Irish Food Exports: Bord Bia puts Irish food and farming centre stage for influential Asian buyers

Ireland’s agri-food sector is sharpening its global edge, and Bord Bia is using high-profile inward trade visits to do it. In a fresh push to strengthen Irish food exports, the agency is welcoming influential buyers, media representatives and foodservice decision-makers from Vietnam, China, Singapore and Japan for a packed programme across the country.

The initiative highlights how Ireland continues to position premium dairy, beef and lamb in strategic international markets. At a time when farm returns remain under pressure, these visits are designed to turn interest into long-term commercial relationships while showcasing the strengths of Irish food production, sustainability and research.

Irish Food Exports gain momentum through Asian inward visits

According to Bord Bia, the June programme brings international stakeholders directly to Irish farms, processors and research centres so they can experience the supply chain first-hand. That practical exposure is especially valuable in premium markets where provenance, quality assurance and sustainability matter as much as price.

From June 21 to 27, a delegation of nine international media and nutrition stakeholders from Singapore, China and Vietnam will visit Ireland under an EU-supported dairy promotion programme. Among them are representatives linked to Vietnam’s VTV Times, a major broadcaster in a country with a population of more than 100 million.

The visit is strategically important for Irish food exports because Vietnam is increasingly seen as a growth market for dairy. Delegates are set to visit:

• Dairy processing facilities
• Teagasc Moorepark
• University College Cork
• Grass-based production sites across Ireland

These stops will provide insight into Ireland’s grass-fed farming model, sustainability credentials and food innovation capacity.

Why Vietnam, China, Singapore and Japan matter

Asia remains a major priority for trade development, with support from bodies across gov.ie, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and departments spanning Agriculture, Finance and Enterprise, Trade and Employment. For producers and exporters, the focus is on winning value in markets that appreciate traceability, premium ingredients and trusted standards.

Earlier in the month, Bord Bia hosted 25 dairy ingredient buyers from China, Vietnam and Singapore. Their programme focused on premium dairy opportunities and included visits to farms and processors to better understand Origin Green and the Bord Bia Grass Fed Standard.

Japanese market interest could widen beef and lamb opportunities

A separate seven-member Japanese delegation will visit from June 22 to 26, with representation from one of Japan’s largest restaurant chains. Their itinerary includes meat processing sites in Cork, Waterford, Wexford and Cavan.

While some buyers already source Irish beef tongue, the wider goal is to expand Irish food exports by opening interest in additional beef cuts and increasing lamb sales into Japan. That is significant for Irish meat producers seeking stronger returns from higher-value destinations.

Trade promotion efforts such as these often sit alongside the wider work of public bodies including the Revenue Commissioners, National Transport Authority (NTA), Department of the Taoiseach, Health Service Executive (HSE), An Garda Síochána and the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), all of which help support the broader operating environment for business, logistics, regulation and workforce planning across Ireland.

What Bord Bia says about the strategy

Declan Fennell, Senior Manager of EU Promotions at Bord Bia, said there is no substitute for seeing Irish food and farming in person. He noted that in challenging market conditions, building access to high-value international markets is essential to supporting farm-level returns and the continued growth of the meat and dairy sectors.

What this means for Irish Food Exports

The latest Bord Bia programme underlines a clear strategy: bring decision-makers to Ireland, demonstrate quality at source and convert visibility into export growth. For Irish food exports, the approach is practical, relationship-driven and aligned with long-term demand in Asia. If these visits deliver stronger dairy, beef and lamb sales, they could provide a valuable lift not only for exporters but for farmers across the country.

FAQs

Why are these visits important?
They help overseas buyers and media understand Irish production systems, sustainability standards and product quality directly at source.

Which markets are involved?
Vietnam, China, Singapore and Japan are the key focus markets in this programme.

What products are being promoted?
The main categories are dairy, beef and lamb, with an emphasis on premium positioning and value-added export opportunities.

Article/Image Courtesy: Bord Bia