland’s unique selling points, including our grass-based production system. CIBC always aspires to strive towards building positive publicity around Irish beef to a broad audience of consumers, foodies and trade contacts. The Nordic chapter of the CIBC launched last March. “So, we are small by comparison to other regions,” says Linda. “But we have three well-known chefs who come from top meat restaurants in Sweden and this year we intend growing the membership. We are planning some events in conjunction with that for the year ahead.”

Sheepmeat exports on the riseSheepmeat exports to the region are also performing well. “Ireland has a really good reputation in the market and is considered a market leader in lamb,” says Linda.In 2015, Sweden was a key growth market for sheepmeat exports, with volumes

estimated to have reached 4,000 tonnes, an 8 per cent rise. The Irish sheepmeat industry commands a strong position in the Nordic market, accounting for over one in every five tonnes of sheepmeat imported. Our objectives in this area are to increase sales of premium Irish lamb at foodservice and retail level while increasing awareness with trade and consumer level of Ireland as leader in production of grass-fed, premium and sustainable lamb.”

A thirst for Irish beveragesBeverages also represent an important export category for Nordic markets. “That would be dominated by Irish whiskey exports across all four markets,” says Linda. “In Norway and Finland, Irish whiskey is the leading export.”While a number of Irish brands are very well established in these markets, Linda says it can be difficult to secure access to the region due to government controls. “System Bolaget is a government-owned chain of liquor stores in Sweden. It is the only retail store allowed to sell alcoholic beverages that contain more than 3.5 per cent alcohol by volume. Despite

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A group of Danish food writers, including Timm Vladimir, a top celebrity chef and TV personality, travelled to Ireland with Bord Bia for an Irish beef-focused itinerary. Danish media, from outlets including a high profile food magazine and a trade magazine, travelled to Wicklow on a beef-focused itinerary.


this, demand is continuing to deliver for Irish exporters. As well as whiskey, Linda says there is potential for Irish producers to tap into a growing taste for craft beers in the region. “There is quite a growth in craft beers, particularly in Sweden. O’Hara’s is very active in all four markets, but predominantly in Sweden. They have a Bord Bia fellow in the market this year and they are taking an advantage of the growth in craft beers in the market.” Linda adds that Denmark is following suit, with the trend developing in that market too.

Dairy Linda says the market for dairy is very competitive and dominated by production within the region. Arla, a dairy co-operative holds over 50 per cent of the market share. However, she says Irish companies are gaining ground in the market and, in 2015,

dairy exports were up 3 per cent to Ð4.5 million, which is led by dairy ingredients. “Dairy is considered a staple in the weekly shop and Irish companies are actively pursuing the market.

Export opportunitiesHealth and wellness are top priorities in the Nordic market according to Linda. She explains that an important cohort of consumers in the market are increasingly aware of how and what they eat and how this makes them look and feel over the short and long term. These consumers are driving demand for food products and services with added health and wellbeing appeal, from diet to lifestyle health. Responding to that demand, the Waterford-based company, Chia Bia, launched on Swedish retail shelves earlier this month (see more on page 34).Furthermore, Linda explains, Ireland can offer appealing solutions through its organic outputs. Bord Bia is also investigating opportunities in the free-from category, which will hopefully identify opportunities for Irish exporters.Additionally, Bord Bia sees opportunities for Irish exporters in the private label market.“It’s an area where Irish producers have gotten very good and honed their skills in the UK. Although it is slow to grow it is expected to continue to grow in popularity and so we are always on the look out for opportunities, whether it’s ingredients or final product.”Linda says Origin Green will be central to building Ireland’s reputation and presence in the market. She says the translation of the Origin Green Sustainability Report 2015 will be a huge advantage in communicating Ireland’s commitment to sustainability within the region.

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Healthy international

growth for Chia BiaStephen Butler, sales director,

Chia Bia, says the company’s products are a perfect match for health-conscious

consumers in Nordic markets

F ounded in 2009, Chia Bia has evolved into a multi-faceted health-food producer, with a range of products that includes seed

mixes, energy bars, biscuits, and capsules. Its international market reach includes Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Stephen explains that there was a real drive for the company to target the Nordic market. “Given that there is a population in the Nordics of about 25 million people and that they are quite a healthy race of people and quite affluent, with a high standard of living, we were keen to get a good foothold in the market.”

The company has been listed in Norway, through Kiwi and Coop, for almost 18 months and is also supplying its omega-3 oil capsule product to Denmark. Most recently, the brand secured listings in Sweden through ICA, Hemköp and Coop. The company’s products are also listed with Stockholm’s Urban Deli. “We have gone with two strategies in the Nordics,” says Stephen. “One is with a company that deals in health stores and supplements, which is based in Denmark. It looks after Denmark and Sweden for

us with the oil. On the grocery side we

have gone with a distributor called Brand

Builders.” Stephen says Chia Bia is working

closely with Brand Builders to grow its

presence and sales in Stockholm, which he

describes as the hub for Swedish grocery

trade, influencing the rest of the country.

Launch padStephen explains that Chia Bia’s products

are well placed to meet the demands of the

healthy consumer market in the Nordic

regions. Stephen says the Swedish market

is ahead of many other markets when it

comes to health and wellness. “They have

a very healthy approach to eating,” he

says, adding that health foods are easily

accessible through the traditional shopping

channels. “When you consider that Sweden

has a population of about nine million

people and you look at the presence of chia across all supermarkets, including hyper

markets, supermarkets and corner shops,

chia is in every supermarket, so it is widely

available in every channel. This said to us

that it was a well-established product and

people understand chia.” That, Stephen

adds, gave Chia Bia a good launch pad.


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Innovation for differentiationHowever, Chia Bia saw an important gap in the market for innovation within the retail space. “There are a lot of generic and own brands. But, what they lack is innovation in packaging, which can be quite dull and in small packs of about 200g. Our packaging is bright and vibrant, and, interestingly, we are one of only a few that do flavours. Everyone else is just doing wholeseed, but we are offering wholeseed, milled, blueberry, and cranberry. We just launched apple and cinnamon and we will launch another flavour in the summer time. I think the innovation in our product gives consumers more options to use it, whether it’s smoothies, porridge, or puddings. So, having those flavours just gives a bit more variety.” While it is still early days for Chia Bia in this market, initial sales have been positive. Stephen explains that the main Hemköp outlet, which is on the main retail thoroughfare in Sweden, almost sold out in the first weekend. “That is a pretty good indication.”Stephen says gaining access to the Nordic markets was a really big coup for the company. For the rest of 2016, Chia Bia will be working on building its brand in the market, working with chefs and bloggers to spread its name, as well as holding a number of in-store demonstrations. Stephen says it is the company’s ambition to secure a central listing within the market by the end of 2016. This, he explains, would open the way for Chia Bia to over 1,000 stores in the Swedish market.

Hitting the health marketConsidering the trend towards health and wellness in the Swedish market, Chia Bia believes it has the right unique selling points to gain traction with consumers.Chia Bia explains that the chia seed is the highest plant-based source of omega-3 in the world, is also high in fibre, full of natural antioxidants,

and is also gluten-free and is a complete protein. The Chia Bia range includes natural chia seeds, as well as milled seeds, which it produces because many consumers have a preference for a milled product as opposed to a whole seed.Chia Bia products are also pesticide-free and GMO-free and, the company says, its mixes provide consumers with numerous health benefits, such as reduced cholesterol, increased energy levels, healthy digestion and improved memory and concentration. As well as its seed mixes, Chia Bia also produces a selection of energy bars and gluten-free biscuits, as well as its chia oil supplements, which were launched last autumn. This, he says, reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation.

Global reachChia Bia continues to expand its presence internationally. Recently it secured listings with El Cortes Ingles in Spain. “We are having conversations with Galeries Lafayette in France and we went on shelf in Spar in South Africa in the first week in January. We are as far afield as Japan and we have just gone on the shelf in Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan and we are working with a company in Thailand. Our reach is increasing all the time,” says Stephen. Chia Bia has also been enjoying success in the Middle East and is launching in Kuwait and Bahrain this year. The company is also exploring opportunities in Hong Kong and China. “We know there is a big drive for western products in China, so it is on our radar.”In 2015, Chia Bia announced a Ð70,000 investment in its operations in Ireland in order to accommodate the growing demand for product and to lower its carbon footprint. “We were recently BRC approved, which is a pretty significant award,” says Stepehen. He adds: “It reinforces the message about the quality of our product.”


A thirst for diversity

Catherine Bernard, export sales at Carlow Brewing Company, explains that offering consumers a diverse product range is key to ongoing success in the Nordic markets

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C arlow Brewing Company, one of Ireland’s leading independent craft breweries, is developing its position in the Nordic

markets with its award-winning range of O’Hara’s Irish craft beers. Catherine says diversity is an important factor in the Nordic markets.

“We are exporting to the four Nordic countries, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. It’s going reasonably well. I think these countries, and particularly Sweden, are countries that are a little bit further ahead in terms of craft beer, whereas the trend in Ireland picked up later,” says Catherine. She adds: “They are more advanced in their beer tastes and consumers are looking for new products. “The rest of the Nordics are a bit like that but, perhaps not as pronounced as Sweden. So, breweries have to come up with new products to meet demand.” Catherine explains that the company’s approach to that market demand, which it also operates in other markets, is to export its core range, which includes stout, Irish pale ale (IPA) and a red ale, and then bring seasonal beers and other innovations to the market to keep consumers interested. “In the past year, in Denmark for example, we brought some of our spring season and hop-heavy beers. This year we have just launched a red IPA, called Notorious, which is very hoppy and floral at the same time. Denmark was the first country to express interest, they will sell it on draft. Sweden and Norway have also now imported it in bottles.”

Flexibility for diversityCarlow Brewing Company has over 20 years’ experience in the craft beer industry and is benefitting from the recent growth in international demand for craft beers. The company says there has been a migration to more flavours and diversity in the market and it recently invested in new premises and increased its production capacity. The introduction of the new

bottling line offers Carlow Brewing greater flexibility to not only offer its product range on draft, but to bottle it as well.Today, the company exports approximately 50 per cent of its volume to 25 different countries. “Our top markets would be France, the US, Italy and Spain, but the Nordics are not far behind and we are looking to grow there,” says Catherine.

Building relationsSecuring listings in the Nordic markets can be a challenge, Catherine explains. Despite this, Carlow Brewing Company is enjoying some success. “It is very difficult to get a listing in System Bolaget in and when you do get in it is very difficult to stay. System Bolaget is the government-run monopoly stores. We have had our red ale listed in System Bolaget stores in Sweden and it lasted for over a year, which is an achievement. Most of the time, products get a listing but are out in six to nine months. So, it did quite well.“But because consumers are always looking for something new after a while, it is only a matter of time. Only the big breweries – the household names – will maintain a regular listing in those stores. Otherwise consumers are looking for new products.” In Norway, Carlow Brewing Company also secured a listing for its Leann Follain beer in the government monopoly stores. “It is doing really well and we are looking to apply to more tenders there.” Carlow Brewing Company has been exporting to the market for over five years, slowly building its understanding of the market as well as its reputation. “We work with importers that have a deep knowledge of the market and we have developed a really good partnership with them in order to approach both the on-trade and off-trade in the best manner.” Catherine adds that building strong partnerships with people within the market is very important. “For a company to export you need a strong

bond with your importer and you are only as successful as your importer, so it is very important to pick the right partner in the market and work with them as a team.” Carlow Brewing Company is also working on promotional events at both trade and consumer level. It works with Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) to take part in trade events, including beer tastings. At consumer level, a lot of the company’s marketing is around a number of beer festivals in the market, where it is exhibiting. “In Sweden, last year, we took part in the Stockholm beer festival in September/October. Ahead of that we ran two advertisements in specialised beverages magazines. We are new in that space, as we are still a relatively small, craft brewery, but we are growing, and we are now at a stage where we need to do more of these things. In addition to the Stockholm beer festival, we are going to work with our importer there and take part in four festivals in 2016 (Stockholm again and other cities such as Malmo and Gothenburg). There will also be two in Finland, two in Denmark, and a lot of trade shows in Norway.”

Consistent qualityWhile the Carlow Brewing Company is committed to offering its customers a diverse and changing product line, Catherine says one of the company’s biggest selling points is the consistent high quality of its beers. “Our products are recognised in markets worldwide for being very consistent. Sometimes microbreweries come up with great products but the quality is not always consistent. I think our brewing team is doing a great job to keep the quality consistent, using natural ingredients and keeping the taste profile the same. Our partners and consumers recognise that as well. We respect the brewing process, there is no gimmicks or shortcuts.” With worldwide demand for craft beers continuing to take hold, Catherine is confident that the quality and consistency of the O’Hara’s brand will continue to make headway in international markets.

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origin green

Am

bass

ador

speaks with the second cohort of Origin Green ambassadors as they begin their placements in Origin Green host companies

T he Origin Green ambassador programme is an integral part of Bord Bia’s (the Irish Food Board) ambition to spread the message of Origin Green, the world’s first

nationwide sustainability programme.

As part of the Origin Green ambassador

programme, the 10 ambassadors participate in

company placements with some of the world’s

leading food and drinks industries. Bord Bia

says the placements provide opportunities to

learn from global food organisations and to

connect and foster new relationships in the

global food industry.

As the second group of Origin Green

ambassadors begin their placements, we spoke

to some ambassadors about their roles and what

they hope to achieve in their placements.

Origin Green Ambassadors 2015-2017: Owen Keogh; Ryan George; Martina Henry; Mei Hang; Martin Hofler; Kate O’Driscoll; Cliodhnagh Conlon; Áine O’Neil; Gráinne Carroll; and David Hagan.

OWEN KEOGH Mars

How are you translating the message of Origin Green in your industry placement?The industry placement is possibly the most fulfilling side of being an Origin Green ambassador. This element of the programme has two-fold benefits, for me as an ambassador, as well as the Irish food and drink industry. On one hand I fly the flag for Irish food and drink as well as Origin Green companies; furthermore, when working with some of the biggest food and drink companies in the world, I bring home some key learnings in dealing with the challenges these leading companies face every day. This involves having an active role in the company by working with sustainability teams and engaging with their challenges.

What are your current activities at your host company?Currently I am part of the sustainable sourcing team for chocolate in Mars, Slough just outside London. Having spent close to one month so far within the company my role has been mainly in supplier engagement and supply-chain mapping of some of the key raw materials for chocolate. This has also involved a lot of interaction with other teams within Mars, as well as leading some commercial team upskilling and training in sustainability, with respect to their raw material and how to embed sustainability into their day-to-day work.

insights


origin green

DAVID HAGANNestlé SAWhat is your role as an Origin Green ambassador?When Origin Green was initially conceived knowledge gaps in the area of sustainability in Ireland were identified. The Origin Green ambassador programme was designed to train and empower selected participants to fill these knowledge gaps. My role as an Origin Green ambassador is twofold, one is to train myself in the skills of sustainable business management through my Masters at UCD Smurfit and through industry placements. My second role is to promote the sustainability demonstrated by the Irish drinks and food industry through Origin Green, through my placements in host countries, engaging with industry groups while in market, engaging existing marketing channels and showing them what is being done through Origin Green, so that they can advocate for the initiative.

What has been the feedback to Origin Green? To date, what impresses people most is Ireland Inc. working together. This is Government agencies, industry stakeholders and NGOs all working together for a better outcome. It gets better when you tell them it is all done on a voluntary basis. This joined-up thinking is not happening in other countries. The second most impressive element is our traceability and clean environment, to be able to pinpoint cows and their o�spring within hours is a very impressive capability. The last is the scalability of our supply chain. When I mention Food Wise 2025 and our ambitious targets, companies such as Nestlé see a partner that can grow as quickly as them and provide a world-leading, fully-verified sustainable supply chain.

CLIODHNAGH CONLONFAOHow are you translating the message of Origin Green in your industry placement?For my first placement I’m working with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in the Agricultural Development Economics team, which is an opportunity to raise the profile of Origin Green within the UN. Through my role, I’m developing knowledge about di�erent approaches to agricultural sustainability and watching for case studies and tools that could be useful for Origin Green implementation. I’ve also been identifying opportunities to make presentations on Origin Green, to influential departments across FAO and also at the many international seminars on food and agriculture that are hosted here, to share what we are doing Ireland and the lessons that may be relevant for other countries.

MARTIN HOFLER Ornua Deutschland & ZNU(Centre for Sustainable Corporate Leadership)

What is your role as an Origin Green ambassador?My role as an Origin Green Ambassador is to share my learnings from my placements with the Irish food and drink industry. I also have the opportunity to raise the profile of Origin Green among international companies by demonstrating Origin Green’s global leadership in food and drink sustainability.

What impact do you hope to have in the area of sustainability?The global food and drink industry is trusted to produce high quality products from a secure supply chain. Yet, in a world of ever increasing resource constraints, customers, investors and producers are conscious that new sustainable business solutions are needed to sustain current output and grow into new global markets. My hope is to demonstrate to agribusinesses how sustainable business practices enhance the global food and drink industry’s reputation as an industry that can provide high-quality products for consumers, deliver profitable returns on investment for businesses and secure long-term income for suppliers.

RYAN GEORGE The Coca Cola Company What is your role as an Origin Green ambassador?As an Origin Green ambassador my role is twofold; I will be fulfilling an ambassadorial role in communicating the Bord Bia Origin Green initiative to a global audience and in doing so leveraging my exposure within some of the world’s leading food and beverage companies to gain a practical insight into what sustainability means to them. I have a unique opportunity to engage with key decision makers and influencers within the area of global business sustainability on key issues regarding best practices, corporate vision and strategy implementation and in doing so have the opportunity to tangibly contribute to my host company’s sustainability plans.

What impact do you hope to have in the area of sustainability?Both during and upon completion of my own Origin Green ambassadorial journey I intend to be instrumental in shaping the delivery of the sustainability strategy that my host companies have committed to. The opportunity to directly contribute to the sustainability strategy implementation in some of the world’s most successful food and beverage companies gives me a fantastic vantage point from which to advance my own understanding of the practical challenges that global companies face when addressing sustainability within their supply chains. This experience will, no doubt, stand to me in my own intended career pathway within the Irish food and beverage sector.

GRÁINNE CARROLLNestléWhat impact do you hope to have in the area of sustainability?Sustainability can’t be achieved by the actions of one person, one company or a proportion thereof. I would like to promote the advantages of collective action in the context of sustainability and work towards bringing the conversation to the mainstream.


G allaghers Bakery was established in 1968 as a family-run business in Ardara, Co. Donegal. The bakery traditionally

serviced the north west region with conventional bakery products, until 2012 when it entered the gluten-free bakery market. Today, it exports all over the world. Export sales growth has been steep for Gallaghers Bakery, accounting for more than 70 per cent of turnover. Declan says the company is growing in the region of 40 per cent year on year. “We see that continuing for the next three years.”

In 2015, the company was awarded the

Exporter of the Year award at the Bord Bia

Food and Drink Awards, as well as winning

the Entrepreneurial Award. Elsewhere, Gallaghers was named Food and Drink Exporter of the Year for the second year in a row at the Irish Exporters Association Export Industry Awards 2015.Declan says honours such as these are very encouraging for small companies. “It encourages the team, from the new product development (NPD) department through to production, they see the achievement at the end of it all.”

Export successDeclan believes it is the diversity of Gallaghers Bakery’s product range that has led to its success internationally, as well as at the awards. “The diversity of our product range sets us apart. We

carry a broad range of products, with

more currently in development. Our

background is as a standard bread

company but we moved into the gluten-

free arena in 2012 and it has been quite

successful for us in international markets.”

Gallaghers Bakery currently exports to

11 countries, including Australia, the US,

Canada and the Middle East. “We have

big plans for the next 12 to 18 months.

We are in the final stages of negotiations

with a number of global retailers and we

are defining range reviews with them and

product development for bespoke products

with specific customers.”

The UK and mainland Europe will be a big

focus for the company in 2016. “We have

a few launches arranged with some of the

industry

Export excellenceIn 2015, Gallaghers Bakery in Donegal won two Exporter of the Year awards.

spoke to the company’s managing director, Declan Gallagher, about the company’s export success and future ambitions


large UK retailers,” Declan says. “We have launched with one of the UK’s national foodservice distributors in January. It’s quite a large organisation and it covers a lot of the UK.”Foodservice is a relatively new focus for the company. “We entered into the sector in the last 12 months, taking a look at what the needs are. In foodservice, such as hotels, there is a requirement there for gluten-free or dietary needs and we have started to do quite a bit of work on it with smaller packs, that are individually wrapped for the specific hotels and foodservice operators.”

DiversificationWhile, at the beginning, Gallaghers Bakery set out its stall in the traditional bakery market, it has since embraced the opportunities in diverse health-focused markets. It began, in 2012, with the production of gluten-free products, under its Pure Bred brand, and now it is broadening that remit. “We are not just focused on gluten free, we are concerned with all dietary needs,” says Declan. “We offer a wide range of rolls, from a hot-dog shaped roll, baguette-shape, round roll,

and hamburger buns. So, it is really the full spectrum of breads that you get in the standard range and we are replicating that in a gluten-free or specific dietary need product.”Declan says the dietary needs category is in continual growth. In response to that the company has focused on improving its own recipes to develop low-sugar and high-fibre products. He says these products will have a cleaner label and expects they will be ready for launch in the coming months.Continuous NPD is central to Gallaghers Bakery. “We are always developing and identifying new areas. So, for example, we are launching finished pizzas in the next few months and we are launching wraps,” says Declan.

Winning recipe Declan says it is the quality of Gallaghers Bakery products that is delivering success. “I think the number one thing is that it is closer to a standard bread. Everywhere we go we are asked ‘are you sure it’s gluten

free?’ They are amazed at how close it is to traditional bread. It is softer, lighter, and it’s not as brittle as other products in the market. We have addressed the low-fat, and high-fibre needs and, at the moment, it is very difficult to make a gluten-free product that is low fat. When we set up the business initially, the goal was to have a low-fat, high-fibre product, which we achieved.”Gallaghers Bakery has a dedicated gluten-free production facility, which Declan says operates to the highest standards. “The one thing about the gluten-free area is it is a very complex product and a complex recipe.” He says sourcing ingredients is also a complex process. “Our suppliers are all five parts (wheat) per million or less. There has been a strong focus on that side, for safety,” he says “In the European market generally, legislation allows us to work at 20 parts (wheat) per million.” Declan explains that the company employs two global purchasers who source ingredients globally, auditing factories. “We typically test for below five and we always come in clean. We have done a huge amount of work with that.”

industry


Spotlight On...

Dublin Craft Beer and Cider CupsIrish craft beer and cider producers are enjoying a period of growth and two companies were honoured with Dublin Craft Beer and Cider Cups at the Alltech Craft Brews and Food Fair

R ye River and Orpens Cider won the fourth Dublin Craft Beer and Cider Cups at this year’s Alltech Craft Brews and Food

Fair, which took place recently at the Convention Centre Dublin. The Fair, which attracted more than 10,000 visitors over three days, is home to the Dublin Craft Beer and Cider Cups.

Rye River BrewingNiall Phelan, co-founder of Rye River Brewing, said the company was delighted with the recognition. “We think our beers are great but it’s nice to get some independent verification of that.” The Rye River Brewing Company was established in November 2013 by three friends. Since it was established three years ago, the company has built a successful export base that includes: the US, Canada, Italy, Germany and South Korea. It produces 22 different beers and won the Alltech Dublin Craft Beer Cup for its McGargles Francis’ Big Bangin IPA. “It’s a west-coast style IPA, with columbus, simcoe and mosaic. We brew it in Celbridge and it

is 7.1 per cent, it’s got a big, tropical nose on it, followed by soft bitterness,” says Niall. The award came just days ahead of the company’s move to new facilities in Celbridge, Co. Kildare where there is an ongoing investment plan. This includes a Ð2 million investment in the brewery and another Ð2 million in a visitors’ centre.Commenting on the award, Niall said: “It’s brilliant, it’s the best award we have won so far. We also won six medals on the night. We have also won a number of business awards in 2015 and it’s great for the profile of the beer.”

Orpens CiderWhile the craft beer category has seen a growth in popularity in recent years, Chris Hill and business partner Matt Tindal saw potential for a similar craft cider market. In 2012, they began R&D and market research into the market before launching Orpens Cider in 2014. Business has been going well since, with sales growing year on year quite successfully. “Our year ends September 30, so we had a very good year last year with the UK market. We have over 800 on-trade accounts there now and our partners there

are marketing the brand quite well.”

Orpens is also enjoying some success in

Finland. “They are very into their ciders and

we got a very good listing with the leading

supermarkets over there and sales are

looking good,” says Chris.

The company is also exploring new markets.

“We are working on an entry strategy for

Canada, Sweden and the Baltic States. There

are a number of projects at different stages

of development. You have to keep looking

for new markets, you can’t sit still.”

As well as the Alltech award, Orpens was

also named the best cider at the Cape Town

beer festival. “The Cape Town and greater

South African market is beginning to kick

into gear for us as well. They are an avid

cider drinking nation but, they don’t have

much choice in the market so we are seeing

good sales there.”

Winning awards such as the Alltech Dublin

Cider Cup helps these strategies, Chris

explains. “Buyers are essentially taking a

risk by listing new products, they have to

see a return through sales. If you get awards

like the Alltech awards it helps us and helps

them feel comfortable.”

Gearoid Cahill, head of Brewing Science, Alltech (far left) and Dr Pearse Lyons, founder and president, Alltech (far right) presented Rye River Brewing Company with the 2016 Dublin Craft Beer Cup for its McGargles Francis’ Big Bangin IPA.

Pictured at the Alltech Craft Brews & Food Fair at the Convention Centre, Dublin, where a new Guinness World Record was set for the world’s largest beer tasting, are Danielle Long from Rathfarnham, and Prav Patel, Official Guinness World Records Adjudicator.

Ashbourne Meat Processors supply premium chilled and frozen beef products to leading retailers, manufacturers and distributors throughout Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa

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Ashbourne Meat ProcessorsNaas Industrial Estate, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Tel: +353 45 875 400 Fax: +353 45 897 755 Email: [email protected] Sales Contacts:Peter McMahon

Mobile: +353 87 245 3500Email: [email protected]

Leslie KellyMobile: +353 87 279 2260Email: [email protected]

www.ashmeats.ie

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159115 Origin Green Irish Food 280x210.indd 1 12/02/2015 14:12Bord Bia 2? 210x280.indd 1 16/02/2015 10:56

focus - irishfood magazineupdates on ireland’s agri-food and drinks industry. issue 2 2016 3...

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