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18 June 2015

Minister Coveney Launches The 'Sharp' Strategic Food Research And Innovation Agenda

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, T. D. recently launched the new strategic research and innovation agenda, ‘Sustainable, Healthy Agri-food Research Plan (SHARP)’ for the ‘Sustainable Food Production and Processing’ and ‘Food for Health’ priority areas of the National Research Prioritisation Exercise.

04 June 2015

Teagasc Food Innovation Gateways Event - Prepared Consumer Foods

The agri-food sector is Ireland’s largest indigenous industry with a gross annual output of over €26 billion generating almost 13% of exports. The sector accounts for approximately 10% of total employment. The Prepared Consumer Foods sector is an important contributor to this.

02 June 2015

Monaghan Mushrooms Becomes Verified Origin Green Member

Monaghan Mushrooms has become a fully verified member of the Bord Bia Origin Green sustainability programme, exceeding the targets required by the programme.

Artists impression of Phase One of Ennis Market Regeneration Project low

08 May 2015

Significant progress made with Ennis Market Rejuvenation Project

Clare County Council has confirmed that Phase 1 of the Ennis Market Rejuvenation project is now proceeding to tender stage and construction is expected to commence in the autumn of 2015

The €1.75m loan for the Market Rejuvenation Project in Ennis, which also includes the upgrading of the streets adjoining the market area, is now in place.

04 May 2015

British-Irish Potato Promotion Drive Gains EU Backing

The EU has announced it will co-fund a £3.6m joint information and promotion campaign to support British and Irish potatoes. The three-year Potato Potential programme will inform and educate consumers through the media, MPs and bloggers.

05 February 2015

New Export Guide to Support Companies Reaching for New Horizons

A new guide to support potential exporters based on the island of Ireland is available. The Export Start Guide [pdf, 5.11MB] is a partnership initiative from Chartered Accountants Ireland and two enterprise development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland.

24 December 2014

Origin Green Seals Ballymaloe’s Commitment To Environment and Community

Having become a verified member of Bord Bia's sustainability programme Origin Green in 2014, Ballymaloe Foods in Co Cork is focusing on four key areas as it plans a 10% growth in production capacity. They are: sourcing from suppliers with recognised certification, waste management, water management and the company's role in the local community.

26 November 2014

Major Irish Food Promotion Secured with World's Biggest Online Retailer

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney T.D. today met with representatives of Tmall.com, the world's largest online retailer. This meeting was part of a busy schedule of events during the Irish agri-food trade mission to China led by Minister Coveney. Recognising the importance of the rapid growth of online retailing in China as a key platform for promoting premium Irish food and beverages, Minister Coveney welcomed continued cooperation between Tmall.com and Bord Bia on behalf of the Irish food industry.

12 November 2014

Volume of Bramley Apple Sales in Ireland Increases by 10% From 2013

According to recent Kantar research, the volume of Bramley apple sales in Ireland reached 4,900 tonnes in the year to September 2014, a year on year increase of 10%. The figures were announced as part of National Bramley Week, which runs from the 10th to the 16th of November and celebrates the Bramley Apple.

28 October 2014

WRAP’s Database Helps Grocery Supply Chain To Be More Resource Efficient

WRAP's Resource Efficient Innovations Database (REID) is a dynamic tool to help businesses promote their resource efficient technologies, products or packaging solutions to the grocery supply chain.

30 September 2014

Bump Mark, A Bio-Reactive Food Expiry Label

Project Subtitle
Using gelatine to model the decay process of food, Bump Mark is able to tell you exactly the condition your food is in, simply by running your finger over the label. If it's smooth, then you're good to go, but if you start to feels bumps as the gelatin breaks down, be cautious.

02 June 2015

Commercial Tea Growing Planned for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland could have its first home-grown tea by 2018, thanks to a tie-up between Antrim's Greenmount College a boutique tea supplier. Suki Tea of Belfast has already imported 4,000 plants from Tanzania.

29 May 2015

Organic Recipe – Bentley’s Soda Bread

Getting soda bread right can be tricky enough, Gillian Westbrook recommends this “foolproof” recipe from Richard Corrigan’s book “The Clatter of Forks & Spoons, page 312).

Organic Ingredients:

250g plain flour
10g salt (2 level teaspoons)

05 May 2015

Meade Potato Company Launch their Origin Green Plan

Meade Potato Company launched their Origin Green Sustainability Plan with the help of Ireland’s Minster for Employment, Richard Bruton TD at the company’s headquarters in Lobinstown, County Meath. As growers, packers and distributors of fresh produce to the retail sector, the family business is one of the latest recruits for full membership of Origin Green – Ireland’s New Contract with Nature.

05 March 2015

Extending Product Life Can Cut Food Waste and Save Millions

WRAP estimates that an increase of just one day on product life* across a range of foods could prevent around 250,000 tonnes of food waste each year, in households and in the supply chain, by giving consumers longer to eat the food they buy.

06 January 2015

DARD MANAGEMENT NOTES: Horticulture

New varieties bring colour to the flower market: The market for cut flowers and foliage continues to expand. In the past year over four million stems of cut flower and foliage were locally grown.

23 December 2014

Minister Coveney Announces 2015 National Reserve Conditions

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, recently announced the conditions of the 2015 National Reserve. The transition to the new regime of Direct Payments will include the establishment of a National Reserve using 3% of the ceiling allocated to the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015.

17 November 2014

Growth in The Irish Grocery Market

According to the latest Kantar World Panel figures, the Irish grocery market continues to grow, up around 0.7% for the 12 week period ending October 12th. Sales have increased in volume and value terms, by 1.9% and 0.9% respectively.

30 October 2014

Northern Ireland Agri-Food Industry Takes Bigger Bite of Global Food Market

Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster has emphasised the growing global opportunities for Northern Ireland's agri-food industry. Speaking at the Sunday Business Post "Future of Food Summit" in Dublin, Arlene Foster said: "The Northern Ireland agri-food industry faces both challenges and opportunities within a growing global market.

03 October 2014

Simple Winning Ideas - John Stanley

Retailing is about being an entrepreneur and some of the winning ideas can be quite simple. Take for example the peach truck in Ohio. A farmer in the southern part of the State contacted local garden centres and asked if he could place his peach truck in the parking lot of garden centres of a weekend when peaches were in season and sell his fruit by the box.

22 September 2014

Understanding Millennials for Better Connections: Part 2

Our latest piece of consumer research, Understanding Millennials for Better Connections, is a study that will help your brand better communicate and interact with Millennials (people aged 22-30). We looked at their needs, the emerging themes in their lives, product choices, and behavioural patterns.