The Irish food and beverages sector currently export over €8 billion, of which prepared consumer foods and seafood amounts to over €2 billion. Some 70% of food is exported to EU markets, with the UK receiving 48%.
In addition to health and well-being, and taste or quality, convenience is a significant driver in the very competitive consumer foods market and customers demand products that require little preparation or cooking time. An ever increasingly sophisticated and demanding consumer is supplied through a highly concentrated retail multiple grocery sector. The multiples, in turn, demand safe, high quality, good value, innovative branded and private label products from Irish food processors and suppliers.
The Irish prepared consumer food processing sector has proved its efficiency and effectiveness in supplying the retail multiples both in the home and export markets, where they are subject to stiff competition, particularly in the current economic climate. The bulk of Irish food products are exported to the UK market, where Irish companies have been particularly successful in gaining significant market share. Seafood processors have also been successful in recent times in entering new markets in the Far East.
Irish food processors would not have achieved the success they currently enjoy if they had not succeeded in keeping abreast of both market trends and technological developments in the fast moving and extremely competitive consumer global foods market. My Department, working in conjunction with the promotion and development agencies, recognises that to continue to satisfy the very demanding standards and requirements of the retail multiples, Irish food processors need to achieve high levels of innovation and competitiveness. Assistance is particularly focused on developing company's management, innovation and marketing capabilities.
A number of company clusters in innovation and world class manufacturing are currently in existence, whose objective is to keep abreast with developments in these areas, facilitated by Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, BIM and Udaras na Gaeltachta. Participating companies have in the recent times visited centres of excellence overseas to ensure this is achieved.