Entries Now Open for the 2013 Bord Bia Food & Drink Awards

We are delighted to announce that the 2013 Bord Bia Food & Drink Awards are now open for entries.

This year we have seven categories for you to enter:

1. The Export Award

2. The Excellence in Branding Award

Read more: Entries Now Open for the 2013 Bord Bia Food & Drink Awards

Report on the Northern Ireland Food and Drinks Processing Sector

The report contains comprehensive data on the values of sales, exports, value added and number of employees for each of the ten constituent subsectors of the food and drinks processing sector in 2010 and 2011. These key statistics are supplemented with fifteen performance indicators for each subsector. Provisional estimates of sales and employment are also provided for 2012.

Read more: Report on the Northern Ireland Food and Drinks Processing Sector

Latest Figures on the Local Food and Drinks Processing Sector are Encouraging - O'Neill

The figures were published in the annual report, ‘Size and Performance of the N.I. Food and Drinks Processing Sector, Subsector Statistics 2011, with provisional estimates for 2012’.

Read more: Latest Figures on the Local Food and Drinks Processing Sector are Encouraging - O'Neill

Food Technology Centre at Loughry Campus

In 1998, a £3.8 million, 4,000 square metre hi-tech food technology centre was opened, featuring the latest design and materials for producing food to EU standards. The food technology centre incorporates four mini food processing areas; meat, bakery, fruit & vegetable and dairy sectors and is designed to accommodate best practice in food manufacture.

Read more: Food Technology Centre at Loughry Campus

Going Global Means Going Local

One of America’s favourites - the Oreo cookie was first created back in 1912 in a Nabisco bakery in New York City. Over 101 years, it has grown to global annual revenues of $1.5billion and is available in more than 100 markets. However, back in 1990’s ‘America’s favourite cookie’ had reached maturation in the US market and the owners, Kraft, decided to expand east to China in 1996. Nine years after the launch, the biscuit was not a success and they decided to research why not. A number of findings were concluded:

Read more: Going Global Means Going Local

Love My Salad Reached 100.000 ‘Likes’

Love my Salad, an initiative of Rijk Zwaan employees worldwide, has now reached a key milestone by generating 100.000 ‘likes’ on Facebook. Love my Salad brings vegetable lovers from all over the world together to share their passion for salads and vegetables.

Read more: Love My Salad Reached 100.000 ‘Likes’

Future Food in Ireland 2013

Environment & Energy Management and Certification Europe Limited have come together to bring the Irish food processing community a unique event, which will highlight the challenges and benefits to Irish food and drinks manufacturers in achieving sustainability within their organisations. Up to 120 senior management from Irish food and drinks manufacturing will attend the event as delegates and listen to industry leaders discussing the important issues of carbon management, energy efficiency, water treatment, waste management, finance/grant aid, legal aspects, integrated standards and return on investment.

Read more: Future Food in Ireland 2013

Convenience Still Important To Consumers Purchasing Fresh Produce

Recent market research data from Kantar Worldpanel has show that trend of recent years of consumers purchasing convenient prepared fresh produce has been maintained and increased over the past twelve months. The prepared fruit and vegetable retail market is now valued annually (to March 2013) at €84ml which is an increase of 4.5% on the previous twelve months.

Read more: Convenience Still Important To Consumers Purchasing Fresh Produce

Bright Future for Growers Despite Weather Setback

The Irish horticulture sector remains buoyant despite unseasonable bad weather and pressure on producers from big retailers. The horticulture sector contributes almost €300 million to farm output annually, with the protected cropping sector contributing close on €80 million in farm gate value to that total.

Read more: Bright Future for Growers Despite Weather Setback

Exciting Times Ahead for Northern Ireland s Agri-Food Industry

During her address to an audience of industry leaders, Arlene Foster acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers who had experienced extremely difficult circumstances in recent years and in particular the adverse weather conditions. Emphasising the fact that the agri-food sector offers outstanding potential for growing the local economy, the Minister said: “Building on our existing strengths and capabilities, significant opportunities exist for the Northern Ireland agri-food industry, in both export and domestic markets.

Read more: Exciting Times Ahead for Northern Ireland s Agri-Food Industry

Huge Growth Expected for Greenhouse Produce in US

The United States greenhouse industry has booked significant growth over the past decade and is set to reach more than $4 billion in sales by 2020, according to a Rabobank report. The study executed by the Rabobank's Food & Agribusinesses Research and Advisory (FAR) group said growth was mainly driven by a demand for more efficient intensive production, following limited availability of land, water and labor in the US.

Read more: Huge Growth Expected for Greenhouse Produce in US

InterTradeIreland Flagship Export Programme Elevate Assists Small

InterTradeIreland has launched the next phase of its sales development programme, Elevate, which aims to help small businesses across Ireland develop sales opportunities through first time cross-border exports. Small and micro businesses have been hardest hit by the recession, often relying on local demand for their goods and services.

Read more: InterTradeIreland Flagship Export Programme Elevate Assists Small

Agreement Delivers More than £2 Million Savings for Businesses

Food and drink businesses have saved £2.2 million by reducing their water consumption. The voluntary agreement, Federation House Commitment (FHC) run by WRAP, aimed at helping food and drink manufacturers reduce their water consumption, also delivered savings of 1.5 million mᵌ in the last year. The 16.1% reduction in water use has been achieved through activities such as water reuse, improved efficiency in cleaning operations and innovations in water using products like taps.

Read more: Agreement Delivers More than £2 Million Savings for Businesses

CSO Variations in Farm Income Figures Difficult to Explain

Commenting on today’s figures from the CSO on farm incomes for 2012, IFA President John Bryan said this is not the first time the CSO has significantly revised their figures relating to farming. He said, “Their original estimate for last year was a reduction of 10%. This was then revised upwards to 12% in February, and today it has been revised back down to 7.5%. Farmers have lost faith in the methodology used by the CSO in calculating these figures. The wide variations are difficult to explain”.

Read more: CSO Variations in Farm Income Figures Difficult to Explain

New Technology Adapting to Changing Consumer Behaviour

According to the latest culinary trends at the 2013 NRA Show in Chicago, the main theme revolved around how new technology is providing solutions to meet changing consumer behaviour

Read more: New Technology Adapting to Changing Consumer Behaviour

DARD Horticulture Management Notes - June 2013 by Kieran Lavelle

TOP FRUIT

Apple scab season
As any plant pathologist will tell you, three fundamental factors must coincide for disease to appear and spread successfully. The disease causing agent, for example, spores of the apple scab fungus, Venturia inaequalis, must occur at the same time as the susceptible host organism, for example, leaf tissue of ‘Bramleys Seedling’ apple trees, and in the correct environmental conditions for infection. In our apple scab example, this means long enough periods of leaf wetness and warmth for fungal spores to land, germinate and infect.

Read more: DARD Horticulture Management Notes - June 2013 by Kieran Lavelle

Framework Agreement for the Provision & Supply of Fresh & Prepared Fruit & Vegetables Products

Title: Framework Agreement for the Provision & Supply of Fresh & Prepared Fruit & Vegetables Products
Publication date: 10-06-2013
Response deadline: 31-07-2013 12:00 GMT
Procedure: Open Procedure (OJEU) post PIN
Buyer: Health Service Executive (HSE)
Click here for more information and to log in or register.
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Strawberries are Cream of the Crop for Under 35’s

According to a new Kantar report, there was a 33% increase in the retail value of strawberry sales to consumers in the 25-34 year old category in the last 12 months compared to the previous year, to reach €8 million. These figures were released today for National Strawberry Week, which takes place until Sunday, 9th June. Total retail sales of strawberries in Ireland are currently worth €51.7 million.

Read more: Strawberries are Cream of the Crop for Under 35’s

Total Produce Director of Financial Strategy and Development to Retire

Total Produce has announced the retirement of Frank Gernon from his full-time role as director, financial strategy and development from 20 July 2013. The company said, however, that Gernon will continue to be employed in a part-time advisory role and will remain as an executive director on the board.

Read more: Total Produce Director of Financial Strategy and Development to Retire

Market Study Visits – A Great Way to Know Your Customer

Philip Kotler says that when companies fail abroad, the most common factors are:

• Failure to take enough time to observe, absorb, and learn the new market.
• Failure to get reliable statistical information about the new market.
• Failure to define the target user.

Read more: Market Study Visits – A Great Way to Know Your Customer