Food Ireland Yearbook and Directory

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Yearbook & Directory 2021/22

IRELAND

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contents

10 2 Minister’s INTERVIEW

Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, discusses the impact of Covid-19, the fall-out from Brexit, CAP reform and the sustainability agenda, including his Department’s forthcoming 10-year strategy, which will provide a roadmap for the sector going forward.

6 SECTOR Overview

Paul Kelly, Director, Food Drink Ireland, assesses the continuing impact of Brexit on Ireland’s agri-food and drinks sector, counts the cost of Covid, assesses the challenges facing the industry going forward, and reveals the supports that must be put in place to support our most important indigenous industry.

10 BORD BIA

Bord Bia reports that 82% of food businesses remain optimistic despite significant challenges, notably the impact of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the sustainability challenge ahead.

12 Sustainability

Irish food and drink industry is transitioning towards a circular economy, reveals Kevin Maher, Environmental Sustainability Executive, Food Drink Ireland.

16 Responsible Marketing

Ireland’s food and drink companies are taking the lead when it comes to marketing their products responsibly, particularly when it comes to children, explains Ailbhe Byrne, Public Affairs Executive, Food Drink Ireland.

18 Portion Information

Elizabeth Bowen, Director of Prepared Consumer Foods, Food Drink Ireland, reveals the role that portion size plays in a balanced diet.

20 Invest Northern Ireland

Invest Northern Ireland has been helping companies to grow exports during Covid-19 through a series of virtual events, which have led to increased sales throughout the Republic of Ireland.

22 The Future of Food

59

26 Spirits

Tariff wars are not good news for Irish spirits, writes Vincent McGovern, Head of Spirits at Drinks Ireland.

28 Brewing Market Report

Jonathan McDade, Head of Beer at Drinks Ireland, assesses the damage wrought on Ireland’s brewing industry by the Covid-19 pandemic.

30 Cider Market Report

Counting the cost of Covid-19 on the cider market as industry calls for excise relief for craft cider producers.

32 Barcoding & Traceability

With over 350,000 square feet of manufacturing and storage facilities spread over 40 acres in Cork and Meath, Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging are one of the country’s leading providers of pallets, packaging and storage facilities.

52 Thermoformed Packaging

FSC certified, Limerick Packaging not only deliver ‘On Time, Everytime’ but guarantee that their product range also delivers on sustainability.

36 Food Safety

Dr James McIntosh, Toxicologist, safefood, explains your legal obligations when it comes to actively managing food allergens.

38 Robotics

The new KR DELTA robot from KUKA provides support where hygiene is of the essence.

Sustainability is at the heart of every business decision made by Cavan-based Xtrupak.

54 Teagasc/Devenish Partnership

Ireland’s food sector could have huge competitive advantage through a sustainabilityfocused partnership between Devenish and Teagasc.

55 Process Data

Bonner can help customers to unlock the value within their process data, enabling them to make smarter decisions for their business.

57 Process Mechanical Solutions

40 UCC

The Food Industry Training Unit at UCC is running a series of accredited and nonaccredited courses for the food, agri-food and seafood sectors, while FoodlineUCC is an innovative new online initiative.

Despite the significant challenges affecting our sector, investment in Learning and Development remains strong, writes Mark Skinner, Food Drink Ireland Skillnet Manager.

Food Ireland is published by: Tara Publishing Ltd 14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.

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46 Pallets & Packaging

Festo is a leading world-wide supplier of safe, efficient and reliable automation technology for the food industry.

34 Limerick Packaging

The Guaranteed Irish forum on ‘The Future Of Food’ saw industry experts discuss the latest trends and opportunities in the Irish food industry, offering tips for success in a postpandemic landscape.

Alan O’Donnell, EMEA Food Technical Sales Manager at Univar Solutions, explains how their food scientists and formulators are leading the way in clean label solutions, meeting consumer demands for fresh, more sustainably sourced and naturally derived ingredients, while fostering the environmentally-conscious brands of tomorrow.

50 Automation Systems

Maria Svejdar, Head of Marketing, Communications and CX, GS1 Ireland, explains how ‘intelligent barcodes’ can revolutionise the way we do business.

42 learning & development

44 Ingredients

Flexachem provide process mechanical solutions, pumps, valves and mechanical seals to all main industries of manufacture within Ireland.

59 Foodservice

A new report from Bord Bia forecasts the Irish foodservice market will return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022.

LISTINGS SECTION Product & Service Index

63

Company Listings

66

Relevant Organisations

77

Three-Year Calendar

80

Managing Director: Patrick Aylward Editorial and Marketing Director: Kathleen Belton

Editor: John Walshe Sales: Brian Clark, Aaron Stewart Production: Ciara Conway Design: Tony Hunt Printed by: W&G Baird

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 1

minister’s interview

Challenging times

for Irish agri-food

Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine, discusses the impact of Covid-19 on Ireland’s agri-food industry, the fall-out from Brexit, CAP reform and the sustainability agenda, including his Department’s forthcoming 10-year strategy, providing a roadmap for the sector going forward.

T

he last 18 months have been unprecedented in the history of the Irish state. Covid-19 has impacted on every aspect of our lives, from our children’s education to our workplaces, our ability to interact with each other and our livelihoods. Every sector of the economy has been affected, including food and drink. Indeed, the Irish agri-food and drink sector has really stepped up to the plate during the pandemic, ensuring that supply chains remained open and robust, guaranteeing that essential food and drink products made it to retail shelves, not just at home but in all the territories to which we export.

“The sector deserves massive credit and respect for what it has achieved and how it has managed itself throughout the last 18 months in particular,” insists Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD. “Covid and Brexit were two very significant challenges and Covid, in particular, brought unprecedented change. Like many aspects of the economy, the agri-food sector was considered essential and had to continue to operate throughout the pandemic; this was very difficult and very challenging from an operational point of view, but also led to significant disruption in terms of markets and consumer behaviour.

First and foremost, our primary producers continued to operate

2 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

very effectively in producing our food; the processing sector had a particularly challenging time, and they deserve great credit and respect for the work they carried out and the food they continued to produce.”

The Minister is full of admiration for the overall performance of the sector in this most difficult of years: “In terms of the wider economy, agri-food exports fell very narrowly from €14.5 billion the previous year to €14.2 billion in 2020. This is a remarkable performance, given that we witnessed significant disruption to the foodservice sector right across the world, as well as domestically, albeit this was balanced somewhat by increased demand at retail and shop level.

“Overall, the sector has come through what was a turbulent period in a strong manner,” the Minister notes.

“It’s quite encouraging to see that prices have been strong across many of our key markets in 2021 and we hope that will continue and that the sector can continue to build upon what it has achieved recently.”

Foodservice effectively shut down overnight and is taking a little longer to get back on its feet that was initially predicted, with the latest Bord Bia report estimating that the domestic foodservice sector will return to preCharlie pandemic levels by the end of 2022.

McConalogue So hopefully things are moving in the TD, Minister for Agriculture, right direction.

Food and the “I think they are,” the Minister opines.

Marine.

“The fact that prices have recovered

minister’s interview significantly is encouraging, and hopefully as foodservice reopens it will improve the macro-environment around food and we may see consumption increase. Our higher value products were impacted significantly. Last year, with the initial impact of Covid, it took a while for systems to adjust and for demand to find a new equilibrium; there were some pricing impacts during that period for primary producers and supports were put in place. But things have recovered remarkably well and stabilised really strongly. We are all looking forward to the supply chains for the foodservice sector reopening and getting back to their previous equilibrium both domestically and at European level, which can only be a positive for our sector.”

The fall-out from Brexit The other significant challenge facing the sector was the UK leaving the European Union, with fears of a ‘no deal’ Brexit a very real threat throughout 2020. The last-minute Brexit deal was very welcome, meaning that there were no tariffs on exports from Ireland (and the other EU Member States) into the United Kingdom, but in effect it was still quite a hard Brexit for the Irish food and drinks industry, with significant additional costs to trading with our near neighbours. While some of the teething problems around imports appear to have ironed themselves out, there are still significant challenges ahead, with October 1 bringing new SPS controls on goods entering Britain, for example.

“The Trade and Cooperation Agreement was massively important for agri-food nationally because a ‘no deal’ Brexit would have been quite catastrophic in terms of the impact it would have had on our relationship with our biggest trading partner, which is the UK,” the Minister notes. “The fact that we don’t have tariffs in place has been massive in that regard. Obviously, exports have held up very well to the UK; despite significant new market development last year, trade to the UK remains consistent, which is a reflection of the fact that the UK is right beside us, they want to buy our food and we want to supply them. That will continue to be the case and thankfully, the Trade and Co-operation Agreement facilitates that.”

However, Minister McConalogue admits that “real challenges” remain around Brexit.” We have seen the brunt of those challenges

on goods coming into the country since January 1, 2021, as all European SPS checks applied immediately from the start of the year, which created significant disruption for many companies importing into Ireland from the UK. But that is a lesson for us about the challenges we face exporting to the UK from October 1 and then subsequently on January 1, 2022, and March 1, 2022, in terms of the new checks that come in. Even though they have been delayed, the UK will start to apply full SPS checks to Irish exports. So there is a massive job there for everyone in the food sector to prepare for this.”

Preparations for the new system are taking up a lot of time within the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine, the Minister reveals, particularly in relation to “making sure we have the veterinary and staffing systems in place for the new system”, but he believes that “there is a lot of work for the food operators too in preparing”.

“The key message I have for everyone in the food sector is to be ready, get prepared, because there is significant potential for disruption if we don’t prepare well,” the Minister stresses. “That said, I think we can keep things stable as these additional checks are applied, ensuring that we keep our market share and our export levels to Britain.”

Changing supply chains Brexit has already brought some changes to supply chains, particularly in relation to imports. Many companies effectively utilised the UK as a distribution hub for Ireland, and not just for products from Britain but from continental Europe as well, but Brexit has meant a re-think.

“There is undeniably some undeniable permanent change that has resulted from Brexit in terms of supply chains,” the Minister agrees. “A lot of businesses, including retailers, have had to adjust how they operate these supply chains, particularly in terms of groupage, which has proved particularly challenging, while also looking at additional or new supply chains due to the additional complexity of the supply chain that involves product coming into Ireland through Britain. We saw disruption to import supply chains in the early part of the year, which I think has reached some kind of equilibrium now, as retailers are finding new ways to do things. It

Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (right), is pictured with Niall O’Connor, Aldi Group Managing Director, at Aldi’s announcement of its pledge to support the planting of one million native Irish woodland trees around Ireland over the next four years as part of its long-term commitment towards the environment.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 3

minister’s interview

The Minister has been heavily involved in EU agriculture negotiations for some years.

is a lesson to us to be prepared about goods going in the opposite direction to try to minimise disruption in our export business.”

Minister McConalogue has had quite a busy tenure in his role so far. As well as the twin challenges of Covid and Brexit, he also had the thorny issue of the reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to contend with, with EU Member States finally agreeing on a new ‘green’ reform in late June after some years of debate.

“The fact that we have CAP agreed at European level is very welcome,” the Minister noted. “It brings some certainty to farm incomes and the funding that will be available for the seven-year period of its lifetime. We were in an unusual position in that CAP was running two years behind, which led to lots of uncertainty over what was coming down the tracks. I think overall, the deal we have secured at European level is a good one, one that is in the interests of Irish farming and provides the flexibility for us to be able to put together our own national CAP plan over the coming months and have it submitted to Europe by the end of this year.”

Describing the agreement as “a positive CAP for Ireland”, the Minister stresses that the new CAP budget will see Ireland receiving funding of €10.77 billion for our 120,000-plus farm families over seven years, a “hard-fought” figure which is “narrowly up on what it was in previous years”.

The new CAP plan has “significant additional environmental ambition”, according to the Minister: “That is something we can make work for Irish farmers, and something Irish farmers have already embraced in previous years and will do so again this time around. It is very important that these schemes, which farmers are being given the opportunity to take up, work well for farmers and pay them for environmental actions.”

for the industry up to 2030, with focus on our climate action and environmental obligations, taking what it describes as a “food systems” approach.

“I think it sets a very strong direction for our food sector,” the Minister stresses. “We have been well served over the last number of years by the policies and strategies that have been put together, with all aspects of the industry coming together, and I think that has worked very well, through Food Harvest 2020, Food Wise 2025 and we are now finalising the 2030 strategy.”

The new strategy has strong focus on sustainability, health and wellness, which the Minister believes ties in with wider societal trends and positions Ireland perfectly for sustained growth in the years ahead.

“It is taking an approach with I think reflects the modern world in which we live and how people interact with food, reflecting the importance and centrality of food to all of our lives,” he states. “It’s not just about how we produce food, which we have always done very well, to the point that we are recognised as a world leader in producing healthy, safe food, but it is also about how that intertwines with the environment and how it intertwines with people’s health, and how that in doing that, we can ensure that all of those involved in the process of food production are sustainable from a financial point of view as well. So I think it is a very coherent, comprehensive approach, one which will serve Irish food well and one which leads us in the direction that the world is taking in terms of food production, looking at it from a holistic point of view and ensuring that that the production of food complements and contributes to people’s health, welfare and wellbeing, and also to the health and wellbeing of our environment.”

He pays tribute to agricultural economist Tom Arnold’s “tremendous work” in chairing the formulation of the strategy, which the Minister believes “will ensure that Irish food production remains a world leader in terms of our production systems and what we deliver.”

New Government agri-food strategy on the way

The drive for sustainability

The CAP’s “green ambition” mirrors the Government’s forthcoming 10-year Strategy for the agri-food sector, which provides a roadmap

Just a few years ago, the whole notion of sustainability was desirable, certainly, but it was also perhaps aspirational, something to be aimed

CAP reform

4 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/222

minister’s interview for in a general, amorphous way, with only a handful of visionary corporate citizens really driving a sustainable agenda.

Today, however, all that has changed utterly. Thanks to a combination of factors, including the influence of inter-generational trailblazers, from the genuinely inspiring Greta Thunberg to veteran broadcaster David Attenborough, who ensured that climate change is top-of-mind throughout society, sustainability is very much a real and immediate issue.

The havoc wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated consumer desire for corporate sustainability, as the pandemic brought a host of issues into sharp relief, including supply chains, globalisation and the fact that the huge reduction in human movement and industry has doubtless been good for the planet. A World Economic Forum paper from January of this year argues that some companies aren’t adapting quickly enough to the “disrupt or be disrupted” mindset.

“The task is daunting and there’s no time to lose,” according to the WEF report. “We need to transform a global economy founded on the principles of unlimited access to resources and the primacy of shareholders to one that recognises the limits and consequences of everything we extract, manufacture, consume and waste, and the impacts on the people involved in doing so.”

The message coming through is that those businesses who ignore the sustainability concerns of their customers will suffer at the expense of those who listen and respond to those concerns.

Ireland has been recognised as being at the forefront of sustainability, with the huge success of Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme in particular as an innovative, cross-stakeholder, countrywide approach to sustainability to the point where we are now advising other countries on their sustainability journey. This new strategy could be seen as a continuation of the progress already made.

“We are seen as a world leader when it comes to sustainability and food production,” the Minister agrees. “Our grass-based food production system is quite unique in terms of food producing nations, and we are very much perceived in that fashion. I think the Bord Bia Origin Green programme has been really important in relation to getting that message across. I think things can and are moving to a new level in terms of how we do that, and we are becoming more pro-active in relation to sustainability, working with the environment around us in terms of improving biodiversity, in terms of ensuring that key environmental indicators are monitored at all times and that all farming practices ensure that our environment is protected.

“We also want to be at the cutting edge of how food interacts with health and wellbeing. I think that is a big space going forward and one where Ireland can really develop; we have always known that healthy, safe food is crucial for health but there is so much more that can be done in this area and our 10-year strategy is going to do that. How food is produced, processed, packaged and delivered onto tables is going to become even more important and central to the next 10 years. Well produced, healthy food is central to ensuring people’s health is well looked after; Ireland does this extremely well and I think we can really highlight and focus on that.”

would definitely or probably change their consumption habits to reduce their impact on the environment, according to a 2018 Nielsen study.

“Public awareness of the importance of the environment has changed radically in the last number of years,” the Minister notes.

“Consumers want to be assured and have proof that the food they are consuming is sustainable and is produced in synchronisation with the environment; not only that, but as the custodians of the land, that farmers are using that position to lead-out in terms of proactive measures, particularly in the biodiversity sphere. That is happening and it is something that will continue to accelerate. It is also very important in the work of Bord Bia, working with farmers and all other stakeholders in terms of demonstrating our credentials to consumers.

I think that has real potential in terms of keeping Ireland at the top table internationally in terms of proving our position, with consumers actively seeking out Irish food not just for the quality of the food itself but also for the way in which it is produced.”

The challenges and opportunities ahead Looking to the future, as we hope to get back to some form of normality, what does the Minister view as the main challenges and opportunities for Ireland in the months ahead?

One of the key challenges at primary producer level is “ensuring strong, viable careers for young farmers”, according to the Minister.

“I think there are lots of opportunities there, particularly in terms of adding value to the food we produce. The CAP is going to be important in terms of underpinning that, while we are also looking at supports for young farmers in terms of generation renewal, with increased funding available for young farmers within the CAP.” In terms of the wider food production and processing industry, he believes that Ireland is in a good position to build on the “very substantial work” that has happened over the last number of years: “We have seen the total value of our agri-food increase from €8.9 billion in 2010 to €14.5 billion today. We are the strongest and largest indigenous employer within the economy and the most significant sector in terms of exports. That is a tremendous platform, there has been remarkable progress and I think it is about deepening that, improving the financial sustainability of all those involved in the food chain, particularly at primary producer level, and continuing to grow the value of what we produce and export.”

Consumers driving the agenda The WEF report likened the move towards sustainability to the digital revolution, arguing that companies who don’t engage in sustainable practices and communicate their sustainability journey to their customers are not going to survive. This is being driven primarily not

by Government or industry, but by the consumer, who wants to see real action on sustainability, the environment and climate change.

Sustainability-linked consumer products now grow nearly six times faster than other brands, and 73% of global consumers say they

Minister McConalogue is pictured at the launch of Origin Green Gold Membership in 2020.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 5

sector overview

Supporting Ireland’s most important indigenous industry

Paul Kelly, Director, Food Drink Ireland, assesses the continuing impact of Brexit on Ireland’s agri-food and drinks sector, counts the cost of Covid, and highlights the challenges facing the industry going forward, noting the supports that must be put in place to support our most important indigenous industry.

T

he food and drink manufacturing sector is Ireland’s largest indigenous exporting sector, accounting for 23% of employment of Irish-owned exporting firms. The sector alone accounts for 31% of total indigenous exports and over 54% of indigenous manufactured exports.

The sector spends €1.7 billion on payroll in Ireland, along with €8.4 billion on materials from domestic suppliers, and €1.3 billion on domestic services. This makes the food and drink sector by far the largest purchaser of goods and services in the Irish economy of any exporting sector.

The sector, despite accounting for only 14% of Ireland’s total exports, is by far its most interwoven with the domestic economy.

Over the past decade, the food and drink sector has spent over €120 billion in payroll and purchases in the Irish economy. This amounts to 45% of the total of all manufacturing exporters. €82 billion of this amount was purchases of materials from primary producers and other domestic firms in their supply chain.

Brexit - non-tariff barriers now a reality FDI has welcomed the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) 6 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

reached between the EU and the UK as disastrous tariffs have largely been avoided but the agreement reached is still very much a hard Brexit. The UK has left the single market and left the customs union, and this has introduced a number of barriers to trade with Great Britain in particular.

Food and drink companies face substantial non-tariff barriers to trade between Ireland and Great Britain with customs, SPS and other food safety requirements, initially for imports and in the months ahead for exports too.

Looking first at imports, most of the initial teething problems have been resolved but shipments through the ports remain at lower-than-normal volumes. There are additional costs and supply chain complexities arising from both SPS and customs controls and all hit the bottom line.

Exports to Great Britain have been working reasonably well.

Companies were largely prepared for the new customs formalities which came into effect from January 1. However, east-west trade flows have been impacted by difficulties for backloads from GB leading to shortage of trailers, delays and increasing costs of transport as many trucks return empty to Ireland.

sector overview The challenges will increase for exporters when the second phase of the UK’s Border Operating Model takes effect from October 1. Irish exporters will face a new SPS regime for Products of Animal Origin, such as meat and dairy, with veterinary certification / documentary check requirements, additional administration and additional costs. From January 1, 2022, Irish agri-food exports consignments will have to enter the UK through ports with Border Control Post (BCP) facilities and will be open to further SPS controls (identity checks and physical examination).

This step presents further potential for disruption to logistics.

A big concern with Brexit is our reliance on the UK land-bridge for trade with Continental Europe. Capacity and frequency of direct sailings to the Continent have been increased but further capacity is needed. Exporters and importers are still using the UK landbridge by necessity. Additional processes are required, some delays are experienced, and additional costs associated with paperwork and Transit Guarantee facilities are being incurred. However, the land-bridge will continue to be a strategically important route to market for many Irish food and drink exporters and importers.

The rules of origin in the TCA are severely disadvantaging many in the food and drink sector, as well as Irish consumers. Here are three examples: ◆ Much of the flour we import from Great Britain has a Canadian wheat content in excess of 15%. This exceeds the tolerance level in the rules of origin, so the full tariff of €172 / tonne is imposed.

◆ Many companies have evolved supply chains that stretch to

the continent and utilise GB distribution hubs to serve the Irish market. Under the rules of origin, they now face paying a full tariff on many of the goods coming from these hubs, even though they originated in the EU.

◆ Dairy products processed from the mixed North/South milk

pool will not be able to avail of preferential tariffs in the many Free Trade Agreements that the EU has negotiated, as well as access to sCMO Market Tools. Spirits will be similarly affected.

Fund. The non-tariff barriers faced by Irish exporters are substantial and a drag on individual company competitiveness. There needs, therefore, to be a renewed focus on lowering the cost of doing business in Ireland.

Covid recovery and supply chain challenges Global volatility in prices of raw materials and other input costs have been a dominant theme for the sector recently. These continued price pressures mean that while turnover may recover in the months ahead, as the foodservice sector reopens domestically and in export markets, many firms are facing an extended period of margin compression without cost recovery in the marketplace. One major challenge facing companies during the recovery from the pandemic is rising trade costs, domestically and globally. These costs, in effect, act as a tax on trade and if they are sustained, could have real impacts in terms of the structure and volume of global trade.

Whilst some supply challenges which initially drove input cost increases may be transitory and fade in normal times, cost recovery dynamics in a post-Covid era might play a dominant role in determining whether increasing supply will lead to a fall-back in prices along supply-chains.

Labour shortages Despite a high unemployment rate, food processors are facing a serious challenge in securing the necessary labour they need.

Labour shortages are having a serious impact on food businesses’ ability to maintain current operational activity; they are limiting Food and drink companies face substantial non-tariff barriers to trade between Ireland and Great Britain with customs, SPS and other food safety requirements, initially for imports and in the months ahead for exports too.

The potential of regulatory divergence In the months ahead, a big concern is regulatory divergence.

In April, we saw changes in the certification requirements for composite products, changes that the UK did not adopt. As these divergences grow more frequent, there needs to be an awareness of the closeness of the Irish and UK markets in terms of distribution systems, common packaging and so on and the unique difficulties that will therefore be faced by Irish producers and suppliers.

The scope for divergence in regulation and standards potentially increases further in the medium to long term, especially as the UK completes trade deals with other global partners. This presents a significant new competitive threat for our food exports to Great Britain and a cost burden on imports from Great Britain.

As we look to the future, in addition to seeking reductions in these non-tariff barriers, our priority must be to maintain our valuable UK market position and continue to diversify our exports to the rest of the EU and further afield. As the most exposed sector in the economy, this requires supports from Ireland’s €1 billion allocation from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve and from Budget 2021’s Recovery FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 7

sector overview

From October 1, Irish exporters to the UK will face a new SPS regime for Products of Animal Origin, such as meat and dairy, with veterinary certification / documentary check requirements, additional administration and additional costs.

companies’ ability to serve existing customers, take on new business opportunities and make up for losses caused by Covid-19 and Brexit.

Pre-pandemic, our members were finding it difficult to recruit.

However, acute shortages are now being experienced across the sector in a growing number of roles. This will require additional investment in skills, apprenticeships and employment permits from non-EEA countries.

Sustainable food systems The recently approved Climate Action Bill aims to halve emissions by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Working together with other stakeholders, the industry will intensify sector-level

engagement, with the aim of ensuring that each sector within food and drink is well placed to meet the objectives initially for 2030, as part of achieving wider climate neutrality by 2050. Such a major challenge cannot be met through regulations alone but requires support by industry and the wider food chain, with Government and EU supports to incentivise the necessary change consistent with maintaining a vibrant and competitive agri-food industry into the future.

However, there are some considerations that need to be taken account of: ◆ Consumers, policy makers and wider society need to appreciate the increasing burdens that multiple demands place on primary producers, food production and processing and many of these have a cost.

◆ The food sector, though a vital

Global volatility in prices of raw materials and other input costs have been a dominant theme for the Irish agri-food sector.

8 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

part of societal wellbeing, is, in overall terms, a low margin business. Squeezing such tight margins further is neither good for the sector nor is it good for society.

It is, therefore, essential that the measures necessary to transition to a low carbon economy fully and appropriately recognise the costs of doing so and give full support to the sector in making that transition.

Significant investment will be needed to meet the goals set out in the low-carbon roadmap and financing supports will be needed to help food companies put in place the necessary abatement measures.

Allergen guidance + + advice

Get to grips with gluten + allergens For free guides, video tutorials and information to help food businesses visit www.safefood.net/allergens

bord bia

Optimistic outlook in

Bord Bia Readiness Radar Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia.

Bord Bia reports that 82% of food businesses remain optimistic despite significant challenges, notably the impact of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the sustainability challenge ahead.

D

espite the unprecedented challenges Martin Heydon TD, facing the Irish food, drink and Minister of State at the Department of horticulture sector in 2020 and 2021, Agriculture Food and the resilience and positive outlook of the the Marine, at the sector is clear as 82% of Irish businesses are launch of the Bord Bia Readiness Radar optimistic for the next three years, according 2021. to Bord Bia’s Readiness Radar report.

Bord Bia’s Readiness Radar is an expert risk diagnostic tool, designed to analyse the key challenges and opportunities facing the Irish food, drink and horticulture sector. The report analyses the high-level risks facing the industry in key areas such as: Covid-19, the trading environment with the UK, market diversification, talent management, and sustainability. The report provides crucial insight into how Bord Bia can best support the sector to overcome these obstacles and target new potential opportunities. The results are based on an in-depth survey of 111 Irish businesses from across food, drink and horticulture, representing an estimated 60% of all Irish food and drink exports.

While Brexit and Covid-19 in particular presented significant challenges to the sector, both short and long-term outlook has remained positive and 2020 exports witnessed only a marginal 2% decline to €13 billion (Source: Bord Bia Export Performance and

10 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Prospects 2021). The industry’s robust response to Brexit and Covid-19 has reaped rewards, as having overcome the challenges of 2020, much of the sector feels now more prepared and confident for the period ahead.

The implications of Brexit However, the trading environment with the UK and the implications of Brexit remain an issue, as 45% of businesses surveyed have reported to have seen the value of their exports decline since the referendum in 2016. A stark 90% of the Irish businesses exporting to Britain report an increase in the costs of doing so post-Brexit, and for 80% of these, margins have been reduced, which has led to necessary price increases for British customers, therefore impacting adversely on competitiveness.

To help offset some of the impact of Brexit, the businesses surveyed remain focused on the need to diversify into new export markets. The EU was identified as the most significant prospect in terms of market diversification, along with bright expectations for Asian markets in particular from larger enterprises and those in the meat, dairy, and seafood sectors. Encouragingly, according to Bord

bord bia

‘

’

Brexit continues to impact on the food and drink sector, with 90% reporting higher costs and reduced margins.

Bia, some 46% (or €871 million) of total export growth since 2016 (€1.9 billion) comes from the EU27, while international markets accounted for 43% (or €817 million).

Market diversification plans

“The Irish food and drink sector has faced many significant challenges in 2020, and these continue in 2021,” noted the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, commenting on the report findings. “However, the sector has remained resilient, and the industry’s confidence is reflected in the desire to diversify and expand to new markets, signalling global ambitions for growth.

This ambition for market diversification is crucial Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia Chief Executive, pictured presenting the Bord Bia Readiness Radar 2021. to mitigate the impacts of Brexit, and to take full advantage of the opportunities in the rest of the EU and in international markets such as Asia. I want to assure the sector that as Minister with responsibility for new market development, I, my Department and Bord Bia will continue to collaborate to fully support the sector’s ambitious market diversification plans.”

Bord Bia’s Chief Executive, Tara McCarthy, added, “It is incredibly heartening to witness the positive outlook of the Irish food and drink sector highlighted by the Readiness Radar, as 82% of businesses report being optimistic for the next three years despite difficult trading conditions of 2020 and 2021. The food and drink industry has bravely confronted Covid-19 and Brexit disruption; however, the adverse effects of Brexit on margins and costs signal the significant challenges still facing the sector. The Readiness Radar 2021 report provides us with excellent up-todate insight into the biggest risks facing the industry and will allow us to continue to tailor our supports for the sector to help maintain and grow food exports now and into the future.”

The sustainability challenge Unsurprisingly, the report also highlighted that sustainability remains crucial and is by far and away the most significant and the most widely accepted challenge facing the global food and drink industry. Some eight in 10 companies consider sustainability spend to be an investment as opposed to a cost, while three in four have verified sustainability measures in place.

When looking at what is driving the sustainability agenda, social responsibility, customer demands and consumer expectations were called out as the top three forces of change. Packaging, responsible sourcing and waste are the current top sustainability priorities for companies, and the sector almost unanimously agrees (95%) that sustainability will become more important in the next three years.

Finally, attracting, developing and retaining talent also emerged as a “top five” risk area in the report, as 73% of businesses consider it to be a risk to future development and growth, with 38% citing it as a critical or very significant risk.

The Readiness Radar report also analyses risks such as the impact of Covid-19, insight and consumer research, innovation and new product development and digital technology. The full report can be found on www.bordbia.ie/radar.

FOOD IRELAND YFOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 11

sustainability The Irish food and drink industry is transitioning towards a circular economy, reveals Kevin Maher, Environmental Sustainability Executive, Food Drink Ireland.

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he food and drink industry is the only major industrial sector with a full domestic supply chain from farm to fork (as well as a parallel overseas chain of imports and exports). It interacts with a wide range of economic and social interests across Ireland, and this is particularly true for the environment. Sustainability is a major priority for the food processing and manufacturing sector.

The food and drink sector is committed to contributing to the creation of a circular economy and is working with suppliers, retailers and consumers to support sustainable consumption patterns. The industry recognises its responsibility for stimulating a circular economy and can play a leading role in the shift towards circularity.

A collaborative approach with all actors across the supply chain will be key to the creation of a circular economy. Businesses are

investing in many positive changes in their own processes and practices. Food and drink companies are continually looking to improve the circularity and environmental performance of their products wherever possible, while ensuring the highest level of quality and safety.

EU legislation There are many regulatory and non-regulatory barriers the food and drink industry must overcome that will further help the industry become more circular. July 3 saw the transposition of a new major European Directive into Irish law that bans the placing of certain single-use plastic items on the Irish market.

The Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD) aims to reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, particularly

Putting the planet first

12 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

sustainability marine litter. The SUPD targets products made wholly or partly from plastic that are typically intended to be used just once.

The SUPD bans the placing of products, such as plastic cutlery and plastic straws, on the market, introduces measures to reduce the consumption of food containers and beverage cups made of plastic, and introduces a requirement to place a single-use plastic logo on certain products such as plastic cups.

The implementation of the new European Circular Economy Action Plan and the revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive will ensure greater resource efficiency and more sustainable packaging solutions for the food and drink sector, thereby influencing the industry to become more circular.

The EU Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F) will form the basis for policies and policy reform over the next decade. The Farm to Fork Strategy, the European Commission’s high-level five-year strategy for sustainability throughout the food supply chain, provides food businesses with a clear signal of the areas of focus for EU legislative and non-legislative measures over the coming years.

The Irish approach It is not just at EU level where there is new legislation and strategies to help the industry shift towards a circular model. Last year, the Irish Government published the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy. This is Ireland’s roadmap for waste planning and management. This Plan shifts focus away from waste disposal and looks instead at how to preserve resources by creating a circular economy.

The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy sets out a range of aims and targets for the State and the measures by which these will be achieved, including increased regulation and measures across various waste areas, such as Circular Economy, Municipal Waste, Consumer Protection and Citizen Engagement, Plastics and Packaging, Construction and Demolition, Textiles, Green Public Procurement and Waste Enforcement.

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021, which is currently before Seanad Éireann, puts in place legislation to set Ireland on the path to net-Zero emissions no later than 2050, and to a 51% reduction in emissions by the end of this decade. The Bill will provide the framework for Ireland to meet its international and EU climate commitments and to become a leader rather than a laggard in addressing climate change.

The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications

Ireland’s food and drink industry recognises its responsibility for stimulating a circular economy and can play a leading role in the shift towards circularity.

(DECC) have recently concluded a public consultation on a new Circular Economy Strategy, which is expected to be published later this year. This will be the first Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy that will ensure policy coherence across the public sector and outline Government’s overall approach to the circular economy for stakeholders and the public.

Barriers: perceived and real There are many non-regulatory barriers the industry must overcome in the shift towards a circular economy. At a recent Food Drink Ireland/Voice Ireland webinar on reusable packaging and refill, retail, food and drink companies were asked what they would consider being the biggest barrier in switching to reusable packaging. From almost 100 participants, the results were: • • • • • •

Product suitability – 45% Cost – 22% Logistics – 14% Ensuring product quality – 11% Regulatory issues – 6% Consumer demand – 2% The above result is an example of the types of barriers faced by industry. It will be vital for Government to work with industry to address these barriers (or perceived barriers as they may be in some cases) if the transition to a circular economy is going to be accelerated.

The development of the Irish waste management infrastructure will be a major non-regulatory barrier that will need to be addressed for the further development of the circular economy in Ireland. The food and drink industry welcomes the call in the Government’s Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy to review State support for the development of recycling infrastructure and to work with the waste sector to encourage investment to allow for the collection and separation of

A collaborative approach with all actors across the supply chain will be key to the creation of a circular economy.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 13

sustainability soft plastics and black plastics, two materials currently considered non-recyclable.

These types of materials are difficult to move away from for a variety of reasons, and, therefore, the challenge relating to each item must be assessed individually. Where gaps in infrastructure exist, the Government must assess what role it could play in developing or supporting the development of the appropriate infrastructure to allow the material to be recycled.

Central to continuous progress in reducing food waste is the adoption of a robust measurement methodology. Some companies are already using the Champions 12.3 methodology (champions123.org), which has been developed at international level, along with guidance and reporting templates from WRAP ( the ‘Target, Measure, Act’ approach). This allows progress to be tracked over time on a like-for-like basis.

Research and innovation

Food waste and packaging are closely linked and cannot be considered in isolation. Packaging is essential to bring many foods and beverages to our tables. It has several important functions, one of the most important being to reduce food waste. Because of effective packaging processes, food wastage rates (preconsumption) are 2-4% in industrialised countries. This compares with 50% in developing countries.

Zero Waste Scotland has published a report clearly stating that food waste is now a greater contributor to the global climate crisis than plastics. Two comparisons are vital to bear in mind when discussing food packaging. The environmental impact of avoidable household food waste is eight times greater than the impact of total packaging waste going to landfill. Between 10 and 15 times more energy and materials are locked up in household goods/food than in the packaging around them. For this reason, no measures taken to reduce packaging should increase food waste.

Food and beverage packaging plays a key role in protecting, containing, and preserving the produce contained within. Modern packaging is a central element in the efficient manufacturing, handling, and distribution of food from the factory to consumers’ kitchens. Consumer safety is the overriding objective of food and beverage producers, and packaging ensures effective communication to consumers and its safe use and handling.

Packaging ensures that people can buy and use products when they want them, in good condition and with little wastage. Food packaging also lets consumers see the nutritional information on the label to help make informed choices.

Together, by collaborating with all stakeholders across the supply chain, the food and drink industry can continue to transition towards a more sustainable, circular model going forward. Through realistic goals, training, and adequate investment, FDI members can contribute to Ireland’s successful transition to a circular economy.

Research and innovation are the key to finding solutions to make the food and drink industry, and our economy, more circular.

Government is well placed to support increased levels of research, development and innovation, both commercial and precommercial. DECC should work with the Department of Finance, Department of Enterprise, and others to provide the necessary R&D support required to help manufacturers to research, identify and scale-up circular design and circular manufacturing initiatives.

From a food and drink perspective, the Prepared Consumer Foods (PCF) Centre in Teagasc Ashtown, was opened in 2018 to support companies in piloting industry-led collaborative research and innovation capability, to maximise value creation opportunities and address the challenges across the industry. It is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine. It contains an Advanced Packaging Suite where companies can pilot new packaging types. It also has a Shelf-life Suite where companies can develop and test products with a view to reducing levels of food waste. The development of a facility such as the PCF centre supports research, development, and innovation, aiding companies to develop circular practices.

Industry initiatives The food and drink industry recognises the importance of becoming more circular and has already introduced many circular initiatives at company level. Food Drink Ireland members have many examples of company-level initiatives to reduce food waste in line with the food waste hierarchy. These include: • Rigorous supply chain management aimed at reducing surplus stock.

• Clear ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ date markings on products to reduce food waste in the home.

• Redistribution of surplus food and drinks nearing the end of their shelf-life, for example by working with FoodCloud, a social enterprise that connects businesses with surplus food to charities. Strict standards must be met for donations to ensure the highest levels of food safety. Some companies give financial and other supports to FoodCloud in addition to donations.

• Processing of food waste that is not edible or desired by humans into pet food. In a meat factory, this provides a solution for by-products such as offal or blood.

• The growing Irish whiskey industry contributes the vast majority of spent grains and pot ale from the distilling and brewing processes for use as animal feed.

• Converting food waste into bioenergy through anaerobic digestion. There are only a handful of anaerobic digesters in Ireland, compared with about 60 in Northern Ireland, so this is an area with significant growth potential. As the digesters tend to be farm-based, they can also serve to aid on-farm diversification in an environmentally sustainable way. In Germany and Austria, encouraged by favourable government renewable energy policies, there are several thousand on-farm digesters treating mixtures of manure, energy crops and restaurant waste, with the biogas used to produce electricity.

14 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Packaging

Food and drink companies are continually looking to improve the circularity and environmental performance of their products wherever possible, while ensuring the highest level of quality and safety.

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responsible marketing

Food and drink companies champion responsible marketing

Ireland’s food and drink companies are taking the lead when it comes to marketing their products responsibly, as part of a balanced diet, particularly when it comes to children, explains Ailbhe Byrne, Public Affairs Executive, Food Drink Ireland.

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ow we consume media has changed dramatically in recent years, with the emergence of widespread access to digital channels, and consumer marketing has evolved in response. This has led to a renewed focus on responsible marketing from a range of different stakeholders, such as food and drink companies, governments and civil society groups, as they ensure that appropriate practices are in place.

As leading food and beverage companies, Food Drink Ireland (FDI) members have a key role to play in reconnecting people with the food ecosystem through their brands, in a responsible way, and are committed to marketing their products responsibly, as part of a balanced diet. Many FDI members operate rigorous internal marketing codes, demonstrating leadership within Ireland, and even globally, when it comes to setting standards for responsible marketing.

These company-specific initiatives sit alongside a comprehensive set of codes and pledges at international, national and

16 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

sectoral level, including: • National codes • Voluntary Codes of Practice (VCoP) • EU developments on responsible marketing

National codes BAI Children’s Commercial Communications Code:

A significant Code in terms of the marketing and promotion of food products for FDI members is the Children’s Commercial Communications Code, governed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) – ‘Broadcast Authority of Ireland (2013): BAI Children’s Commercial Communications Code’. The Code contains specific rules and responsibilities for companies marketing products calculated as high in fat, especially saturated fat, sugar and salt (HFSS foods).

In 2018, there were just four complaints submitted, a signal of the high level of compliance. This Code is currently

undergoing a statutory review in order to ensure it remains robust and reflects modern marketing practices. FDI participated in a stakeholder workshop as part of this review and is committed to continued engagement with the BAI. If this review leads to a proposal for changes, FDI members will share with the BAI their assessment of any impact the proposed changes will have, as well as engaging on the implementation period of the new Code.

ASAI Code:

The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) is an independent, selfregulatory body. The existing ASAI code has been in place for over 30 years and is now in its seventh edition, ensuring that it keeps pace with best practice. The ASAI Code contains a specific section for food and nonalcoholic beverages.

In June 2021, the ASAI unveiled new rules relating to advertising of HFSS food and beverage products. The new rules, which

responsible marketing will come into effect at the end of the year, will restrict marketing communications for HFSS foods and beverages from being directed or targeted at children under the age of 15 through the selection of media or the context in which they appear. The rules are in response to changing media habits among young people, as well as wider concerns in society about public health challenges for this age group. Thresholds for non-broadcast media will reduce the overall exposure to HFSS product marketing communications.

The ASAI conducts a rigorous and transparent monitoring process and provides a fair system for dealing with legitimate complaints. In 2019, 137 complaints were made about advertisements in the food and beverage sector, but only seven were found to have been in breach of the Code. This clearly demonstrates that the vast majority of advertisers are compliant with the Code and demonstrates widespread commitment to effective co-regulation.

Voluntary Codes of Practice (VCoP):

In the Government’s Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016-2025 (‘Department of Health (2016): A Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016 -2025’), action 3.2 called for the development and implementation of voluntary codes of practice for food and beverages promotion, marketing and sponsorship. This action led to the establishment of a collaborative working group, including a range of Government departments and agencies, alongside industry stakeholders, with an independent chairperson.

FDI was closely involved in this process, which led to the successful development of the Voluntary Codes of Practice (VCoP) for Non-Broadcast Media Advertising and Marketing of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, including Sponsorship and Retail Product Placement (‘Department of Health (2017): Non-Broadcast Media Advertising and Marketing of Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, including Sponsorship and Retail Product Placement: Voluntary Codes of Practice’).

The codes aim to ensure HFSS foods are marketed and advertised in a responsible way, in particular via digital and other nonbroadcast media.

FDI and its member companies remain committed to the VCoP and call on the Department of Health to progress the establishment of a monitoring body to ensure compliance and effectiveness.

This must be underpinned by guidance developed by the monitoring body with respect to its application.

In May 2021, the Government published the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025 (‘Department of Health (2021): Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025’) which plans for the setting up of an implementation and monitoring framework to preserve the integrity of the implementation of the VCoP on the advertising and marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

FDI and its members welcome the stated intention to progress the VCoP commitments under the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025, as full implementation will ensure the VCoP can be brought to completion and will provide clarity to food and drink companies so that the necessary changes can be made to their marketing practices.

EU Pledge Many of the leading food brands selling into the Irish market are also engaged with initiatives at a European level, including the EU Pledge. The EU Pledge was launched in 2007 and a number of FDI members were involved in the founding of this voluntary initiative. Today, EU Pledge member companies account for over 80% of food and beverage advertising spend in the EU. The EU Pledge outlines strict guidelines for the advertising of food and beverage products, with two main commitments: No advertising for food and beverage products to children under the age of 12 on TV, print and internet, except for products which fulfil common nutritional criteria.

No communication related to products in primary schools, except where specifically requested by, or agreed with, the school administration for educational purposes.

Detailed implementation guidance is provided to EU Pledge members. In line with

the Terms of Reference of the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, monitoring of and reporting on implementation is required. Independent, third-party compliance monitoring is conducted every year in a representative sample of EU Member States.

EU joint action: Best-ReMaP A key developing project at a European level on the marketing and promotion of food products is the Best-ReMaP Joint Action, with 21 Member States participating.

One of the key focuses of this project is the marketing of foods and beverages high in fat, salt and sugar to children and adolescents. Ireland is playing an important role on this particular aspect as a lead on the marketing stream of this project. FDI members are committed to engaging with and supporting Ireland’s participation in the development of this initiative where appropriate.

FDI would urge the Government to use this opportunity to profile the successful collaboration between Government and industry stakeholders on projects such as the VCoP.

Conclusion The food and drink industry has a key role to play in continuing to champion responsible marketing and advertising. As outlined, FDI members are actively engaging in a number of initiatives at both national and international level, highlighting industry’s commitment to improving public health.

Consequently, the success of marketing and advertising codes is predicated on all stakeholders working together so that it is workable, implementable and will ultimately achieve its stated purpose.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 17

portion information

Portion size and a balanced diet

Elizabeth Bowen, Director of Prepared Consumer Foods, Food Drink Ireland, explains the role that portion size plays in a balanced diet and how FDI members are committed to educating consumers on portion information.

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here is a growing desire and need to improve public health and nutrition of populations across the world. Consumers are looking to achieve a balanced diet without compromising on taste or convenience. Food and drink companies are constantly reviewing their product portfolios to ensure that they provide diverse consumers with options that can help them to meet this goal.

There are several innovative ways in which food and drink companies can approach new or existing products to meet the health and dietary needs of consumers. These include portion size and portion information.

According to FoodDrinkEurope, a portion is the amount of a given food or drink reasonably expected to be consumed by an individual in a single serving (Source: FoodDrinkEurope (2017): Eat and Live Well). Portion size is one of the effective levers to help reduce obesity and is a useful tool, particularly in categories where reformulation is technically difficult to achieve.

Food Drink Ireland (FDI) members understand the impact that portion and pack sizes can have on consumption. To empower consumers, food and drink companies provide on-pack guidance to help consumers understand the nutritional composition of a product so that they can make informed choices. There are both mandatory and voluntary elements that provide this information to consumers. FDI members are at the forefront of portion size innovations across a variety of categories and product formats.

A selection of initiatives that have been used

18 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

by food and drink companies in Ireland are outlined below.

The portion size toolkit Tools for single-serving products: • Introduction of smaller, more convenient single-serving products; • Best practice on calorie caps for single- serving products, with lower caps for products for children.

Tools for multi-serving products: • Visual aids on pack to help consumers recognise a responsible portion size; • Division of the product into portions within a larger pack; • A variety of re-closable packaging formats, which allow consumers to enjoy a portion of the products while keeping the rest of the contents fresh for consumption at a later time; • Providing a breakdown of nutrition information per portion on the front and back of pack: this is not required, but can be provided on a voluntary basis.

Industry is also supportive of initiatives such as the British Nutrition Foundation Quality Calorie (QC) concept which encourages us to not just look at the number of calories we consume, but also the quality of our diet to help us on the path to get enough of the nutrients that we need, including vitamins, minerals, and fibre (Source: British Nutrition Foundation (2018) The Quality Calorie Concept).

Reformulation There is no one-size-fits-all approach to improving the nutritional value of products; therefore, portion size plays a key role in the food and drink sector. Through reformulation, FDI member companies across different categories have been working hard to reduce the levels of salt, fat and saturated fat, and sugar in their products, without compromising taste or product safety. Regrettably, significant reformulation is often hard to achieve in all categories, due to technical challenges.

Therefore, focusing on portion size can allow consumers to continue to enjoy their favourite products, in appropriate quantities, as part of a balanced diet.

Conclusion Reducing portion size and offering increased choice for consumers across a range of formats are some of the many ways FDI members are playing their role in educating consumers on portion size and the potential impact on health. FDI members will continue to educate consumers on portion size but call on Government and health agencies for support in communicating to consumers the growing need to be aware of how portion size plays a role in a balanced diet.

For more information on FDI members’ commitments to improving public health and nutrition, read ‘Sector priorities for future success - Portion Size’ at www.ibec.ie/connectand-learn/industries/food-and-drink/fooddrink-ireland.

Northern Ireland.

Bringing our world-class food and drink to your table.

When you source food and drink from Northern Ireland you can be sure of its pure, natural, quality.

That’s why Invest Northern Ireland’s Food and Drink division works with local producers to help them take their products around the world. Whether it’s helping companies to find new markets in the Republic of Ireland, or working with UK supply chains to drive new sales, Invest NI partners with our local producers to help them identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business.

Learn how you can serve our quality food and drink.

Northern Ireland. Altogether more.

For further information contact Jen Guiney, Invest NI E: Jen.Guiney@investni.com M: +44 79 8511 1024

Grand Central Hotel, Belfast, Co. Antrim

We work with NI producers to help identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business.

invest northern ireland

Helping companies to thrive in adversity S

ocial distancing, travel restrictions, and worldwide lockdowns; Covid-19 has impacted traditional face to face selling approaches. However, according to Jen Guiney, Business Development Executive with Invest Northern Ireland, the region’s economic development agency, NI Food and Drink Plc has remained very much open for business.

“My role is to broker mutually beneficial and profitable business relationships between retailers and foodservice operators in the Republic and Northern Ireland companies,” Jen explains. “Undoubtedly, the last year and a half has been very difficult, but it has been so encouraging to see many local companies demonstrate resilience and innovation in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic.”

Invest Northern Ireland has been helping companies to grow exports during Covid-19 through a series of virtual events, which have led to increased sales to companies throughout the Republic of Ireland.

Embracing the virtual world

go virtual.

“Since major national food and drink events, as well as our supplier showcases, were postponed or cancelled in 2020, making it a challenge for NI food and drink companies to meet and present to potential buyers,” Jen continues, “we developed an innovative model, comprising the circulation of themed sample boxes, followed by a live demo, and we hosted our inaugural virtual ‘meet the buyer’ in July 2020.”

Whilst much of Jen’s work within Invest NI’s Food and Drink Division ordinarily includes co-ordinating a programme of exhibitions, networking events, factory visits and ‘meet the buyer’ activities, in the last year and a half, she and the wider team had to react quickly to the needs of the sector in terms of how they delivered support.

“The continuation of global travel restrictions arising from Covid-19 has meant that the exhibitions industry, Invest NI and NI businesses, had to look at new ways of ensuring that Northern Ireland products and services are still effectively promoted to potential buyers in markets around the world,” she reveals. “The answer for us was to 20 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Jen Guiney, Business Development Executive, Invest Northern Ireland.

Virtual events; real-world successes The virtual event proved so successful that the team delivered six more virtual events throughout three lockdowns. Over 70 local food and drink suppliers have presented

their products to approximately 180 targeted retail buyers from the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. Not only have these events provided a solution to companies who were not able to travel to promote and market their products, they have also resulted in sales in both markets, as Jen explains.

“The virtual showcase model has proven so successful and popular with buyers and producers alike that we have a list of producers eager to get involved and in fact, a major multiple in GB approached us directly to create a unique showcase for them, focusing on innovations in a single category,” she notes. “Food writers and influencers have also been excited by the virtual events, as restrictions have also impacted on them getting out and about, so by involving them,

invest northern ireland we have been able to inform them of NPD and the latest innovations in food and drink from Northern Ireland.”

In fact, the virtual events have worked so well that Invest NI plans to maintain its online activities alongside live events in future.

“Busy buyers can find it hard to clear their diaries for one or two days to come and visit us in person, but an hour of online chat on a Friday afternoon is much easier to achieve, especially if it comes with a box of delicious samples to enjoy over the weekend!” Jen says.

“Getting products directly into home kitchens has encouraged our audience to enjoy NI’s finest products at their leisure and really get a feel for their quality and versatility.”

Co. Antrim-based Green Fingers Chocolate Crunch Granola selected as part of the Grow with Aldi programme earlier this year.

Northern Ireland’s success with Aldi In addition, as a direct result of a bespoke virtual ‘meet the buyer’ for the Aldi buying team, this year yielded the highest number of Northern Ireland companies chosen to participate on the Grow with Aldi programme to date. Eight NI food and drink businesses won new contracts to supply Aldi’s 145 stores across the Republic of Ireland through its Grow with Aldi Supplier Development Programme.

These companies included Ballylisk Dairies of Craigavon, who produce Ballylisk of Armagh and Rokeby cheeses; Burren Balsamics, Richhill, for its Letterbox Larder spices; Green Fingers Family Granola of Larne, a producer of handcrafted granolas; Hilden Brewery, Lisburn, a producer of craft beers; Irish Black Butter, Portrush, for its sweet/ savoury spread; Karri Kitchen, Portadown, who produce Asian-inspired wholefood meals; Woodlab Distillery in Pomeroy, the home of Symphonia Spirits, especially gin; and Hellbent’s distinctive coiled South African Boerewors sausages, made with Irish beef.

Irish Black Butter Hazelnut Spread from Portrush, Co. Antrim, was selected for the Grow with Aldi Supplier Development Programme.

Maintaining invaluable relationships “What I endeavour to offer retailers in Ireland is a comprehensive understanding of the products, capacity and capabilities of all our producers,” Jen summarises. “I also seek to identify how our companies can help provide solutions and meet individual business objectives with NI’s outstanding food and drink product offering. Whilst for the forseeable future, we may not be able to physically meet with key retail customers in the way we once did, thankfully enhanced digital platforms will enable us to maintain these invaluable relationships.”

If you are looking for that innovative product to give you a point of difference, coupled with flexibility, quality and consistency – why not make contact with Jen. T:+44 (0) 7985 111024.

Email: jen.guiney@investni.com.

Hellbent’s distinctive coiled South African Boerewors sausages, made with Irish beef, available at Aldi stores nationwide as part of the Grow with Aldi Supplier Development Programme.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 21

the future of food

Key advice for future s The Guaranteed Irish forum on ‘The Future of Food’ saw industry experts discuss the latest trends and opportunities in the Irish food industry, reveal the changes in consumer behaviour and offer tips for succeeding in a post-pandemic landscape.

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HAT is the Irish food and drink market going to look like as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic? What trends will drive growth as we hopefully revert to something close to ‘the old normal’? What are the secrets to succeeding in a post-pandemic landscape?

These questions and more were tackled by a group of industry experts during the Guaranteed Irish ‘The Future of Food’ forum, held online recently.

Guaranteed Irish CEO, Brid O’Connell, hosted the event, which featured an expert panel, including Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia; Ray Kelly, Marketing Director, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland; Brian Lee, Founder of Freshly Chopped; and Laura Murphy, Founder of SynerChi Kombucha.

Presented in a Q&A format, the forum

22 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

offered some very interesting insights into the latest trends and upcoming developments in the food sector.

What do you see as the most important trends in food right now and is Ireland prepared to meet them?

Tara: “We have spoken to 110 food companies around Ireland. Despite all of the major concerns affecting people, including Covid, Brexit, commodity price changes etc, we found that 82% of the businesses we spoke to are enthusiastic about the future.

There is no doubt that Brexit in particular has created increased complexity and costs when it comes to exporting to the UK market and nine out of 10 companies we spoke to are looking to diversify and to reach new export markets. One of the biggest concerns

is about finding and retaining the right talent to allow a large number of companies to grow. We are going to see increased competition for companies looking to attract the best talent; if companies are serious about growth, they need to think about how they will find the right people to help them succeed at that.”

What do you see as the biggest challenges Irish food companies have overcome, or will have to face next?

Laura: “As a manufacturer of healthy food products, the pandemic refocused our ideas around growth. Our focus shifted to grocery and mainstream retail during the pandemic as we needed to get our product where people could access it, with pubs and restaurants being closed. One thing that

the future of food

The Guaranteed Irish forum on ‘The Future of Food’ was chaired by Brid O’Connell, CEO, Guaranteed Irish, and included Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia; Ray Kelly, Marketing Director, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland; Brian Lee, Founder of Freshly Chopped; and Laura Murphy, Founder of SynerChi Kombucha.

event that involved a lot of preparation and it has no doubt been a challenge that has impacted margins. However, while Ireland traditionally has exported a great deal of our food to the UK, we have a new focus on the rest of the EU free market and figuring out the right way to succeed at that is both a challenge and a wonderful opportunity.”

e success really stood in our favour during that shift in focus was the Irishness of our product and our company. The local nature of the product was something that consumers were very focused on; the pandemic has made consumers even more conscious about the supply chain and the origin of the things they consume. Brexit was an

What do you see as the next big trend?

Brian: “Healthy eating has grown to more than a trend and it really is a lifestyle now.

The consumer focus on health and the origins of food is a mainstream fact of life.

Companies like Freshly Chopped really pioneered that trend and newer companies like SynerChi Kombucha are continuing the lead growth in the area. The pandemic amplified that focus on health, especially among the younger demographic. The youth of Ireland are focused on the story and health benefits of the food they are consuming more than ever; it is more important than ever to focus on those

aspects of your product now.”

What do you see as the most important trends in healthy eating right now?

Brian: “Poké Bowls are huge at the moment and that growth is likely to continue.

Despite the fact that we have always been an island nation, we have never had a huge demand for fish compared to other countries. However, that really does seem to be changing now and we are seeing a shift in focus from things like turkey as healthy foods towards fish. The health benefits of fish will see it grow in importance as a product for producers and manufacturers to consider when it comes to any new products.”

What opportunities has Bord Bia identified for Irish food producers?

Tara: “Health really is a national interest now, from individual up to Government level.

Healthy food, but also natural food, are really well set for continued growth. Consumers are very focused on how their diet impacts their health and how the food they eat is produced. They are making better decisions for their own health and for the health of the planet.

“The Origin Green initiative has positioned Ireland very well to lead on this trend as we have been promoting the green nature of our production processes for years now, so be sure to promote the ‘greenness’ of your products. Making it easier for people to reduce their food waste, either through portioning or packaging innovation will also offer serious opportunities for growth. We cannot stress how important online is now; the pandemic massively accelerated the move to online so it is more important than ever to think digital.”

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 23

the future of food What trends and changes have SuperValu and Centra identified as most important?

Ray: “The pandemic had a huge impact on the food and drink sector and as we come out of it, things will change again.

SuperValu Centra have identified some clear trends that will be important as we move to a new normal. Firstly, people are much more confident with food and are willing to spend more time cooking food; that is something that will hold true in the new normal. The value for money attitude has changed, with people no longer seeing cheaper as necessarily better but rather they have a focus on quality, costs and methods of production and the ‘total’ value for money in a product.

“Secondly, people everywhere are looking to support local. That will be a challenge for products looking to export but it is not a challenge that cannot be overcome by products that position themselves correctly.

“The third hugely important change is the focus on sustainability. Reducing plastic usage, minimising waste in production and making it easier for consumers to minimise waste are all increasingly important. Brands and products need to focus on making it easier for consumers to do the right thing.”

What is the best way to get noticed on the shelf?

Ray: “People want to buy Irish, so dial up your Irish and local connections. Promote how sustainable your product is, on the product and on social media in particular.

If you are planning for growth, never forget your USP; you need to know why you are unique and avoid losing that identity as you scale. If you lose your identity in the pursuit of growth, you will start to get overlooked on the shelf. Plan your growth properly so you can scale accordingly.”

What is the best way to launch a new product or line?

Brian: “Freshly Chopped launched during a time when we were recovering from a very deep recession. I still feel that when the chips are down, that can really be the best time to take a chance. We have seen over the last year and a half that the pandemic allowed people to invest in their entrepreneurial spirit. We saw so many horseboxes pop up as coffee shops and other new businesses start up. Find your niche and build your brand in it. That is always the best way to approach any launch. Do not forget the importance of putting the right team together; if you lack expertise in a certain area, you need to find someone who can fill that gap for you, so 24 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Brid O’Connell, CEO, Guaranteed Irish.

Bord Bia CEO, Tara McCarthy: “The pandemic massively accelerated the move to online so it is more important than ever to think digital.”

make sure you have the right team together and you will have the best chance at success.”

How have you been able to grow your brand in a sustainable manner?

Laura: “We benefited greatly from coming through the SuperValu Food Academy.

The programme always has a focus on planning and preparedness for growth and that is something we have taken to heart. It is extremely important to scale at the right speed. Getting our production process internationally certified was a hugely important part of our strategy. Kombucha has been made for such a long time but for us, proving the credentials of how we create our product and take the mystery out of how we produced was very important. Growing sustainably is always about mitigating your weaknesses and playing to your strengths.”

In closing, what would be your top tips for Irish food manufacturers and producers?

Brian: “Building the right team to deliver sustainable growth as we move out of the pandemic is going to be a top priority.

Identify any areas where you lack expertise, or where you will need them to deliver growth, and move early to build the right team.”

Ray: “Foodservice and retail is going to spend some time adapting to the new normal. Brand and culture and job security for your team are all areas to pay special attention to as you begin to open back up and start to look to growing your sales.”

Ray Kelly, Marketing Director, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland: “The pandemic had a huge impact on the food and drink sector and as we come out of it, things will change again.”

Laura: “If you have a newer company, brand or product, do not forget to look to the supports that you can find from the state and private sector. We benefitted greatly from participating in the SuperValu Food Academy, and organisations like Teagasc, Bord Bia and Guaranteed Irish offer great support that you can connect with and take advantage of.”

Tara: “With 82% of companies in the sector confident of growth in the short term, I would agree with the sentiment that it’s absolutely critical to get the right team together to build your brand. So start the process of building that team sooner rather than later.”

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spirits

Tariff wars not good news for Irish spirits

Vincent McGovern, Head of Spirits at Drinks Ireland.

Vincent McGovern, Head of Spirits at Drinks Ireland, discusses the EU’s Section 232 ‘rebalancing’ tariffs on bourbon and US whiskey, why its automatic redoubling would not be a good thing for transatlantic relations, US whiskey and bourbon, and ultimately for Irish spirits and liqueurs.

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n April 2017, the US Commerce Department launched an investigation on the impact of the import of aluminium and steel into the US for national security. The outcome of that investigation resulted in then President Trump, under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, applying 25% import duties on steel and 10% on aluminium from all foreign producers, including those based in the European Union.

The EU responded, threatened and in the end went ahead with retaliation by way of ‘rebalancing’ tariffs of 25% on popular American brands and products such as Harley Davidson motorbikes, Levi’s jeans and most damaging to many Drinks Ireland member companies, along with US whiskey and bourbon.

Inbuilt into the regulation imposing these European tariffs on US goods was a trigger which would automatically double the European tariffs to 50% on June 1, 2021, if no resolution was found.

The trouble with tariffs Since the application of tariffs, exports of US whiskey and bourbon have dramatically reduced to Ireland and Europe. In the first two years of these tariffs, the value of US exports fell from $757 million in June 2018 to circa $500 million in June 2020. Exports 26 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

spirits have continued to fall since then. In turn, these tariffs have directly contributed to US tariffs of 25% being placed on Irish Cream and other Irish liqueurs and a wide variety of other European spirits products in the Airbus /Boeing dispute.

At the heart of this dispute was the US concern that Chinese steel and aluminium is entering the US and undercutting domestic producers. Many in Ireland and Europe believe that European steel and aluminium exports are not a threat to US national security in the way that Chinese products are and were only subjected to the Section 232 tariff because of former President Trump’s hostile attitude towards the EU.

A way to work together?

In light of this, we are of the opinion that there should be a way for the EU and the US to work together to resolve this dispute and face the common challenge we have in China. In an ideal scenario, both sides would suspend their tariffs while the EU works with the US to demonstrate its steel and aluminium is not a threat to US jobs and that it has the ability to prevent trans-shipments of Chinese products to the US. Non-stop transatlantic trade wars over the last number of years have harmed consumers, farming families, cooperages, glass and other suppliers, and the distilling and spirits industry in the US, Ireland and the EU.

Ongoing reset of transatlantic trade relations We believe that the automatic doubling of EU tariffs on bourbon and US whiskey, had it happened, would have had a damaging impact on the ongoing reset of transatlantic trade relations with the Biden Administration. It would have been viewed in the US as an escalation by the EU, risking further US tariffs on EU spirits and other exports from other sectors.

The decision to postpone the automatic doubling of these European tariffs to the start of December is a significant positive gesture intended to help de-escalate and resolve this dispute. It is in keeping with the spirit of transatlantic cooperation already demonstrated by the initial four-month temporary suspension and subsequent five year suspension of all countermeasure tariffs

in the separate Airbus /Boeing trade dispute which has seen European, and Irish, spirits hit with 25% US tariffs. And it moves the responsibility for resolving this trade dispute to where it lies, in other words to the US, where the Section 232 tariffs on EU steel and aluminium that have caused this dispute, originate.

An opportunity to resolve differences Automatic doubling of these Section 232 rebalancing tariffs would have, to say the very least, called into question a full and lasting reset between Europe and the United States on tariffs applied in unrelated sectors. As a result of the EU’s considerate decision, there is now a six-month window during which both sides have the opportunity to resolve their differences regarding the US steel and aluminium tariffs and the EU’s rebalancing tariffs.

This is a more challenging dispute, given US voting patterns in the most recent Presidential election (i.e. steel producing states’ and trade unions’ support for President Biden) but let us hope that this opportunity is taken. As has been proven with the Airbus / Boeing dispute and the recently announced five-year truce to facilitate further negotiations at the WTO level, compromise is not impossible.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 27

brewing market report

Brewers enduring under Covid’s long shadow

Jonathan McDade, Head of Beer at Drinks Ireland, assesses the damage wrought on Ireland’s brewing industry by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns, and calls for more Government supports to help the sector recover from a hellish 18 months.

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he past 18 months have been brutal for Ireland’s brewers. Rolling lockdowns of the hospitality sector have hit sales, production, and morale on an unprecedented scale. While the impact on brewers has been global, the unique relationship between Irish beer drinkers and our pubs has hit brewers particularly hard here. Typically, about 60% of beer consumed in the Irish market is done so in our pubs, restaurants, and hotels. That percentage fell to 29% in 2020 according to Drinks Ireland | Beer’s Annual Market Report.

While beer remains Ireland’s favourite alcohol beverage, its market share has fallen from 45% in 2019 to 38% in 2020. Wine’s market share is not far behind at 32% after a year of sales that exceeded expectations. Beer sales in Ireland fell by a staggering 17% in 2020 when compared to the previous year. There was also a 19% fall in per capita consumption in 2020. This has also resulted in a fall in production of 13%, while the value of exports declined by 17% to €254

28 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

million in 2020, down from €305 million in 2019.

This reflects the lower international demand for Irish beer as other markets endured lockdowns to their respective hospitality sectors. A most notable decline was a 45% fall in Irish beer exports to the United States.

Remarkably, beer was not the biggest contributor of alcohol excise receipts to the exchequer. Indeed, it was not even the second biggest contributor, with an estimated

collection of €351 million paid to the exchequer in 2020, a fall of €70 million compared to 2019.

Beer drinkers in Ireland continue to pay the second highest rate of excise in the EU.

Falling sales and financial impacts The data from early 2021 is less encouraging.

In the first quarter of the year, beer sales fell by 35% compared to Q1 2020 when the pandemic started. When you compare the Q1

brewing market report sales decline to the pre pandemic era of Q1 2019, there was a 40% fall in beer sales this year.

Coupled with a fall in sales for Irish beer, some brewers have also provided extensive financial support to their hospitality customers at a heavy cost to the sector. Since the first lockdown, breweries extended high value credit lines which provided life support to many pubs and bars that were short on cash.

An additional relief that the brewing sector provided for pubs was the reimbursement for all unsold kegs and the uplift and disposal of unsold and out-of-date beer.

The various lockdowns of the hospitality sector have also impacted on the types of beer that were sold in 2020. Stout sales typically make up around 30% of overall beer sales, but in 2020 stout made up just 25% of beer’s market share. Lager was the main beneficially of this, increasing its market share from 63% in 2019 to 69% in 2020. Ale’s beer market share went down from 6% in 2019 to 4% in 2020.

Non-alcoholic beer had a fractional increase in its market share by 0.1% to 1.1%.

Urgent support from Government needed The continued changing of reopening dates for indoor dining and drinking have had major impacts on logistical operations. Over 70,000 kegs of beer were brewed specifically for the 3,500 hospitality outlets that expected to open in early July. The delay in the full reopening of the hospitality sector could result in beer being shipped back to breweries for repurposing or destruction.

Irish brewers need urgent support from Government. As always, a reduction in the

excise rate for beer would be a welcome move, regardless of the Covid situation. However, the sector needs additional financial aid to support the coverage of costs associated with the uplift, disposal, and writing-off of out-of-date beer over the past 18 months. Furthermore, the sector requires a change in the duty system, allowing for excise to be recovered in a similar manner to VAT recovery on bad debts, which would prove invaluable in supporting the provision of credit to the sector. These additional measures are vital for the sector ‘s recovery. While there is hope that the sector can make a recovery, there is still a long road ahead.

A reduction in the excise rate for beer would be a welcome move, ‛regardless of the Covid situation. However, the sector needs additional financial aid to support the coverage of costs associated with the uplift, disposal, and writing-off of out-of-date beer over the past 18 months

’

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 29

cider market report

Cider sales fall as craft sector seeks excise relief Jonathan McDade, Head of Cider at Drinks Ireland, counts the cost of Covid-19 on the cider market and calls for excise relief for craft cider producers.

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he Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on cider sales in 2020.

The rolling lockdowns on our hospitality sector increased cider purchases in the retail sector but not enough to offset the loss of cider sales in pubs, restaurants, and hotels. Typically, around 45% of cider sales are from the hospitality sector; however, that sales share fell to 16% in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Total cider sales fell by over 11% in 2020, with its alcohol market share falling from 7.4% in 2019 to 6.9% in 2020. Per capita consumption has fallen by 11.4%. Since 2011, per capita consumption for cider is down 23%. Over €53 million was collected in excise receipts from cider sales in 2020, an 11% fall compared to the previous year. However, in the past 10 years, over half a billion euro worth of excise receipts have been collected from cider sales in Ireland. Despite the recent decline in sales, Irish consumers are blessed with an

unprecedented range of cider products in our retail and hospitality outlets, both from large commercial producers and indigenous craft producers.

Data for 2021 shows a 16% fall in cider sales, according to Revenue’s first quarter excise clearance data. Obviously, this is attributed to the extended lockdown of Ireland’s hospitality sector.

Despite the excruciatingly slow reopening of Ireland’s hospitality sector, there is some hope for cider sales to recover in the coming years.

Excise relief to extend to craft cider?

There is enormous potential for the category, particularly in food pairing. This is one of the reasons why Drinks Ireland | Cider is calling for the Government to extend the excise relief currently enjoyed by craft brewers to craft cider producers.

The excise relief will enable further investment in the sector, with the aim of replicating the expansion that the craft beer industry saw over the past 15 years. The expected cost to the exchequer is estimated to be less than €250,000, given the small market share of the craft cider sector.

With Ireland having the third highest excise rate in the EU, Drinks Ireland | Cider has been actively campaigning for the Government to introduce a 50% excise relief for craft cider producers for Budget 2022. Such a relief would have downstream benefits for Ireland’s agriculture, retail, tourism, and hospitality sectors.

Reducing taxes to boost the market It is vital for both craft and large commercial cider producers that there is a strong domestic market, where the industry is not overburdened with high taxes. Reducing excise rates for cider will enable the expansion of the sector and boost Irish cider exports. Despite a challenging year, the value of cider exports declined last year by just 2.7% to €58.2 million. About 90% of cider exports go to the United Kingdom, and other export destinations include the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and France. In contrast, the value of imported cider rose by 17% from €12.1 million in 2019 to €14.2 million in 2020, which is further evidence of Irish consumers’ growing curiosity within the category.

While Covid-19 has certainly stalled the growth of the sector, it can recover in line with the full reopening of the hospitality industry and some additional help from the Government.

30 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

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barcoding & traceability

Powering the future of

business

Beyond EAN: building on the 40-year foundation of retail barcodes. Maria Svejdar, Head of Marketing, Communications and CX, GS1 Ireland, explains how ‘intelligent barcodes’ can revolutionise the way we do business, and the reasoning behind the formation of the GS1 Intelligent Barcodes Working Group.

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oday’s consumer and trading partner demands for product information, traceability, visibility, authentication and a seamless checkout experience, go well beyond the original ‘price look-up’ capabilities of the basic EAN barcode. A new data challenge lies ahead and the GS1 Intelligent Barcodes Working Group has been launched to address it.

Have you a business challenge that could be helped through the use of an “intelligent barcode”?

To help all stakeholders across the supply chain - from manufacturers and distributors to retailers and solution providers - start on a migration path towards the ‘next generation’ of barcodes, GS1 Ireland have recently launched a cross-sectoral working group. The purpose of the industry working group is to explore the possibilities and opportunities for intelligent barcodes in different parts of the supply chain and to proactively support any implementation projects that participants identify.

The first working group meeting to launch the initiative took place on June 25, 2021, and a recording is available to anyone interested in learning more, and follow-up sessions are planned for throughout the autumn. Anyone interested in finding out more about the industry working group can contact GS1 Ireland or visit www.gs1ie.org/ standards/intelligent-barcodes.

The new data challenge The EAN and UPC barcodes have been trusted, ubiquitous data carriers, facilitating the ‘price lookup’ function at retail point-of-sale (POS), since the 1970s. This innovation automated a critical business process for supermarkets and retail stores globally.

However, the tried-and-true EAN/UPC barcodes were not created with the complex data needs of today’s trading environment in mind. These simple GS1 DataMatrix is already widely used on pharmaceutical product packaging in all four corners of the globe.

32 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

barcoding & traceability barcodes are limited to carrying only the Global Trade Item Number® (GTIN®) associated with a product and cannot encode any dynamic or attribute data.

To address industry and consumer expectations for speed and convenience, information transparency, and a variety of operational efficiencies, more and more emerging use cases require a data-rich intelligent carrier, capable of holding more on-pack data than just the product identifier (GTIN).

What is an ‘intelligent barcode’?

Very simply, an ‘intelligent barcode’ is a barcode that contains more information about the item it is attached to. As mentioned above, the standard retail barcode, such as an EAN 13, contains only an identification number. Think of the basic barcode you scan on your weekly grocery shopping. All the information about that product, such as the price and name, is stored on the retailer’s closed IT system – and it’s available to other stakeholders.

However, ‘intelligent barcodes’ can do so much more, for everyone: brands, manufacturers, retailers, construction workers, healthcare staff, patients. Each and every one of us, could use ‘intelligent barcodes’ to achieve more.

• Imagine if, as a retailer, you could scan a barcode and see a product’s expiry date?

Wouldn’t that be handy for efficiently managing inventory, discounting short-dated stock or preventing the sale of expired products?

• Imagine if, as a healthcare giver, or a patient, you could record the medications you give, or take, with a simple scan?

Imagine if, as a shopper, you could better manage your food shopping and reduce waste? Or, perhaps you want greater visibility of where the product comes from and how it was made?

Imagine if, as a facilities manager, you could view and efficiently maintain the assets and equipment in a building?

This, and more, is possible through the use of barcodes that contain additional data and these opportunities will be explored and actioned by the participants in the new GS1 Ireland Working Group. And the exciting part is that these opportunities are not limited to retail grocery but can be leveraged by many industry sectors, including healthcare, construction, and transport, as well as by utilities and service providers.

•

•

What kind of information can be encoded and shared?

A small selection of the additional data that intelligent barcodes can hold includes: • Production and sell-by dates; • Use-by and expiry dates; • Serial, batch or lot numbers; • Shipment codes and transport instructions; • Price and quantity information; • Location or country of origin codes; • Web links (URLs).

The ability to encode GTINs (product ID numbers) and weblinks within a barcode creates a powerful new feature to connect physical products with their digital twins in the online world. The new standard, called ‘GS1 Digital Link’, will also be explored as part of this Working Group and presents an exciting new way for

businesses to connect their products and their customers in a way never possible before.

Use cases and pilots at home and abroad A range of case studies from Ireland to Australia to Belgium are available to access on the GS1 Ireland website and are well worth reviewing for ideas on how other organisations have begun to use data-rich barcodes to transform their business processes, enabling greater traceability, visibility and transparency across the supply chain.

For example, Woolworths in Australia are leading the way in the implementation of 2D barcodes in food retail. In 2019, the company started trialling 2D barcodes at point-of-sale in order to reduce food waste, improve food safety and make products easier to manage throughout the supply chain. In 2020, following that successful trial, they began their transition to using the GS1 DataMatrix on their perishable products, beginning with fresh meat and poultry.

Closer to home, the implementation of intelligent barcodes in the Special Feeds Unit at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street saved time, improved patient safety and made the recall process faster and easier.

In recent years, the number and type of codes on product packs has proliferated, often leaving supply chain partners and consumers confused. Today, we have the opportunity to work together, to simplify the codes, while simultaneously expanding the range of applications. Come join the barcode (r)evolution.

For more information, visit www.gs1ie.org/standards/intelligent-barcodes.

New ‘intelligent barcodes’ like the GS1 DataMatrix, with its compact size combined with its greater data capacity, support both commercial teams and consumers with their demands for extended product information.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 33

limerick packaging

Sustainable packaging solutions from Limerick Packaging FSC certified, Limerick Packaging not only deliver ‘On Time, Everytime’ but guarantee that their product range also delivers on sustainability.

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imerick Packaging was founded in June 2002 to provide packaging materials to a select number of customers and to do so by providing a level of service never before seen in the industry. The stated goal then and now is to supply products of the highest quality standard and to ‘Deliver On Time Everytime’.

However, sustainability has always been high on the agenda in Limerick Packaging and as most products are paper based, they are also all recyclable. For quality assurance, Limerick Packaging is ISO9001:2015 accredited and for sustainability, it is FSC certified.

Extensive product list Limerick Packaging can offer clients a comprehensive product portfolio, including: 1 Corrugated Boxes (RSC, Die-Cut, Sheets, Pads, Divs. etc); 2 Litho Printed Cartons and Litho-Laminated Outers; 3 Shelf-Ready/Retail-Ready Packs; 4 High Quality Post Printed and Pre-Printed Corrugated Boxes; 5 Solid Board Leak-Proof Bases and Lids; 6 Industrial Polyethylene Bags, Sleeves and Sheets; 7 Protective Foams (EPE,EPU, EPS, EPP); 8 Foam/Corrugated Composite Packs; 9 Bubble-Wrap, Rolls and Bubble Bags; 10 Pallet Edge-guards; 11 Packaging Assembly Machinery; 12 Pallet Wrap/Strapping/Strapping Accessories/Tapes.

“Our company now boasts a large array of products, as can be seen from the list provided, but the one we are most proud of is our speciality in Shelf Ready/Retail Ready packaging, which we can provide in standard flexo print, high quality post-print flexo or litho printed and laminated,” stressed Mike Boland, Sales Director.

Shelf Ready/Retail Ready packaging Limerick Packaging have experienced considerable growth in Shelf Ready/Retail Ready packs and also in Litho-Laminated Corrugated packs, due to their ability to follow market trends, their ability to 34 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

limerick packaging design effective solutions for their customers at very competitive prices and their ability to assist their customers to get products innovatively packed to market in a timely fashion.

Walking through their facility, you cannot help notice the brightness, the cleanliness and the purposeful approach each member of staff has in everything they do. You notice above all the focus on the customers’ needs, made obvious by the ultra large screens throughout the factory, tracking each order’s progress, and put there to ensure all orders are delivered when they are required. The staff are passionate about what they do and this feels like a business where the customer is truly king.

“We believe the customer is central to everything we do and we are delighted our staff treat our customers exactly in that way,” Mike Boland emphasised. He also revealed that it is company policy to operate its own delivery fleet, as this provides the flexibility necessary to meet all customer needs on a daily basis, while also stressing that being an active part of a closed loop industry is a very important attribute of the company’s offering.

Sustainability “The secret to producing our products responsibly is to ensure the responsible procurement of paper fibres. Our industry has always been sustainable because it had to be,” explained Connie Ryan, Managing Director. “Corrugated packaging demand has been growing rapidly since the late 1950s so to sustain our business, replanting of harvested trees has always been essential. Over the years, harvesting one tree for paper making has meant the planting of three in its place and in recent times that number has been increased to four.”

As proof of this, in a rapidly growing packaging market, forest cover in Europe has been growing at a rate of 3% per annum since 2010 (Source FAO), and when you consider in all fibre-based packaging across Europe now, the recycled content is 88%, as virgin fibres are used less and less.

“According to FEFCO, over 85% of paper and cardboard in Europe is recycled so we are operating is an almost closed loop industry with one of the strongest recycling infrastructures of all packaging materials,” Connie stressed. “Cardboard can be recycled up to seven times but then to retain the quality and performance, the system requires regular inputs of sustainably sourced virgin fibres into the recycling loop.

This means that managed forests are still very important to our industry and we can help all stakeholders play their part.”

Some years ago, Limerick Packaging became FSC certified which is a chain of custody certification, the Managing Director explains: “When requested, we use FSC certified paper to make products and what that means to our customer is from the packaging, it is possible to trace all the way back to the managed forest from which the paper fibres came. It allows our customers to demonstrate a deforestation-free supply-chain.”

Dedicated to its customers Since the very beginning, Limerick Packaging’s commitment to meeting and exceeding customers’ needs has been a crucial ingredient in their success, with many of the customers who were there 19 years ago still utilising the company for their packaging needs today.

“We thought when we started we’d have 60 to 70 customers but delivery ‘On Time Everytime’ has meant in excess of 400 satisfied customers, particularly from the food and drinks industry, as well as the medical/pharmaceutical sector,” revealed Mike Boland.

“We have rewarded these customers with state-of-the-art design and problem-solving skills, trouble-free trading, competitive pricing and quality products delivered ‘On Time Everytime’,” Managing Director, Connie Ryan explained. “We will continue to dedicate ourselves to our customers as we hope that many more fine customers will join in and be part of our success story.”

“We will work hard so you don’t have to,” Mike Boland summarised their ethos succinctly. “We will make your working life easy.”

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 35

food safety

Getting to grips with allergens

Dr James McIntosh, Toxicologist, safefood, explains your legal obligations when it comes to actively managing food allergens.

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hroughout the food industry, hygiene and allergen control standards are essential for protecting the health and wellbeing of customers. They also protect the reputation and success of food businesses, for whom meeting their legislative obligations in this area can be a challenge, especially for smaller food businesses. The disruption to the food chain brought about by the current pandemic has only aggravated these difficulties as food businesses, particularly those in the catering & hospitality sector, cope with lockdowns and the challenges of having to restructure or even re-invent their business in an effort to keep functioning.

Unfortunately, health risks from poor food hygiene or allergen control haven’t lessened to any extent during the pandemic.

36 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Allergen-related food product recalls continue to happen yearon-year and dining out continues to present risks for people with a food hypersensitivity, that is a food allergy, a food intolerance or coeliac disease. Food hypersensitivity is now estimated to affect at least 10% of the population on the island of Ireland. These conditions can have mild to severe impacts on health and some may even be life-threatening.

Managing food allergens Caterers and food manufacturers can help protect their foodhypersensitive customers by actively managing food allergens and they are legally obliged to do so. They must provide accurate

food safety

information on the allergen content of any foods they sell. This is critical for their food-hypersensitive customers who must avoid foods that make them ill. They are totally dependent on receiving accurate allergen information, which empowers them to make safe food choices.

The integrity and accuracy of the allergen information provided by a food business is dependent on how well the staff understand the issue and are trained in good allergen management. European Union legislation recognises 14 foods as being responsible for the majority of food allergies and food intolerances across Europe.

Currently, UK legislation recognises the same 14 foods for this reason. All personnel working in any capacity in food manufacturing or catering should now be fully aware of what these allergenic foods are.

For prepacked food products, these foods must be listed and emphasised on the label if they are ingredients. For non-prepacked foods, such as a meal bought in a restaurant, the allergenic foods must be indicated in writing (Ireland) or communicated either verbally or in writing (Northern Ireland) at the point of presentation, sale or supply. Caterers need to be aware of the allergen labelling rules, especially as new ways to purchase and deliver food continue

to evolve and businesses adapt to the ever-changing environment of the pandemic and beyond.

An allergen control plan The legislation does not cover allergens accidentally present as a result of cross contamination. However, this continues to present a risk to food-hypersensitive consumers, as does the mis-use of precautionary allergen labelling statements such as ”may contain”. Food manufacturers need to be fully aware of when such statements can and should be used. Similarly, caterers need to be aware of how allergens can contaminate foods, bearing in mind that some allergens are easier to control than others. An allergen control plan will go a long way in helping caterers manage the risk of crosscontamination.

At safefood, we have a dedicated, interactive information resource to help food manufacturing and catering businesses get to grips with food allergens. The resources include free guides and video tutorials specifically aimed at helping small food businesses manage food allergens. Further audio and video resources are also available via the safefood Knowledge Network, which is free to join.

For more information visit www.safefood.net/allergens.

Caterers and food manufacturers must provide accurate information on the allergen content of any foods they sell.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 37

robotics

The ultimate in cleanliness The new KR Delta robot from KUKA provides support where hygiene is of the essence.

K

UKA have expanded their portfolio with the KR Delta, a compact parallel arm robot, providing a high-performance production assistant. The new KR Delta is hygienic and comes with minimal maintenance requirements. Made entirely of stainless steel, the Delta robot with a parallel kinematic system is particularly convincing when it comes to challenging pick-and-place applications in the food and packaging industries – even in direct contact with foodstuffs.

Launched in April 2021, the KR Delta, the first of its kind at KUKA, offers outstanding performance with a low payload. With its parallel kinematic system and small footprint, the KR Delta is particularly suitable for pick-and-place tasks. Thanks to its stainless-steel body, it is ideally suited to operation in hygienically sensitive areas, such as in direct contact with food.

The KR Delta is designed to require minimal maintenance: the gear unit is encapsulated and the ball joints are made of a self-lubricating material.

Precise picking and placing The parallel arm robot can be installed on the ceiling and stands out with a high degree of accuracy and a cycle time of 0.5 seconds (in the small Adept cycle) with a payload of 1 kilogram. With a reach of 1200 millimetres and a payload capacity of up to 6 kilograms, the KR Delta offers first-class results in sorting and packaging applications.

The robot’s entire body is made of stainless-steel and is thus temperature-resistant and corrosion-resistant. With a protection rating of IP 67 for the entire robot and IP 69K for axis 4, it is easy to clean and 38 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Thanks to its stainless-steel body, the KR Delta is ideally suited to operation in hygienically sensitive areas, such as in direct contact with food.

The KR Delta is designed to require minimal maintenance: the gear unit is encapsulated and the ball joints are made of a self-lubricating material.

disinfect, even using a high-pressure cleaner with a pressure of up to 100 kPA. At the same time, it meets the strictest requirements of the food industry.

From its market launch, the KR Delta was TÜV-certified for compliance with the requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration and the German Food and Feed Code

Perfectly teamed up with KUKA.PickControl and KUKA.VisionTech The small robot is controlled by the KR C5 micro – the latest control technology from KUKA. To enable it to perform its tasks even more efficiently in terms of resources, the KR Delta can switch between different production scenarios, such as seasonal packaging variants. It is thus particularly suitable for the consumer goods industry, especially for fast-moving consumer goods. For this, it uses the software package KUKA.PickControl with conveyor tracking and integrated image processing. In combination with a camera and the KUKA.VisionTech software, which recognises objects even in unstructured environments, even more flexible applications can be defined for the KR Delta. These range from sorting to loading of different objects.

In the next 10 years, robots will find their way into more and more industries. The entry threshold is falling; automation is becoming simpler, more intuitive, and thus available to many more people. This also applies to the KR Delta’s focus industries.

For more information, contact KUKA Ireland Ltd. Tel: +353 (0)42 93 95034. Email: sales.ie@kuka.com. Web: www.kuka.com.

KR DELTA hygienic robot _hygiene at a high level, for use in highly sensitive conditions.

Thanks to its stainless steel body, the KR DELTA is ideally equipped for hygienically sensitive areas, such as direct contact with food, medicines or electronic components.

The robot’s corrosion-resistant stainless steel shell is designed according to German LFGB and US FDA food standards and also meets European CE certification, American UL certification

and German TÜV safety function certification.

The robot is protected against dust and moisture according to IP 67 protection class and can therefore be cleaned under high pressure and with alkaline or acidic cleaning agents.

KUKA DELTA robots are perfectly suited for pickand-place tasks in high-speed sectors.

www.kuka.com

Yearbook ad F&B 2021.indd 1

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e stop terial s.

ucc

Looking for an online or blended training course?

The Food Industry Training Unit at UCC is running a series of accredited and nonaccredited courses for the food, agri-food and seafood sectors.

T

he Food Industry Training Unit (FITU) in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork (UCC) services the part-time training, continuing education and professional development needs of people working within the food, agri-food and seafood sectors.

Registration Now Open for Accredited Courses 2021/2022 Diploma in Food Science and Technology

This Diploma course is designed for those who wish to develop a good understanding of the basic principles of food science, food technology and food business. Particular emphasis is placed on linking scientific principles with their practical application in industry.

Contact: Maura Conway m.conway@ucc.ie

Graduate Development Programme: Diploma in Leadership for the Agri-Food Sector

This programme is designed to meet the management and leadership development needs of young agri-food graduates in the first few years of their working life. Alongside the core technical business skills and best practice tools, the programme will equip participants with motivation and coaching skills that will enhance their professional identity and capability.

Contact: Deirdre Hilliard deirdre.hilliard@ucc.ie

40 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

FITU will be running a variety of blended (a mixture of face-toface and online learning) and online courses for 2021/2022. See below the list of accredited and non-accredited (short) courses.

For further information on any of the courses above, please visit the FITU website at www.ucc.ie/fitu.

Diploma in Speciality Food Production

This Diploma course is intended for individuals who are starting or further developing a speciality/artisan food business, from the farm, home or production facility. It will also be of interest to those individuals who are involved in this sector as producers, retailers, chefs, buyers and food writers. This course will be blended for 2021/2022.

Contact: Angela Sheehan a.sheehan@ucc.ie

Diploma in Food Manufacturing Management The Diploma aims to provide relevant management education to delegates across all areas of business, with specific emphasis on food and beverage manufacturing and operations management.

The programme will also develop interpersonal skills and enhance confidence in each member of the group.

Contact: Joe O’Callaghan joe.ocallaghan@ucc.ie

Non-Accredited Courses 2021 Postgraduate Certificate in Dairy Technology and Innovation

UCC and Teagasc have developed a Postgraduate Certificate in Dairy Technology and Innovation. This qualification runs from October to March and will enable and empower dairy industry personnel and those wishing to join the industry to implement best practice and embrace new technological developments in dairy processing. This course is blended in nature, with five consecutive days onsite in October and again in February. Live lectures and tutorials are provided online throughout the year.

Contact: Amy-Jane Troy amyjane.troy@ucc.ie

Advanced Cleaning in Place (Virtual Classroom)

September 21

Concentration and Drying (Virtual Classroom)

October 20/21

Fundamental Course in Cleaning in Place November 3 (Virtual Classroom) Thermal Processing (Virtual Classroom)

November 11 /12

Area Cleaning and Sanitisation and its Application in the Food Industry (Virtual Classroom) December 7 Production Supervisory Training Programme (Onsite in UCC pending regulations) Starting in November

For information on any of the above contact Mary McCarthy-Buckley m.mccarthybuckley@ucc.ie

training & development: UCC

Online Learning with foodlineUCC

F

oodlineUCC was officially launched by the Food Industry Training Unit (FITU), School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, in partnership with Taste 4 Success Skillnet, in October 2020, since which time they have been providing a range of online courses and resources to industry.

The Food Industry Training Unit (FITU) is well known within the food industry sector for providing bespoke, tailored and highquality part-time training and continuing professional development courses that equip working professionals with the competence and confidence required to excel in their organisations. The development of foodlineUCC now allows FITU to provide this

FoodlineUCC is an innovative new online initiative that is dedicated to the development and provision of online courses and resources for the food, agri-food and seafood sectors. interactive training in an online and blended format.

FoodlineUCC lecture and webinar series FoodlineUCC are discussing emerging hot topics in the food, agri-food and seafood sectors through their lecture and webinar series. These events are free to industry and allow opportunities for live discussion and questions. Recent topics covered have included ‘Protecting Against Food Allergens’, ‘Cleaning in Place’ and ‘Membrane Filtration’.

Upcoming topics include ‘Sustainability’, ‘Alternate Protein Sources’, and ‘Apply the SDG Goals to your Place of Work’. If you would like to access any of the previous webinars or would like to register for upcoming webinars, you can do so here: www.ucc.ie/en/fitu/foodlineucc/.

For further information, please contact Dr Amy-Jane Troy, Project Director, foodlineUCC (email: amyjane.troy@ucc.ie), or Mary McCarthy-Buckley, Manager, Food Industry Training Unit, UCC (email: m.mccarthybuckley@ucc.ie).

Food Industry Training Unit Continuing Professional Development and Training for the Food, Agri Food and Seafood Sectors Information on courses from: Mary McCarthy-Buckley, Food Industry Training Unit School of Food and Nutritional Sciences College of Science, Engineering and Food Science University College Cork Email m.mccarthybuckley@ucc.ie www.ucc.ie/en/fitu FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 41

learning & development

Training for the latest challenges Despite the significant challenges affecting our sector, investment in Learning and Development remains strong, writes Mark Skinner, Food Drink Ireland Skillnet Manager.

R

esilient is a word that is often used to describe the Irish food and drink sector and this resilience has been particularly tested in the past 18 months. In this regard, continued or increased investment in training has been critical, as companies focused on upskilling their employees with training interventions that are of the highest relevance and have a clear learning impact on their business.

Over the past two years, Food Drink Ireland Skillnet, part of Ibec, developed new programmes to in response to Brexit and Covid.

From a Brexit perspective, these programmes included a Diploma in Global Sales for the food and drink sector, as well as training interventions around regulatory divergence and customs training.

For Covid, supports included training around risk mitigation, crisis communication, and remote working. All are clear examples of how training interventions are a key enabler in addressing external challenges to your business.

Key future priorities Looking to the future, key priorities for the network include sustainability, access to talent, regulatory divergence and digital transformation.

In the area of sustainability, Food Drink Ireland Skillnet now offers members a new MSc in Sustainable Food Systems, as well as an Award in Sustainable Food Packaging.

To support access to talent, their Graduate programme upskills 40-50 participants per year, whilst tailored people management programmes at Supervisor and Team Leader level aid the attraction and retention of talent, and their Traineeship in Meat Industry Skills supports progression from operative into high-skilled knife roles in the meat industry.

Finally, a new MSc in Food Regulations has been created to address the challenges of a more complex regulatory environment, whilst new programmes are in development to support AI and digital transformation. All these programmes are developed with the support of an excellent Steering Group of L&D and HR professionals from across the food and drink sector.

Membership is free Membership of Food Drink Ireland Skillnet is free and is open to companies from the Meat, Dairy, Consumer Foods and Beverages sectors. Benefits of membership include: ◆ Industry specific training that’s relevant to your business. ◆ Up to 60% saving on the cost of training due to network 42 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

◆ ◆

◆

purchasing power, plus part-government funding through Skillnet Ireland, funded by the National Training Fund through the Department of Education and Skills.

Flexible training that is delivered at times that suit your company.

Saving time on procurement, as all courses procured by the network are done so to ensure all trainers meet the quality standards of the sector and that value for money is achieved.

Opportunity to collaborate and learn from colleagues across the industry.

More information can be found on www.fooddrinkirelandskillnet.ie or if you would like to join the network for free, or would like to input into the Food Drink Ireland Skillnet Steering Group, please contact Mark Skinner, Food Drink Ireland Skillnet Manager, on (01) 6051615 or mark.skinner@ibec.ie.

Discover Your Next Solution

Food Ingredients at Univar Solutions The experience, knowledge and technical capabilities you need to innovate and grow your business.

Today’s fast-paced and competitive landscape requires being faster to market with innovative, in-demand food and beverages. By leveraging our global network of Solution Centres — including formulation labs and development kitchens, our experienced food scientists and innovation specialists can help prototype formulations and recipes based on the latest market trends and regulatory requirements, using cutting-edge ingredients from world-class suppliers.

With complete solutions for taste and texture plus nutritional optimisation, we’re ready to help you solve your toughest technical challenges.

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000013254 Univar Food - NA - A4 Irish food guide advert - Q3 2021 .indd 1

03/08/2021 21:05

ingredients

Simple foods to

nourish Our food scientists and formulators are leading the way in clean label solutions, meeting consumer demands for fresh, more sustainably sourced and naturally derived ingredients, while fostering the environmentally-conscious brands of tomorrow, writes Alan O’Donnell, EMEA Food Technical Sales Manager at Univar Solutions.

M

obile technology is changing the way consumers make their purchases. Research conducted by PwC in 2017 found that 30% of Irish consumers see their mobile phone as being their main shopping tool in the future. 43% are already using their mobile phone to research products online.

Food is more than what we eat or drink; it’s the experience we create when we begin and end each day caring for ourselves or our families.

While spending more time at home, food experiences have become a comfort and a reward. We’re paying more attention to what we eat and are more particular about what we put into our bodies, conscious of the journey our food has taken before reaching the plate. This makes it imperative for food manufacturers to clean up their labels.

on label content, with greater insight into where foods originate and the food ingredients or additives to be avoided.

Trusting the journey from lab to table One of the changes we saw in 2020 was a return to the kitchen and home cooking. We saw consumers turn to baking as a new national pastime, with sourdough bread becoming the most searched recipe on Google.

What is clean label?

Clean label isn’t a defined scientific term but rather a trending consumer phrase that the food industry and regulators have adapted to bring transparency to what’s behind a product formulation. In simple terms, it refers to making a product using as few ingredients as possible that are familiar and easier for consumers to recognise.

Inspired and influenced by healthier lifestyle trends that positively impact our bodies, environment, and communities, consumers are increasingly seeking simpler, more nutritious foods. Many of our favorite childhood snacks and drinks referenced natural flavor ingredients such as Berry Blue or Super Strawberry. Still, the amount of fruit in them was essentially nonexistent. Today’s mindful shoppers scrutinise labels based on health, wellness and sustainability considerations, choosing foods based 44 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

The Food Ingredients team at Univar Solutions works closely with suppliers to create flavours and taste solutions which are derived primarily from the fruit or flavour referenced; i.e. a strawberry taste made from strawberries.

ingredients This surge stemmed from having the time and desire to think although clean label and organic is the goal, functionality is vital. about eating; gone was the rush home from work or daily traffic With label-friendly functional starches, like Ingredion’s Novation® jam. Although not traditionally associated with healthy eating, the clean label starches, formulators can give products the benefits of baking trend reveals that consumers are seeking recipes that are modified starches like texture and process tolerance, while leveraging understandable and can be altered to suit dietary needs by knowing their unique properties, providing consumers with simpler ingredient what goes into the mixing bowl. listings they desire.

Clean label serves formulators in this way: a transparent signal that New EU regulations for flavourings in organic products what we are consuming is better. Together, we can redefine recipes Effective in January 2022, regulation EU 2018/848 introduces new rules for that make food a simpler and healthier experience, from bakery essentials we consider comfort and guilty pleasures to prepared meals flavourings used in organic products; only natural flavourings and extracts will be permitted for organic ingredients, at a maximum dosage of 5% of that meet nutritional needs and ease worry over what’s for dinner. the total agricultural product. With Our role as scientists and formulators Inspired and influenced by healthier legislation changes governing is shifting to bring more transparency lifestyle trends that positively impact organic production and labeling, to the process so consumers can trust our bodies, environment, and communities, consumers large industry segments such the journey of taking food ingredients are increasingly as non-alcoholic and alcoholic and innovations from the lab to their seeking simpler, beverages, dairy and ice cream table. Formulators and brands have more nutritious are affected. Food manufacturers foods. an opportunity to provide the freshest will be required to reformulate if ingredients formulated to fit a clean ingredients don’t meet the organic profile, keeping health, nutrition legislation. At Univar Solutions, and wellness at the core of our food together with our partner Kerry experiences.

Taste & Nutrition, we can support you, with food scientists offering Consumer clean label a range of solutions, including demands push alternatives alternative natural colours, flavours to the forefront of and minerals. formulating Looking at store shelves, consumers are clear about what they’re looking Our Food Ingredients team is working closely with suppliers for. According to Nielsen, 73% of consumers surveyed say they feel to facilitate industry changes, broaden our portfolio and address positive about brands that share the “why behind the buy” product requirements for organic products. The regulation changes bring information. What’s more, 68% say they’re willing to pay more for foods flavours and taste solutions closer to the clean label status consumers and beverages that don’t contain ingredients they perceive are bad for seek, with flavours, both organic certified and natural, being derived them. In some cases, consumers are more interested in knowing what’s primarily from the fruit or flavour it references; so a strawberry taste not included than what is included in their products. The exclusion of made from strawberries! undesirable ingredients is more important than including beneficial ingredients to 53% of consumers.

Innovating for clean label brands Formulating with naturally occurring and sustainable food process At Univar Solutions, we’re meeting today’s demands for cleaner, more aids like Novozymes® enzymes offers brands a competitive advantage sustainably sourced, and naturally derived ingredients, while fostering the with sustainability, health and wellness claims, as ingredients such as environmentally-conscious brands of tomorrow. Our complete portfolio enzymes provide a much sought-after, alternative biological solution of high-quality, healthier and more sustainable ingredients can help you for many food applications. meet the needs and demands of today’s food-savvy consumers who are seeking naturally-derived choices.

To keep pace with the clean label market trend, we’re innovating in our Organic claims resonate with consumers labs and working closely with our partners and food brands to deliver a Consumers value organic products due to the clean label and simple ingredient line formulated for wellness-conscious consumers, to perception that organic foods are healthier. Driven by health and nourish, sustain and maintain. environmental concerns, many consumers prioritise clean label food Alan O’Donnell is the EMEA Technical Manager for Food Ingredients at Univar ingredients with organic claims. According to Mintel GNPD, food Solutions, leading a dedicated team of technical sales managers dedicated to and drink product launches with organic claims have risen steadily helping customers solve their most pressing industry challenges and achieve in the past five years, indicating consumers are seeking this attribute. innovative clean label solutions. Alan has over 25 years’ experience working in the Irish food industry.

When it comes to organic ingredients, take, for example, starches;

❝Our role as scientists and formulators is shifting to bring more transparency to the

process so consumers can trust the journey of taking food ingredients and innovations from the lab to their table. Formulators and brands have an opportunity to provide the freshest ingredients formulated to fit a clean profile, keeping health, nutrition and wellness at the core of our food experiences.

❞

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 45

pallets & packaging

MCP:

your pallet, packaging and storage specialist With over 350,000 square feet of manufacturing and storage facilities spread over 40 acres in Cork and Meath, Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging are one of the country’s leading providers of pallets, packaging and storage facilities.

M

id Cork Pallets and Packaging (MCP) have consistently been one of Ireland’s leading manufacturers and distributors of pallet and packaging solutions since the company’s formation in 1978.

With over 350,000 square feet of manufacturing, storage and distribution facilities spread over 40 acres, MCP are strategically located in Cork and Meath, producing over 2.5 million pallets per annum and supplying and distributing more than 5,000 corrugated packaging products.

MCP’s impressive client list includes some of Ireland’s largest businesses, as well as those starting out, in the food & beverage, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and eCommerce sectors, and the team pride themselves on providing a quality, reliable product at competitive prices, exactly when and where their customers need it.

MCP’s extensive facilities MCP have always been committed to investing heavily in their infrastructure and were the first in Ireland to implement an automated pallet manufacturing process

to ensure quality, accuracy and speed. This catapulted MCP to another level in terms of production capacity, mirroring their customers’ growing requirements.

“Today, due to our continued growth and expansion, MCP are currently in the process of expanding our operations at both our facilities in Cork and Meath and are building not one, but two new stateof-the-art warehouses with an additional capacity of 20,000 pallet spaces,” explains Managing Director Aidan Harty. “Both these warehouses will allow MCP to store and distribute more of our customers’ products and are a strategic addition to our current customer offerings.”

Commitment to customers

MCP supply some of Ireland’s largest businesses, as well as those starting out, in the food & beverage, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and eCommerce sectors.

46 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

MCP take enormous pride in using their 43 years of experience to provide a dependable, efficient, reliable service that customers can trust, as Aidan explains: “Whether they need new or second-hand pallets, shipping crates or corrugated packaging solutions, we are here to help.

“In addition, you can be assured that any pallets or corrugated packaging you buy from us are manufactured under the highest quality standards,” Aidan states.

MCP remain steadfast on providing their growing customer base with a quality product, coupled with excellent customer service: “We are in the business of solving our customers’ problems and becoming an

MCP:

Offering you the Complete Package From Ireland’s largest pallet manufacturer and supplier of printed packaging and storage solutions

Clondrohid, Co. Cork +353 (0) 26 41311 Dunboyne, Co. Meath +353 (0)1 8252059 sales@midcorkpallets.com www.midcorkpallets.com

pallets & packaging MCP have over 350,000 square feet of manufacturing, storage and distribution facilities, strategically located in Cork and Meath.

all-encompassing pallet, packaging and storage specialist,” Aidan notes. “Not only do MCP manage the manufacturing of your packaging, storage and distribution, we are also now expanding our operations and meeting our customers’ growing needs when it comes to warehousing.

“Because of Brexit and the whole Covid19 pandemic, some of our FMCG customers expanded their production operations and needed additional storage facilities. Luckily, we have an abundance of space across our two sites and were able to quickly respond to our customers’ evolving requirements.

Not only that, but our advanced operations streamline our customers’ supply chain and allow MCP to manage production, stock levels and supply,” Aidan reveals.

Range, design and sampling service MCP offer their customers an extensive range of timber, Euro, heat treated pallets and custom crates.

“We offer hands-on design, prototyping and expert advice to create exciting and original packaging solutions from single wall corrugated cardboard boxes, to specialised solid board and Folding Box Board (FBB),” Aidan explains. “We have an in-house designer and can produce samples and have them delivered to our customers immediately, to make sure it is the right solution for them. That’s not all; we also handle the manufacturing process and provide a stock management service so our customers always have a continuous supply of packaging.

“At MCP, we listen to our customers and work with them every step of the way, from initial design through to fulfilment,” Aidan continues. “Providing a dependable, reliable and efficient service to our customers, allied to our expertise in the industry, has allowed us to grow into one of the leading pallet and packaging suppliers on the island of Ireland.”

Sustainability MCP strategically manage their operations 48 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

MCP offer hands-on design, prototyping and expert advice to create exciting and original packaging solutions from single wall corrugated cardboard boxes, to specialised solid board and Folding Box Board.

so as to minimise environmental impacts in areas such as waste, energy use and emissions. “We care deeply about the origin of our wood and packaging products and source from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certified suppliers,” Aidan explains.

MCP have also recently entered the world of Green Energy, following the successful commissioning of their Combined Heat and Power plant at their Clondrohid site, Co. Cork. Cork Green Energy is fuelled by biomass and uses state-of-the-art technology to create electricity. A by-product of this process is the generation of heat, which MCP utilise to power their 10 on-site kilns. These kilns are used for heat treating and kiln drying

pallets. Cork Green Energy produces 1.2 megawatts of green electricity per hour, which is being supplied directly to the national grid and can power the needs of up to 1,000 homes.

In addition, MCP are in the process of installing a 598KWp solar generation facility on 3,359 square metres of unused rooftop space at their Clondrohid and Dunboyne sites as well as intelligent LED lighting systems, which will reduce CO2 emissions by 265 tonnes a year. MCP aim to reduce their carbon footprint, one pallet or package at a time.

To find out more about MCP’s pallet and packaging solutions or for information about their storage and distribution capabilities, visit www.midcorkpallets.com.

MCP are currently in the process of expanding their operations at both their facilities in Cork and Meath.

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automation systems

Putting food safety and hygiene first

Festo is a leading world-wide supplier of safe, efficient and reliable automation technology for the food industry.

A

re food safety and efficiency key requirements for you?

Festo‘s perfect mix of electric and pneumatic automation meets those requirements, offering reliable, high-quality automation solutions for factory and process automation. Their products, solutions and selected services are available globally, wherever your production is located.

What is safety for Festo?

Food production is a matter of trust and food safety is essential to a brand.

Whatever ends up on the table must be produced cleanly. That requires smart system design and food-safe components that support the production process, simply, efficiently and reliably. Festo offers the right automation solutions, as well as industry expertise for the production of safe food.

Clean and safe!

Many potential sources of contamination in food and packaging systems such as bacteria, chemical influences or corrosion particles in the factory can be eliminated with just a few design tweaks.

Easy-to-clean, corrosion-resistant system components make food production safer.

When buying food, the consumer 50 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

expects high-quality products that have been hygienically produced, dispensed and packaged by the food industry. That is why customer-specific process and factory automation solutions are an important part of any hygienic value-added chain. This requires a partner who is experienced in the field of automation technology and has the

best possible expertise with regard to suitable technical components, and an understanding of the processes along the value-added chains of system manufacturers and food producers. This is the only way to protect the consumer and the manufacturer’s brand, and these are the most important aspects of food safety, according to Festo.

Machine design without edges or corners In food production, the standards and directives for design and materials must be implemented.

The hygienic design of machines and components is crucial.

When designing their automation components for your systems, Festo therefore pay very close attention to factors that promote hygiene, such as smooth surfaces and large radius.

Thorough and fast cleaning Cleaning is an absolute must for hygienic food production, preventing germs from forming and stopping foreign matter from getting

into a product. The right cleaning concept doesn’t just protect consumers; it also reduces system downtime.

Food quality and compressed air quality Great care has to be taken whenever compressed air comes into contact with food because compressed air is not clean by nature.

Application-specific compressed air treatment ensures maximum safety for food, consumers, and producers.

Expert Expert knowledge knowledge and and solutions solutions for for the the Food Food and and Packaging Packaging Industry Industry

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Sales NI: NI: +44(0) 1604 1604 667000 667000 Sales NI:+44(0) +44(0) 1604 667000 (Sales

sales_ie@festo.com sales_ie@festo.com www.festo.ie www.festo.ie Sales_ie@festo.com  www.festo.ie 

thermoformed packaging

An Xtra focus on recycling Sustainability is at the heart of every business decision made by Cavan-based Xtrupak, who have been supplying the FMCG market with packaging solutions since 2012.

S

USTAINABILITY and recycling are key concerns when it comes to packaging, and Cavan-based Xtrupak are very conscious of their obligations when it comes to the environment.

“All of our inputs are 100% recyclable and the materials that we use in production are fully traceable, from supplier to production to end product,” explains John Reilly, Commercial and Marketing Director. “We drive positive change throughout Xtrupak, from sustainable sourcing of raw materials to minimising our operational impact and lowering the environmental footprint of our customers.

As an extrusion APET and rPET film manufacturer, our circular business model helps to embed sustainability in every aspect of what we do.”

Extruded Thermoplastic Xtrupak manufactures and distributes extruded thermoplastic for the print, packaging and display markets both in Ireland and internationally. A large part of its business has been supplying its XtruForm product to huge UK thermoforming companies, who subsequently supply supermarkets like Asda, Tesco, and Marks and Spencer. Here in Ireland, the company supplies medium-sized sheet roll stock into factories that have an inhouse machine that moulds their material into packaging, so it is formed, filled and then sealed, but Xtrupak is actively looking to grow its market domestically.

“We have invested in machinery to target the Irish FFS packaging market, so we can supply the XtruForm FFS brand directly into Irish retailers and food companies,” John explains.

Xtrupak’s rPET flakes are generated from recycled APET bottles, which they import from Europe, and then recycle to create the XtruForm sheet roll, using APET virgin material or rPET sheet roll stock. The company is also currently developing a biodegradable range.

“Our rPET film is 100% recycled and 100% recyclable,” John stresses. “Typically, the customer will specify how much recycled content must go into the sheet. XtruForm is dimensionally stable, high impact, high rigidity and has excellent mechanical properties.

The UV stable polyester film offers the best in thermoforming 52 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

quality and maintains high transparency and light transmission properties before and after machining.”

XtruForm can be used in a host of packaging solutions, from fresh food to medium and long shelf-life products. It is widely used in the packaging of ready meals, salads, fresh sandwiches, fruit, meat, and freshly baked products, as well as in containers for some healthcare products, like toothbrushes.

XtruClear The company’s product range also includes XtruClear, a range of thermoplastic, amorphous, polyester sheets, which can be used to produce products with complex shapes and demands, due to its flexible fabrication properties. “XtruClear is cost-effective, has excellent transparency, high impact resistance, chemical resistance and prints to an immaculate standard, making it a fantastic option in many situations,” John says.

XtruClear is ideal for shopping trolley bays, smoke shelters, POS display shelving, fridge and freezer lines and dividers, vending machine covers, box type and transparent packaging applications, convenience packaging and printed signage. 2020 also saw the material used extensively to produce protective screens, which have been installed at till points in supermarkets and convenience stores around the country in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Every business decision is made with sustainability in mind, as John concludes: “For Xtrupak, circularity simply makes great business sense. We can replace the natural resources we use with 100% recycled material in our product range and reuse materials at every opportunity in our production process facility. After use, Xtrupak products can be recycled back into clear rPET food and non-food packaging products as part of the circular economy.”

Xtrupak manufactures and distributes extruded thermoplastic for the print, packaging and display markets both in Ireland and internationally.

Manufacturing Apet & Rpet packaging rolls servicing the thermoforming industry under the XtruForm brand

Form Fill Seal PET/PE RPET/PE MONO Xtrupak now offers a solution for Film Slitting Rewinding and Roll Restoration.

Currently 90% of base web film is imported from other European countries and UK into Ireland - Xtrupak are currently the only Irish company focused entirely on the Form Fill Seal (FFS) market.

Additional investment is already in place to further develop our product range.

✓ High Quality, Fully Certified ✓ Flexible & Dynamic Service ✓ Sustainable & Recyclable

We offer Competitive Pricing for High Quality Products State of the Art Equipment Meeting Local Demand The Reilly Family Ownership 26 years of Extrusion Expertise

Gowna, Co. Cavan, Ireland +353 (0) 43 668 3464 | info@xtrupak.ie

QUALITY

ENVIRONMENT

I.S. EN ISO 9001:2015

I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015

HEALTH & SAFETY I.S. ISO 45001:2018

NSAI Certified

NSAI Certified

NSAI Certified

teagasc/devenish partnership

Teagasc and Devenish sign unique partnership

Ireland’s food sector could have huge competitive advantage through a sustainability-focused partnership between Devenish and Teagasc

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reland’s food and farming sector will have a significant competitive advantage in the global marketplace by creating one of the world’s most sustainable food systems through a unique collaboration between animal nutrition company Devenish and agriculture and food development authority Teagasc.

The public-private partnership will see the two organisations work closely together to demonstrate and deliver cutting-edge technologies to help farms and the wider industry reach tightening environmental targets, which will allow the industry to be one of the first to differentiate its produce as more sustainable and lower carbon than that produced by other nations.

The collaboration will see both organisations work together under the SignPost Programme, a Teagasc campaign to prompt climate action by all Irish farmers and designed to achieve early progress in reducing emissions from Irish agriculture, while also improving water quality and biodiversity. Teagasc will also support Devenish’s Agrinewal programme, which accurately measures carbon emissions and sequestration to give farmers the power to improve their carbon balance, and will also create opportunities for further collaboration through joint research projects.

SignPost demonstration farms

Under the deal, the Devenish research farms at the Global Innovation Centre in Dowth in County Meath and Aclare in County Sligo will be included as SignPost demonstration farms and operate under a co-designed sustainability plan, built around the implementation of sustainable technologies.

Sustainability sits at the heart of Devenish’s ‘One Health from Soil to Society’ approach, which focuses on the importance of optimising nutrient utilisation in soil, plant, animal, environmental and human health.

Teagasc will site carbon monitoring technology at Dowth, which will then become part of the National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory, 54 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Pictured are (l-r): Richard Kennedy, Chief Executive of Devenish; Owen Brennan, Executive Chair of Devenish; Frank O’Mara, Director of Research at Teagasc; and Gerry Boyle, Director at Teagasc.

contributing to building the national database and models for assessing soil carbon sequestration.

Further co-operation will see Teagasc license its Carbon Farming Services to Devenish, while Devenish will provide data on its farm performance, including environmental indicators.

Using technology to implement change

“The scale of change required to instil sustainability in Ireland’s agriculture and food sector are considerable, but ambitious organisations such as Devenish and Teagasc have the skills and knowledge to set the sector apart from the rest of the world,” noted Roberta McDonald, Sustainable Solutions Lead at Devenish. “Our ambition is to provide solutions to achieve change in the sector through a blend of innovative and original technologies, backed by research and science.

“Demonstrating and delivering these technologies to help farms and the wider industry achieve the targets and tasks set out for them by government and others is a priority.”

A sustainable food system

Richard Kennedy, Chief Executive of Devenish, said: “Devenish has placed itself at the heart of the global race to create a sustainable food system for this and future generations. By partnering with Teagasc, we have access to some of the best industry-leading knowledge and science in the world. By pooling our talents, we will be able to create the right mix of technologies to place Ireland at the forefront of sustainable food production.”

Professor Frank O’Mara, Director of Research at Teagasc, said: “The growing environmental challenges facing food producers requires a collective effort, bringing all resources together, to assist farmers in making the necessary changes. This partnership with Devenish, as part of the Signpost programme, will help the agri-industry play its part in meeting the climate challenge.”

process data

A smarter approach to processing with Bonner

T

hese days everything is getting smarter. The data we generate every day can now be harnessed to help us live and work in better, more productive ways. This smart technology has entered all aspects of our lives, and the food, diary and beverage processing industry is no different. However, in Ireland, many factories are still relying on outdated equipment and processes that do not produce usable data; or, if they do, it is often unreliable.

Moving to a modern system that collects process data, analyses it and presents it back in an actionable format can save a business considerable time and money. Process information can be transformed into an asset through data acquisition and control applications, allowing factories to streamline production and identify any non-performing processes. This improves a plant’s Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by increasing the efficiency of the equipment or area.

Bonner can help customers to unlock the value within their process data, enabling them to make smarter decisions for their business.

designs solutions that best meet the needs of each individual plant. And, as the systems can be integrated with new or legacy Getting more from your data equipment, Bonner can create a solution to work for any process, traditional or cutting-edge.

Bonner specialise in the delivery of bespoke, plant-wide systems that help customers get more out of their data in the most effective Bonner help customers to unlock the value within their process ai1593527782142_Bonner_PharmaChem2020_90x130_4OL.pdf 15:36 way. Whether tackling energy monitoring, condition monitoring, 1 30/06/2020 data, enabling them to make smarter decisions for their business. For predictive maintenance or remote asset monitoring, the team more information, visit bonner.ie.

APROL Factory automation Scalable. Flexible. Modular.

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www.bonner.ie

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 55

NOURISHED FROM THE GROUND UP

You’ve grown up on Irish Dairy. We have too.

Each and every Irish Dairy farmer has grown up knowing the importance of the land and the equal importance of caring for our animals.

That care is what keeps alive a farming tradition that we’re all the better for. It’s what makes for naturally nourishing* dairy produce to help you care for your family.

That’s something to appreciate.

Something to be proud of.

ndc.ie

*Milk is a source of calcium, protein, vitamins B2 and B12, iodine and potassium.

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process mechanical solutions

Flexachem: your process partner

F

lexachem provide process mechanical solutions, pumps, valves and mechanical seals to all main industries of manufacture within Ireland. This ranges from component to full turnkey solution level, working with consultants or contractors and OEM’s. Their solutions bring high levels of productivity, efficiency and, most importantly, reliability.

“Our team and resources include bespoke software, in-house specialists and factory trained service engineers to support all ranges of applications within our portfolio,” explains Michael Bradley, Commercial Manager, Flexachem. “In addition, our external sales team meet and discuss applications on-site to ensure clear understanding of the requirements and deliver to same.”

Global brand partners Flexachem have supported all Irish industries for 40 years and have substantial stock to support their global brand partners, such

as Flowserve, Inoxpa, NOV, Kelvion, 3V Tech Group, Lechler, Servinox and Netzsch, to mention a few.

Given the range of the Flexachem portfolio, they are one of the few companies who can offer a substantive ‘one stop shop’ approach, whether you’re looking for corrosive chemicals, high purity bioreactors, food production & CIP skids, flow control or transfer & tank safety. Key areas for their food and beverage clients include cleaning solutions that provide a reduction in cleaning times, consumption of CIP and greater reliability. “Our food production and CIP skids enable a longer term energy reduction and ultimately cost reductions,” Michael reveals.

For more information, visit www.flexachem.com.

Flexachem’s solutions provide high levels of productivity, efficiency and reliability.

Your on-the-ground team in Mechanical Process Equipment & Technical Support in Ireland For Highly Regulated Industries Ireland’s leading provider for the Design and Sizing of: Mechanical Seals

Hygienic, Industrial & Chemical Pumps

Tank Mixer & Pump Seals including Repairs

For all Transfer Applications

Valves & Actuation

Process Equipment

For Product, Fluid, Steam & Gas Control including Actuation & Feedback

Tank Safety, Mixing & Blending Solutions, Food & Dairy Production Skids, CIP Skids & Tank Cleaning

TALK TO A SPECIALIST AT

Flexachem Manufacturing Donnybrook Commericial Centre, Douglas, Cork T12 X68Y Tel: 086 0476178 www.flexachem.com

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 57

UK & Ireland’s Ingredients Specialist Heterochem Dist. Ltd is the speciality raw materials supplier of choice to the Food and Beverage industries both in Ireland and the UK. ◊ Acidulants ◊ Antioxidants ◊ Emulsifiers ◊ Flavourings and Colorants

◊ Preservatives ◊ Starches ◊ Sweeteners

Benefits to your business: ◊ High quality, competitively priced products - ISO 9001 & GDP accredited ◊ Excellent customer service - before and after the sale ◊ A reliable and efficient sourcing partner, assisting our customers to develop new and existing products ◊ A highly qualified sales team of chemists available to assist with any technical queries ◊ Prime location in Baldoyle, Dublin - situated in close proximity to all distribution channels ◊ On site storage of all raw materials in our controlled warehousing ◊ Variety of UN approved pack sizes available: 25kg, 50kg, 200kg barrels & 1000kg IBCs Unit 49 Baldoyle Industrial Estate, Dublin D13 H2N2, Ireland T. +353 1 839 3127 F. +353 1 832 5746 E. info@heterochem.com W. www.heterochem.com

Highly efficient businesses deserve highly efficient partners www.toyota-fortlifts.ie

Call Toyota for all your handling needs. www.toyota-forklifts.ie or Toyota Material Handling Ireland at Toyota Ireland, Killeen Road, Dublin 12. Tel 01 419 0200.

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foodservice

Bord Bia report predicts foodservice revival A new report from Bord Bia forecasts the Irish foodservice market will return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022.

T

HE Irish foodservice market is set to grow this year, although prolonged lockdown has resulted in a slower than anticipated recovery, according to a new report launched by Bord Bia. The report predicts that the Irish foodservice market will grow by 11% on last year to reach almost €5 billion by year end, with an additional 56% (€2.8 billion) growth predicted for 2022. Last year, following eight years of consecutive growth, the foodservice market fell by a stark 47% (from €8.5 billion to €4.5 billion) and Bord Bia believes it will be the end of 2022 before the majority of the industry could return to close to the prepandemic levels of trade.

Previous Bord Bia reporting on the impact of Covid-19 provided preliminary forecasts for the Irish foodservice industry’s recovery in 2021, but the ongoing restrictions have been more longstanding and impactful

than originally estimated. In response to the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on Ireland’s foodservice industry and the knock-on effect on Irish food and drink producers, Bord Bia has published revised outlooks and a new report charting growth forecasts for the remainder of 2021 and into 2022, as the industry moves towards a full reopening.

The ‘Outlook on the Irish Foodservice Industry Post-Pandemic’ report, co-authored by global foodservice research specialists Technomic, has been developed to equip the industry, and Irish food and drink suppliers servicing this market, with up-todate data and insights as they plan for the period ahead and includes key trends and

Maureen Gahan, Foodservice Specialist, Bord Bia, and report co-author.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 59

foodservice recommendations for businesses across the sector.

Resilience in the face of lockdown “Our end of year Market Insights report published in November 2020 documented the huge hit that the industry had taken as a result of Covid-19,” explained Maureen Gahan, Foodservice Specialist, Bord Bia, and report co-author. “At that stage, we estimated that even in a worst case scenario, 2021 would see growth rates of 16%. However, we had not anticipated the length nor depth of the lockdown that was to follow. This has resulted in a lowering of the overall expectation for growth in 2021 to 11%, lower than the ‘worst case scenario’ laid out late last year.

“That being said, foodservice in Ireland has displayed resilience in the face of the most prolonged shutdown in modern memory.

The industry has shown adaptability, perseverance and tenacity to survive, and with the assumption that the worst part of the crisis has passed, will begin to emerge and grow again in 2021 and beyond,” Maureen continued. “We are forecasting a strong second half to 2021 as the vaccine roll-out continues at pace, coupled with pent-up demand and consumer savings and we remain confident on the longer-term viability and resurgence of the industry. As the economy recovers and consumers grow more confident living in the age of Covid-19, this will see a parallel recovery in the Irish foodservice market.”

Key trends and recommendations In the face of this outlook, the latest Bord Bia report outlines trends and recommendations for businesses as they forward plan and adapt their positioning, products and services, including: • Taste will continue to be the most important driver for consumers, and crave-ability should be a focus for product innovation and menu design; • Continued elevated growth in off- premise: even as dine-in reopens, there will be a need for offerings that can easily transition from on-premise to off-premise occasions and provide a great experience; • Need for skilled labour: this was a concern pre Covid-19, now further exacerbated due to job uncertainty experienced by many during the pandemic. Labour saving solutions will continue to be sought after by foodservice operators; • Safety, including items that offer a lower touch/contactless experience, will continue to be important.

Technology developed now will remain, and new products will evolve accordingly.

60 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Bord Bia remains confident on the longer-term viability and resurgence of the Irish foodservice industry.

Prolonged and significant changes David Henkes, Senior Principal, Technomic, and report co-author, believes that Ireland’s foodservice industry, and the Irish food and drink suppliers servicing this market, are facing prolonged and significant changes due to the global pandemic, and many of these shifts will be permanent.

“This report highlights the key trends that have been identified and/or accelerated over the past 12-14 months,” David noted.

“For example, with the strong demand for off-premise food (including delivery, takeaway and drive-thru), restaurant models are adapting to accommodate what is widely expected to be elevated demand, even as the pandemic ends. Seating areas are being re-thought, with more outdoor space being added. For some quick-serve restaurants, dining areas are being reduced in size or eliminated altogether.”

Meanwhile, technology has been a key enabler for restaurant and foodservice operator survival and success during the pandemic, David reveals, noting that, “Further investment in this space will move forward at an accelerated pace, while the

importance of sustainability, particularly in packaging, but also in food waste, local sourcing and other critical areas, is expected to return and accelerate. Many of these changes are here to stay and we would encourage all foodservice operators and suppliers to remain informed, and use these insights to refocus and reboot the foodservice aspect of their business in order to best service their customers as the market reopens.”

Looking ahead Bord Bia offers a range of bespoke supports and services for foodservice operators and the Irish food and drink companies who supply the market. Some of the upcoming activities include a virtual Meet the Buyer event taking place at the end of September and the annual end-of-year foodservice seminar, taking place in early December. A full 2021 Irish Foodservice Market Report will be published in December, with plans to include a section on consumer insights and changing customer behaviours as a result of Covid-19.

Taste will continue to be the most important driver for consumers, and crave-ability should be a focus for product innovation and menu design.

ATLAS

for Industry

Specialists in Labelling • Printed Labels • Plain Labels • Plastic Labels • Labels on A4 sheets (laser labels) • Wide Format Vinyl Labels • Plain & Printed Tags

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for Industry

(paper-board & plastic) • Label Printers • Thermal Transfer Ribbons • Printed Packaging Tape

ATLAS for Industry

Glen Vale, 178 Portadown Road, Richhill, Co. Armagh BT61 9LJ Tel: 028 3887 0166 sales@atlasforindustry.co.uk www.atlasforindustry.ie

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Supporting the industry

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Food

IRELAND 2 0 21/ 2 2 Ye a r b o o k & D i re c to r y

Product & Service Index

ACCREDITATION Air Products Ireland Ltd ATLAS for Industry Codico Distributors Ltd

ARCHITECTS / FOOD RELATED BUILDINGS BSS (Ireland) Ltd Carey Associates

BARCODING / LABELLING ADC Barcode AIS Ltd - Automatic Identification Systems ALS Labelling Solutions ATLAS for Industry Avery Weigh-Tronix Carabay Packaging Products Codico Distributors Ltd Com-Plas International DSG Packaging Ltd Fischbein-Saxon Goliath Packaging Systems Ltd GS1 Ireland Heavey Technology JMC Packaging Ltd Label One Ltd Obeeco Ltd SAI Global Tekpak Automation Ltd Weber Packaging Solutions Ltd Wrap It Packaging

BROKERING INTRODUCTIONS / SUPPLY OF INFORMATION Invest Northern Ireland

BULK SPIRITS Great Northern Distillery

Clean IN Place Skids Flexachem Manufacturing

CONSUMER TASTE TESTING & SENSORY RESEARCH Innovate Solutions

EDUCATION /TRAINING / CERTIFICATE /CONSULTANCY Bonner GS1 Ireland Irish National Accreditation Board JMC Packaging Ltd KUKA Ireland Ltd

National Standards Authority Of Ireland (NSAI) Repak Ltd safefood SAI Global UCC - School of Food and Nutritional Sciences UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science

ENERGY / UTILITIES MANAGEMENT Bonner Calor Festo Ltd

EXTRUDED THERMOPLASTIC SHEETING Xtrupak Ltd

FOOD GRADE/COMPATIBLE ROBOTIC AUTOMATION KUKA Ireland Ltd

FOOD SAFETY AUDITING Festo Ltd SAI Global CONSULTANTS Air Products Ireland Ltd Bonner Cross Refrigeration Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Festo Ltd Q-Lab Ltd SAI Global Value Stream Machinery CONTAMINANT CONTROL Festo Ltd QPM Ltd CONTROL /INSTRUMENTATION Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd Bonner Cross Refrigeration Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Festo Ltd KUKA Ireland Ltd QPM Ltd Scientific & Chemical Supplies Ltd FOREIGN BODY REMOVAL Festo Ltd QPM Ltd

HYGIENE Carabay Packaging Products Cross Refrigeration Enviroclad Systems Ltd Festo Ltd safefood Scientific & Chemical Supplies Ltd Stone Food Machinery Value Stream Machinery TESTING/INSPECTION Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd Air Products Ireland Ltd Bonner Cross Refrigeration DSG Packaging Ltd Festo Ltd Q-Lab Ltd QPM Ltd Scientific & Chemical Supplies Ltd Teagasc Food Research Programme Moorepark and Ashtown Weber Packaging Solutions Ltd TRACKING SYSTEMS ADC Barcode Codico Distributors Ltd Festo Ltd GS1 Ireland Heavey Technology Weber Packaging Solutions Ltd WrenTech Ltd

FOOD LUBRICANTS Corcoran Chemicals Ltd Festo Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery

GENERAL SERVICES /SUPPLY TO THE TRADE Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd AIC Plastic Pallets Ltd All in All Ingredients Ltd ATLAS for Industry Avery Weigh-Tronix BIM/Irelands Seafood Development Agency Blenders Ltd Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board Carabay Packaging Products Codico Distributors Ltd Com-Plas International Fisher Scientific Flexachem Manufacturing Great Northern Distillery Healy Group FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 63

product & service index Heavey Technology Irish National Accreditation Board JMC Packaging Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery National Standards Authority Of Ireland (NSAI) Pegler & Louden Pharmafoods Ltd Puratos Crest Foods Ltd Q-Lab Ltd QPM Ltd Saica Pack Ireland Scientific & Chemical Supplies Ltd Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland T.S. O’Connor & Son Ltd Univar Solutions Weber Packaging Solutions Ltd

HEALTH & SAFETY Enviroclad Systems Ltd Festo Ltd SAI Global Value Stream Machinery WrenTech Ltd

IDENTIFYING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Invest Northern Ireland

INDUSTRIAL WASHING EQUIPMENT

Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing Goliath Packaging Systems Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery Stone Food Machinery Univar Solutions

INGREDIENTS

AB Mauri UK & Ireland All in All Ingredients Ltd Andrew Ingredients Ltd Azelis Ireland Limited Bonner Brenntag Camida Ltd Corcoran Chemicals Ltd D.D. Williamson (Ireland) Ltd Glanbia Ireland Healy Group Heterochem (Dist.) Ltd Innovate Solutions Kiernan’s Food Ingredients Ltd NCC Food Ingredients Nutrition Supplies O’Brien Ingredients Ornua Puratos Crest Foods Ltd Trilby Trading Ltd Univar Solutions

IT SERVICES & OUTSOURCING ALS Labelling Solutions DSG Packaging Ltd Weber Packaging Solutions Ltd

LEGAL SERVICES Matheson

64 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

MATERIALS HANDLING SERVICE CONTROL / INSTRUMENTATION Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd Avery Weigh-Tronix BSS (Ireland) Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing Irish Lift Trucks Kevin Woods Machinery KUKA Ireland Ltd Manotherm Ltd Bonner QPM Ltd Scientific & Chemical Supplies Ltd Tekpak Automation Ltd WrenTech Ltd MACHINERY / EQUIPMENT ABB Ltd Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd AIC Plastic Pallets Ltd Air Products Ireland Ltd Avery Weigh-Tronix Carabay Packaging Products Ene Limited Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing Fischbein-Saxon Goliath Packaging Systems Ltd Irish Lift Trucks JMC Packaging Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery KUKA Ireland Ltd Obeeco Ltd QPM Ltd Schoeller Allibert Ltd Security Pak Ltd Stone Food Machinery Syspal Tekpak Automation Ltd Toyota Material Handling Ireland Wrap It Packaging WrenTech Ltd PALLETS, CRATES & CONTAINERS AIC Plastic Pallets Ltd Carabay Packaging Products Dollard Packaging Ltd Donoghue Packaging Festo Ltd Goliath Packaging Systems Ltd Industrial Packaging Ltd Irish Lift Trucks JMC Packaging Ltd Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging Quitmann O’Neill Packaging Ltd Saica Pack Ireland Schoeller Allibert Ltd Schütz (Ireland) Ltd Syspal WrenTech Ltd PUMPS & VALVES BSS (Ireland) Ltd Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing Irish Lift Trucks Kevin Woods Machinery Pegler & Louden Scientific & Chemical Supplies Ltd WrenTech Ltd REFRIGERATION / COLD STORAGE Air Products Ireland Ltd

Cold Move Cross Refrigeration CRS Mobile Cold Storage Ltd DSG Packaging Ltd Festo Ltd Goliath Packaging Systems Ltd Irish Lift Trucks Ornua Schoeller Allibert Ltd Scientific & Chemical Supplies Ltd Syspal SERVICE & CALIBRATION Bonner JMC Packaging Ltd QPM Ltd STORAGE & DISTRIBUTION Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS Avery Weigh-Tronix DSG Packaging Ltd Irish Lift Trucks Johnston Logistics Ornua Quitmann O’Neill Packaging Ltd Storage Ltd Toyota Material Handling Ireland WrenTech Ltd WASTE MANAGEMENT/RECYCLING Avery Weigh-Tronix Irish Lift Trucks Kevin Woods Machinery Quitmann O’Neill Packaging Ltd

PACKAGING AUDITS Carabay Packaging Products Limerick Packaging Repak Ltd

PACKAGING /DESIGN /LABELLING ADC Barcode AiP Thermoform Packaging Air Products Ireland Ltd ALS Labelling Solutions ATLAS for Industry Carabay Packaging Products Celtic Sales Co (Cork) Ltd Com-Plas International Corcoran Products (Irl) Ltd Diamond Corrugated Dollard Packaging Ltd Donoghue Packaging DSG Packaging Ltd Elopak Ene Limited Fischbein-Saxon Greiner Packaging Ltd Industrial Packaging Ltd JMC Packaging Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery Kiernan’s Food Ingredients Ltd Label One Ltd Limerick Packaging Measom Freer & Co. Ltd Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging NPP Group Ltd Obeeco Ltd Ornua Packex Industries Ltd P.C. Packaging Ltd

product & service index Pharmafoods Ltd Quitmann O’Neill Packaging Ltd Repak Ltd Schoeller Allibert Ltd Schütz (Ireland) Ltd Sealed Air Ltd Security Pak Ltd Smurfit Kappa Ireland Syspal Tekpak Automation Ltd The Packaging Centre Ltd T.S. O’Connor & Son Ltd Versatile Packaging Ltd Weber Packaging Solutions Ltd Wrap It Packaging WrenTech Ltd Xtrupak Ltd

PEST CONTROL /FLY SCREENS Mitie Rentokil Pest Control

PLANT MAINTENANCE

Acorn Recycling Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd AQS Solutions Bonner Corcoran Products (Irl) Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery Obeeco Ltd Value Stream Machinery

PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

BAKERY Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd Air Products Ireland Ltd Avery Weigh-Tronix Cross Refrigeration DSG Packaging Ltd Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Ene Limited Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing JMC Packaging Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery Obeeco Ltd Pharmafoods Ltd Puratos Crest Foods Ltd QPM Ltd Schoeller Allibert Ltd Syspal Value Stream Machinery Versatile Packaging Ltd Wrap It Packaging WrenTech Ltd DAIRY Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd Air Products Ireland Ltd Avery Weigh-Tronix BSS (Ireland) Ltd Cross Refrigeration David Kellett & Partners Ltd DSG Packaging Ltd Elopak Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Ene Limited Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing JMC Packaging Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery

Obeeco Ltd Pharmafoods Ltd QPM Ltd Schoeller Allibert Ltd Syspal Value Stream Machinery Versatile Packaging Ltd Wrap It Packaging WrenTech Ltd DRINK Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd Air Products Ireland Ltd Avery Weigh-Tronix BSS (Ireland) Ltd Cross Refrigeration DSG Packaging Ltd Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Ene Limited Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing JMC Packaging Ltd Obeeco Ltd Pharmafoods Ltd QPM Ltd Schoeller Allibert Ltd Syspal Value Stream Machinery Versatile Packaging Ltd Wrap It Packaging WrenTech Ltd FRESH FOOD Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd Air Products Ireland Ltd Avery Weigh-Tronix Cross Refrigeration DSG Packaging Ltd Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Ene Limited Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing JMC Packaging Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery Obeeco Ltd Pharmafoods Ltd Puratos Crest Foods Ltd QPM Ltd Schoeller Allibert Ltd Syspal Value Stream Machinery Versatile Packaging Ltd Wrap It Packaging WrenTech Ltd MACHINERY AUCTIONEERS Air Products Ireland Ltd Cross Refrigeration Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Festo Ltd MEAT, FISH & POULTRY Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd Air Products Ireland Ltd Avery Weigh-Tronix Cross Refrigeration DSG Packaging Ltd Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Ene Limited Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing JMC Packaging Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery

Obeeco Ltd Pharmafoods Ltd QPM Ltd Schoeller Allibert Ltd Stone Food Machinery Syspal Value Stream Machinery Versatile Packaging Ltd Wrap It Packaging WrenTech Ltd WASTE WATER EQUIPMENT BSS (Ireland) Ltd Endress + Hauser Ireland Ltd Festo Ltd Flexachem Manufacturing Kevin Woods Machinery Stone Food Machinery

PRODUCTION OPTIMISATION Fischbein-Saxon Flexachem Manufacturing Goliath Packaging Systems Ltd GS1 Ireland JMC Packaging Ltd KUKA Ireland Ltd Value Stream Machinery

Production Skids

Flexachem Manufacturing

RECRUITMENT

ICDS Recruitment Consultants

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT BIM/Irelands Seafood Development Agency Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board Innovate Solutions JMC Packaging Ltd KUKA Ireland Ltd Ornua safefood Teagasc Food Research UCC - School of Food and Nutritional Sciences Weber Packaging Solutions Ltd WrenTech Ltd

STAINLESS STEEL FABRICATION Cross Refrigeration Ene Limited Festo Ltd Kevin Woods Machinery Syspal Teknomek Industries Ltd WrenTech Ltd

SUSTAINABILITY AND TRACEABILITY TRACKING SOLUTIONS GS1 Ireland

TANK Cleaning

Flexachem Manufacturing

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS GS1 Ireland FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 65

company listings a

Advanced Packaging Machinery Ltd

Address: 718 Northwest Business Park,

Ballycoolin, Dublin 15.

Address: Auriga House, Tel: (01) 861 2141

Precedent Drive, Fax: (01) 861 2142 Rooksley, Email: s.dallas@test.ie

Milton Keynes, MK13 8PQ. Web: www.packagingmachinery.ie Tel: (0044) 1908 350 300 Main Products & Services: Fax: (0044) 1908 350 301

Metal detectors, x-ray Email: robotics@gb.abb.com

inspection systems, Web: www.abb.com

check weighers & label www.abb.com/robotics applicators.

Main Products & Services: Contact: Technical Director:

ABB is a leading supplier of

Stephen Dallas

industrial robots,

modular manufacturing

systems and service. A

strong solutions focus

helps manufacturers

improve productivity,

product quality and AIC Plastic Pallets Ltd

worker safety. ABB has Address: The Woodlands,

installed more than

Carrigmore, Ballineen,

200,000 robots world wide.

Co. Cork.

ABB Ltd

AB Mauri UK & Ireland

Address: Barn Way, Lodge Farm, Northampton,

NN5 7UW. Tel: (0044) 1604 755 522 Fax: (0044) 1604 752 470 Email: Damien.McDonald@abmauri.com Web: www.abmauriukandireland.com Main Products & Services:

Dough conditioners,

yeast, soya flours, sour

doughs, cake & donut

mixes, icings & fillings.

Contact: Director of Sales (Ireland):

Damien McDonald

Acorn Recycling

Address: Galmoy via Thurles, Castletown,

Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny.

Tel: 086 2241734 Email: stan@aqssolutions,ie Web: www.aqssolutions.ie Main Products & Services:

Industrial Cleaning Services.

Contact: Commercial Director:

Stan O’Reilly

Tel: (023) 884 7333 Email: info@aicplastics.com Web: www.aicpp.com Main Products & Services:

Plastic, timber and aluminium

pallets, pallet boxes, totes,

storage boxes, stacking

containers, slipsheets, linbins,

bespoke pallets and boxes

(aluminium and plastic).

Contact: Joe O’Flynn

AiP Thermoform Packaging

Address: Unit 1 A Ballymaley

Business Park, Barefield,

Ennis, Co. Clare.

(065) 686 4486 Tel: Fax: (065) 689 3479 Email: john@aip.ie Web: www.aip.ie Main Products & Services:

Design and manufacture

services of Thermoform

Packaging for the Irish market.

Air Products Ireland Ltd

Address: Unit 950, Western

Industrial Estate,

Killeen Road, Dublin 12.

Tel: 1800 99 50 29 Email: ieinfo@airproducts.com Web: www.airproducts.ie Main Products & Services: 66 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Contact:

Air Products brings you the latest, most innovative solutions in cryogenic freezing, chilling, cooling and Modified Atmosphere Packaging. Freshline Gases® include CO2, Nitrogen and Oxygen in liquid or gaseous form. Backed by over 40 years’ knowhow in food processing.

To find out more please visit our website.

Air Products on 1800 99 50 29

AIS Ltd - Automatic Identification Systems

Address: Unit 48, Canal Walk,

Park West Industrial Park,

Nangor Road,

Dublin 12.

Tel: (01) 620 5742 Fax: (01) 620 5735 Email: info@aisltd.ie Web: www.aisltd.ie Main Products & Services:

RFID equipment,automatic

labelling, print & apply systems,

industrial barcode scanning,

2D barcode equipment,

hand held readers, mobile

computers, fixed mount

scanning, label printers, mobile printers, desktop printers,

industrial printers, barcode printers, labels & ribbons.

Supply, install & maintenance

of auto ID products. Custom

solution development

for product traceability

suitable for you.

Andrew Ingredients Ltd

Address: 27 Ferguson Drive,

Knockmore Hill Industrial Park,

Lisburn, Co. Antrim,

BT28 2EX. Tel: (048) 9267 2525 Email: sales@andrewingredients.com Web: www.andrewingredients.ie Main Products & Services: • Food and Bakery ingredients, flour, bread, cake and confectionery mixes, gluten free and vegan products, icings, dried fruit, savoury and sweet sauces, colours and flavours, baking powders, raising agents, sugar etc.

• Dedicated technical team.

• Test Bakery and Kitchen available to existing and potential customers to support NPD, innovation and problem solving.

company listings ATLAS

B

for Industry

Bonner

Instrumentation, Calibration and Automation Solutions

Atlas for Industry

Address: Glen Vale, 178 Portadown Road,

Richhill, Co. Armagh, BT61 9LJ. 0044 (0) 28 3887 0166 Tel: Email: sales@atlasforindustry.co.uk Web: www.atlasforindustry.ie Main Products & Services: Manufacture of self-adhesive labels both plain & printed, in various substrates. Predominantly, Mid-Gloss Paper, Thermal Paper, and synthetics. We also manufacture A4 Laser Labels in a range of formats, starting at 1/sheet; up to 84/sheet (permanent & removable).

Manufacture of tags & tickets for meat plants / garden centres / engineering etc.

Supply of label printers from Zebra / Citizen / Godex / TSC. Transfer ribbons for label printers, economy / mid-range & premium grades.

Contact: Managing Director:

David Nethercote

BIM/Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency

Address: Crofton Rd, Dun Laoghaire,

Co. Dublin.

(01) 214 4100 Tel: Fax: (01) 284 1123 Email: info@bim.ie Web: www.bim.ie Main Products & Services: Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM)

helps to develop the Irish Seafood

Industry by providing technical expertise, business support,

funding, training and promoting responsible environmental practice.

Address: 35 Western Parkway

Business Centre,

Ballymount Drive, Ballymount,

Dublin 12, D12 X542.

(01) 450 5050 Tel: Email: contact@bonner.ie Web: www.bonner.ie Main Products & Services:

Services inc. Calibration, Maintenance, Analysis

& Temperature Mapping, Instrumentation products for

measurement and control,

Automation & Control solutions.

Contact: Managing Director:

Patrick Bonner

Service Manager:

Roddy Jefferson

Automation & Control:

Vernon Smit

Avery Weigh-Tronix

Address: Dublin:

Airton Park, Airton Road,

Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Tel: (01) 400 0720 Fax: (01) 400 0750 Address: Antrim:

1 Sentry Lane, Newtownabbey,

Co. Antrim, BT36 4XX. Tel: (028) 9083 9092 Fax: (028) 9083 5393 Email: irelandinfo@awtxglobal.com Web: www.averyweigh-tronix.com /ireland

Blenders

Address: Whitestown Road, Tallaght,

Dublin 24, D24 VY75.

Tel: (01) 453 6960 Fax: (01) 453 7607 Email: sales@blenders.ie Web: www.blenders.ie Main Products & Services:

Mayonnaises, dressings,

bouillons, cooking sauces,

table sauces, carvery sauces,

relishes in bulk catering, sachets,

dip-pots and retail jar formats.

Branded and private label.

Bord Bia The Irish Food Board

Address: Clanwilliam Court,

Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: (01) 668 5155 Email: info@bordbia.ie Web: www.bordbia.ie Main Products & Services:

Marketing, promotion

and development of Irish

food, drink & horticulture.

Subject to change in early 2022.

Brenntag

Azelis Ireland Limited

Address: Unit 23, Sandyford Office Park,

Blackthorn Avenue,

Sandyford Industrial Estate,

Foxrock, Dublin 18.

Tel: (01) 295 6977 Fax: (01) 295 8338 Email: graeme.locke@azelis.ie Main Products & Services:

Food Ingredients,

Flavours and Colours.

Contact: Managing Director:

Graeme Locke

Address: Unit 405, Greenogue Business

Park, Rathcoole,

Dublin 24 Tel: +353(0) 1 4013500/

+353 (0) 86 2958750 Email: dublin.sales@brenntag.ie/ james.dixon@brenntag.ie Web: www.brenntag.ie Main Products & Services:

Food ingredients, cake mixes,

blends, NPD Contact: Key Account Manager:

James Dixon FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 67

nges. h er, the ies of a other,

company listings

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Calor

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GM he We t and ss add

Search

Address: Long Mile Road, Dublin 12.

Tel: 1850 812 450 Email: info@calorgas.ie i s o v e r Web: www.calorgas.ie Main Products & Services:

Supply of LPG in bulk tanks

or cylinders.

Contact: Sales Director: Oliver Kenny.

Camida Ltd Camida Ltd., Tower House,

e r

d team ho So u and

UINEY

Address: New Quay, Clonmel,

Co. Tipperary, New Quay, Clonmel,

E91 YV66.

Co Tipperary, Ireland.

(052) 612 5455 Tel: Mobile: (087) 622 6810 Email: michael.odonovan@camida.com LIFE SCIENCE INDUSTRIAL INgREDIENTS t: +353 52 6125455 Web: www.camida.com Main Products & Services: e: joe.guiney@camida.com Ingredients (Food, Beverage, m:Feed). +353Natural 86 2413223 Emulsifiers (Soya Sunflower Lecithin), Synthetic w:&www.camida.com Emulsifiers (Esters) Sweeteners (Sucralose, Sodium Saccharin and Sodium Cylamate), Vitamin blends, Flavour systems, Antioxidants and Natural Vitamin E. Feed Sector – Vitamins (Dry and liquid form), Glycinates (Copper, 02/06/2015 Iron, Manganese & Zinc), Dicalcium Phopshate, Xanthan Gum, Stevia Extract, Glucose Syrup, Glycine, Oils & Waxes.

Contact: Sales Manager: Michael O’Donovan

Ashbourne Town Centre,

Ashbourne, Co. Meath, A84 NX77

(01) 835 1572 Tel: Email: info@careyassociates.ie Web: www.careyassociates.ie Main Products & Services: Architects and Project Managers

Contact: Fergus Carey MRIAI

Celtic Sales Co (Cork) Ltd

Address: Unit 3b, Waterfront Business Park,

Little Island, Cork.

Tel: (021) 429 7984 Fax: (021) 429 7990 mary@celticsales.com Email: Main Products & Services: Packaging materials for fresh

food.

Com-Plas International

Address: Unit F5 & F6, Southern Link

Business Park, Naas, Co. Kildare,

Ireland, W91 RT9P. Tel: +353 (0)45 874 088 Email: sales@complas.ie Web: www.complas.ie Main Products & Services: Packaging products for food,

pharma and chemical industries.

Carey Associates

Architects for the Food Industry Address: Office 1, Second Floor,

Building 3b, Killegland Street, 68 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Address: Carnisle, Kildalkey,

Co. Meath, C15 KP29.

Tel: (046) 943 5000 Fax: (046) 943 5068 Email: enquiry@crs.ie Web: www.crs.ie Main Products & Services: Increase your on-site cold storage capacity: CRS offer a wide range of temperature controlled storage solutions both new and professionally refurbished for short and long-term rental. Our products include 1-58 pallet portable cold stores and 10-106kw portable blast freezers.

Contact: Michael O’Keefe

D Diamond Corrugated

12:48

Corcoran Chemicals Ltd

Address: 17 Parkgate Street,

Dublin 8.

Tel: (01) 633 0400 Fax: (01) 679 3521 Email: info@corcoran-group.com Web: www.corcoran-group.com Main Products & Services:

Distributors of raw materials

for the food, pharmaceutical,

polymer & chemical industry.

Contact: Sales

Carabay Packaging Products

Address: Unit 3, 4, 5,

Liosban Industrial Estate,

Tuam Road, Co. Galway.

H91 C793.

Tel: (091) 773 370 Fax: (091) 773 371 Email: sales@carabay.ie Web: carabay.ie Contact: Sales Director:

Kenneth Casburn

CRS Mobile Cold Storage Ltd

Corcoran Products (Irl) Ltd

Address: Unit 12 Northern Cross Business

Park, Finglas,

D11 DC67, Ireland.

Tel: (01) 864 4422 Email: info@corcoran-group.com Web: www.corcoran-group.com Main Products & Services: Suppliers of packaging to

the food, pharmaceutical and

chemical industry.

Contact: Derek Lennon

Address: 12-13 Pennyburn

Industrial Estate, Londonderry,

Northern Ireland,

BT48 OLU. Tel: (048) 7126 2957 Email: mail@diamondcorr.com Web: www.diamondcorr.com

Dollard Packaging Ltd

Address: Units 6-11, Eklad Park,

Malahide Road Industrial

Park, Malahide Road, Dublin 17.

Tel: (01) 847 0044 Email: sales@dollard-packaging.ie Web: www.dollard-packaging.ie Main Products & Services:

Print and Packaging.

Donoghue Packaging

Address: Donpack Business Park,

Bandon, Co. Cork Tel: (023) 884 2111 Fax: (023) 884 1211 Email: donpack@donpack.ie Web: www.donpack.com Main Products & Services: Manufacturers of Waxed Solid

Board & Corrugated Packaging Products.

Contact: Managing Director:

Ray Donoghue

company listings DSG Packaging Ltd

Address: L2 Toughers Industrial Park,

Newhall, Naas,

Co. Kildare.

Tel: (045) 454 900 Email: rdoyle@dsgpack.ie Web: www.dsgpack.ie Main Products & Services:

Specialists in Contract

Packaging, Outsourcing

and “End of Line” Filling

and Packaging Services.

Enviroclad Systems Ltd

Address: Unit 57B,

Hebron Industrial Estate,

Hebron Road,

Co. Kilkenny.

(056) 775 2866 Tel: Fax: (056) 777 0955 Email: info@enviroclad.com Web: www.enviroclad.com Main Products & Services: Supply and Fitting of

Enviroclad Hygienic Wall

and Ceiling Cladding in

P.V.C. for the Food Industry.

E Elopak

Address: 67 Broomhill Road,

Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Tel: (01) 452 1111 Web: www.elopak.com Main Products & Services:

Liquid Packaging, Milk, Soup and Juice Cartons, Packaging Machines.

Endress+Hauser Ireland Ltd

Address: Exchequer House,

Embassy Office Park, Kill,

Co. Kildare.

Tel: (045) 989 200 Email: info.ie.sc@endress.com Web: www.ie.endress.com Main Products & Services:

Endress+Hauser

are a global leader in

instrumentation solutions

and services for the food

and beverage industry.

Ene Limited

Address: Unit 24,

Scarva Road Industrial Estate, Banbridge,

Co. Down.

BT32 3QD Tel: +44 28 4062 2215 Email: info@eneconveyors.com Web: www.eneconveyors.com Main Products & Services:

Conveyor systems and

replacement belts.

Contact: Belting Manager:

Darren Horner

F

Festo Ltd

Address: Head Office: Unit 5,

Sandyford Park,

Sandyford Industrial Estate,

Dublin 18.

Tel: (01) 295 4955 Fax: (01) 295 5680 Email: sales_ie@festo.com Web: www.festo.com/ie Main Products & Services: Automation Technology · Industrial Automation · Electrical Automation · Process Automation Training & Consulting Food, Beverage & Packaging Expertise.

Flexachem Manufacturing

Address: Donnybrook Commericial Centre, Douglas, Cork,

T12 X68Y. Tel: 086 0476178 Email: michael.bradley@flexachem.com Web: www.flexachem.com Main Products & Services:

Mechanical & Process Solutions, Pumps, Valves, Mechanical Seals.

Contact: Sales: Michael Bradley

Fischbein-Saxon

Address: 274 Alma Road, Enfield,

Middlesex, EN3 7BB, England.

Tel: (0044) 208 344 6600 Fax: (0044) 208 344 6625 Email: salesuk@fischbein.com Web: www.fischbein.com Main Products & Services: Through the recent partnership with VOTECH, FISCHBEIN enhances its ability to offer fully automatic Dosing, Bagging and Palletizing lines, as well as Pallet Wrapping and Stretch-Hooders.

The Votech brand is known for providing high-precision, hygienic solutions, in the food and powder sectors such as Milk, Animal Feeds, Food Flavours, Flour Milling, Fertilizers, Pellets, Horticulture, and associated products.

Votech exudes quality, robustness, and reliability, and as a result, have thousands of successful installations, and a reputation with our clients, that proceeds our name.

Contact: Sales & Services Director:

Barry Cox

Fisher Scientific Address: Suite 6, Plaza 212,

Blanchardstown

Corporate Park, Ballycoolin,

Dublin 15, DI5VY66.

Tel: (01) 885 5854 Fax: (01) 899 1855 Email: fsie.sales@thermofisher.com Web: www.ie.fishersci.com Business: Laboratory supplies, Chemicals,

Consumables, Reagents,

Equipment & Instruments.

Contact: Portfolio Manager:

Gerry Fitzmaurice

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 69

company listings

G

H Healy Group

Address: HCL House, Second Avenue,

Cookstown Industrial Estate,

Tallaght, Dublin 24,

D24 XDR5.

Tel: +353 (0)1404 9200 Glanbia Ireland Fax: +353 (0)1404 9201 Address: Ballyragget, Email: info@healy-group.com

Co. Kilkenny.

Web: www.healy-group.com Tel: (056) 883 6000 Main Products & Services: Email: giicustomerservice@glanbia.ie Healy Group are a solutionsWeb: www.glanbiairelandingredients.com driven agent and distributor, Main Products & Services: supplying high-quality food B2C Dairy, Ingredient Solutions

ingredients, chemicals,

& Agribusiness. nutraceuticals and raw materials.

Contact: Head of Marketing Ingredients: We are committed to providing

Ann Meaney an excellent range of products and unrivalled technical support to all of our customers.

Greiner Packaging Ltd From beverages to bakery, Address: Killyman Road Industrial Estate, pharmaceuticals to cosmetics, Dungannon, our customers can depend on County Tyrone, BT 71 6LN,

the collective experience and

Northern Ireland. expertise of our dedicated team.

Tel: (0044) 28 8772 3131 Fax: (0044) 28 8772 7318 Email: Sales.Dungannon@greiner-gpi.com Web: www.greiner-gpi.com Contact: Sales Director: Oliver Murphy

Sales Manager: Philip Hogan

HH SOLUTIONS

Address: 12 Ritaville,

Old Cork Road, Limerick.

(061) 603 742 Tel: Email: info@hhsolutions.ie Web: www.hhsolutions.ie Main Products & Services:

Food Probes & Data Services: Loggers & Wireless

Monitoring Systems.

Irish agents for Eltex of

Sweden & Comark Ltd.

I Innovate Solutions

Address: 2nd Floor,

6 South William Street,

Dublin 2.

Tel: (01) 707 9856 Email: sales@innovatesolutions.ie Web: www.innovatesolutions.ie Main Products & Services:

Consumer Research – NPD taste

testing, product benchmarking, expert sensory panels, focus

group research.

Heterochem (Dist.) Ltd

GS1 Ireland

Address: Second Floor, The Merrion Centre,

Nutley Lane, Donnybrook,

Dublin 4, D04 KF62.

Tel: (01) 208 0660 Fax: (01) 208 0670 Email: info@gs1ie.org Web: www.gs1ie.org/food Main Products & Services:

Global Supply Chain Standards

Body. Barcode Numbers, Barcode Manager Tool, Barcode

Symbols, fTRACE, GS1 Digital Link, Verified by GS1, EDI

Message Standards,

EPC/RFID, Traceability Standards,

Barcode and EDI Message

Verification, Advisory and

Training Services.

Contact: Chair: Gerry Boylan (Diageo)

Vice-Chair: Pat Tracey (DCC Vital)

Vice-Chair: David Codd (Musgrave)

Chief Executive Officer: Mike Byrne 70 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Address: Unit 49, Baldoyle Industrial Estate,

Dublin, D13 H2N2 Tel: (01) 839 3127.

Email: info@heterochem.com Web: www.heterochem.com Main Products & Services: Antifoams, Antioxidants,

Colours, Distilling & Brewing

Additives, Emulsifiers,

Flavours, Gums, Preservatives & Sweeteners.

Contact: info@heterochem.com Accreditation:

ISO, FEMAS & Organic Trust Certified.

Invest Northern Ireland

Address: Bedford Square,

Bedford Street,

Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Tel: 0044 7895 111024 Email: jen.guiney@investni.com Web: www.investni.com Main Products & Services:

Brokering introductions to

Northern Ireland’s food and

drink sector. Invest NI’s Food

and Drink Business Development

team offers comprehensive

support to retailers, foodservice

and wholesale operators seeking innovative ideas from experienced food and drink

producers to help build mutually

beneficial and profitable

business relationships.

Contact: Business Development

Executive: Jen Guiney

Food Ir

company listings Irish Exporters Association

Irish Lift Trucks

Address: Clonlara Avenue,

Baldonnell Business Park,

Baldonnell, Dublin 22.

Tel: (01) 403 4100 (01) 403 4183 Fax: Email: info@irishlifttrucks.ie Web: www.irishlifttrucks.ie Main Products & Services:

Materials Handling

Equipment/Forklifts.

Contact: Conal McCourt / Wayne Uzell

Irish National Accreditation Board Address: Wilton Park House,

Wilton Place,

Dublin 2.

Tel: (01) 607 3003 Email: inab@inab.ie Web: www.inab.ie

J JMC Packaging Ltd

Address: 37 Seagoe Industrial Estate,

Craigavon, Co. Armagh,

BT63 5QE. Tel: 028 3839 1723 Mobile: +353 86 0234177 Email: info@jmcpackaging.co.uk Web: www.jmcpackaging.co.uk Main Products & Services:

Specialists in packaging

materials and equipment.

Shrink wrap equipment,

tray sealing equipment,

automatic label applications,

automatic stretch wrappers,

checkweighing & metal

detections, polyolefin

shrink film, smoothwall

foil trays, soft fruit

punnets, food grade

stretch film & lidding

film and meat & poultry trays.

K David Kellett & Partners Ltd

Company Listings

Address: 28 Merrion Square,

Dublin 2.

Tel: (01) 661 2182 Email: iea@irishexporters.ie Web: www.irishexporters.ie Main Products & Services: Food and Drink Export Ireland, a

division of the IEA, provides

assistance to Irish food and drink

companies in the home

market and to increase their

sales abroad.

L

LLabel One Ltd Address: 3 Advantage Way, Label One Ltd

Ballygomartin Industrial

Address: 3 Advantage Way, Address: Maple Court, Wormbridge Estate, Ballygomartin

Ballygomartin Industrial Estate, House, Wormbridge, Hereford,

Road, Belfast BT13 3LZ.

Ballygomartin Road,

HR2 9DH. Telephone: (048) 9077 7444

Belfast BT13 3LZ. Tel: (0044) 1981 570 611 Fax: (048) 9077 4067 Tel: (048) 9077 7444 Email: davidkellett@davidkellett.co.uk Email: info@labelone.ie (048) 9077 4067 Main Products & Services: Fax: Web: www.labelone.ie Email: info@labelone.ie

Dairy Engineering, Filtration Main Products/ Self-adhesive labels, Web: www.labelone.ie

Systems/Membranes, RO, UO, Services: extended content leaflet

UF & MF. Osmosis®, Ultra Main Products & Services: labels.

Filtration and Micro Filtration,

Self-adhesive labels, extended Contact: Sales Manager, ROI: Effluent Treatment, Spiral Wound

content leaflet labels.

Chris Moore

and Plate & Frame, Cheese 087 252 3335

Maturing Vacuum Pouches.

Contact: Managing Director:

David Kellett

LogoPak Inte

Address:

Telephone: Fax: Email: Web: www.lo Main Products/ Services:

Contact:

Kevin Woods Machinery Limited

Address: The Inch, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Tel: 086 859 5532 / 086 170 8791 Web: www.kevinwoodsmachinery.ie Main Products & Services: Suppliers of machinery and

service to the processing and

packaging sector.

Kiernan’s Food Ingredients Ltd

Address: Unit 8 Steadfast Industrial Estate,

Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.

Tel: (042) 966 2096 Fax: (042) 966 3954 Email: info@kiernans.ie Web: www.kiernans.ie Main Products & Services:

Food ingredients - seasonings,

cures, sauces, marinades etc.

Food packaging - aluminium

trays, vac pack, shrink bags, etc.

Contact: Martin Kiernan

Mobile 087 2567694

James Kiernan

Mobile 087 6866993

Marty Boyle

Mobile 0044 7585808976

KUKA Ireland Ltd

M

Limerick LimerickPackaging Packaging

Manotherm Lt Address:

Address: Park, Address: Eastlink Business Eastlink Business Park,

Ballysimon Road, Telephone: Ballysimon Road, Limerick.

Fax:

Co. Limerick.

Tel:

(061) 400 035 Email: Telephone: (061) 400 035 Email: Website: Fax: info@lmkpkg.ie (061) 400 036 Web: www.limerickpackaging.ie Main Products/ Email: info@lmkpkg.ie Main Products & Services:

Services: Web: www.limerickpackaging.ie Main Products/ Corrugated Boxes, Polythene Corrugated Boxes, Services: Polythene Bags, Bags, Edgeguards, Palletwrap, Contact: Tapes, Litho printed

Strapping,

Edgeguards, Palletwrap,

Cartons,Strapping, Tapes.

Litho Laminated outers, Contact: Mike Boland High Quality Post-Printed Outers,

Shelf-Ready Packs.

Contact: Mike Boland

LINPAC Allibert Address: 17 Ridgeway,

Quinton Business Park, Bimingham, B32 1AF,

United Kingdom.

Telephone: (0044) 1606 56 1929 Manotherm Ltd Fax: (0044) 1606 56 1998 Address: 4 Walkinstown Road, Email: brendan.mcgarry@linpac.com

Dublin D12 RP83 Web: www.linpacallibert.com Tel: (01) 452 2355 Main Products/ Plastic Materials Handling Fax: (01) 451 6919 Services: Products - Boxes, Bins, Email: info@manotherm.ie Trays, Pallets etc.

Web: www.manotherm.ie Contact: Sales Manager, Ireland: Main Products & Services: Distributor of

Brendan McGarry

process instrumentation

087 676 7161

M

Measom Freer

Address:

Telephone: Fax: Email: sa Web: w Main Products/ Services:

and controls.

Address: Unit 16 Brewery Business Park

Ardee Rd, Cambrickville, Dundalk, Matheson

Co. Louth, Ireland Address: 70 Sir John Rogersons Quay, Tel: +353 (0)42 93 95034

Dublin 2, Ireland.

Email: sales.ie@kuka.com Tel: 00 353 1 232 2000 Web: www.kuka.com Email: louise.tolerton@matheson.com Main Products & Services: Web: www.matheson.com

Robotics & Automation Main Products8& Services: Contact: Brian Cooney, Managing Director 37_48 company_listing.indd

Legal Services.

– KUKA Ireland FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 71

44 f

company listings Measom Freer & Co. Ltd

Address: 37/41 Chartwell Drive, Wigston,

Leicester, LE18 2FL, England.

Tel: (0044) 116 288 1588 (0044) 116 281 3000 Fax: Email: sales@measomfreer.co.uk Web: www.measomfreer.co.uk Main Products & Services:

Measom Freer manufacture and stock quality plastic bottles,

custom moulded bottles,

dropper caps, scoops, measures,

boxes, jars, tubes, fasteners etc,

for food use. Services include 3D design, in-house tool making and

screen printing.

Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging

Address: Clondrohid, Macroom, Co. Cork.

Oranstown, Dunboyne,

Co. Meath.

Tel: (026) 41311 (01) 825 2059 Email: sales@midcorkpallets.com Web: www.midcorkpallets.com Main Products & Services: Established in 1978, Mid Cork

Pallets & Packaging (MCP) is

Ireland’s leading manufacturer

of pallets and supplier of

corrugated packaging and storage

solutions.

With over 350,000 sq. ft. of

manufacturing and storage

facilities and 2 locations in Cork

and Meath, MCP are strategically

located to service our ever

growing customer base. We are

currently expanding our operation

in both sites and are in the process

of building new state-of-the-

art warehouses, with the capacity

of an additional 20,000 pallet

spaces which will allow MCP to

store and distribute more of our

customers’ products.

Contact: sales@midcorkpallets.com

N National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)

Address: 1 Swift Square, Northwood,

Santry, Dublin 9.

Tel: (01) 807 3800 Fax: (061) 332 982 Email: info@nsai.ie

72 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Web: www.nsai.ie Main Products & Services:

Certification and inspection services to national & interna- tional product & management system standards including ISO 22000, ISO 9001, OHSAS and BRC Global Food Standard.

Food Ingredients

NCC Food Ingredients

Address: NCC House,

42 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: (01) 613 1400 Fax: (01) 661 6261 Email: foodsales@ncc.ie Web: www.nccingredients.com Main Products & Services:

Food Ingredients: Natural Flavours, Acidulants, Preservatives, Biocides, Enzymes, Hydrocolloids, Stabilizers, Antioxidants, Carriers, Binders, Gelling agents, Fibres, Sweeteners (natural & high intensity), Amino Acids, Colours, Fats & Oils, Starches, Texturizers, Clean Label Ingredients, Prebiotics, Atlantic Sea Salts among other ingredients.

Ingredients Sourcing: With a dedicated team of qualified food professionals, we have a deep and informed understanding of the many challenges facing the food industry today. Working in close partnership with highly innovative producers across the globe we provide our customers with a wide range of functional, clean label products and technologies. Our customer base ranges from international producers of foods and beverages to small niche artisan creators of fine foods.

We support our customers from the very early stages of product development through to end production.

Contact: Product Manager:

Fintan McConnell (fmcconnell@ncc.ie)

NPP Group Ltd

Address: Unit 509, Mitchelstown Road,

Northwest Business Park,

Ballycoolin, Dublin 15.

Tel: (00353) (0) 1 880 9299 Fax: (00353) (0) 1 880 9298

Email: sales@npp.ie Web: www.npp.ie Main Products & Services: Flexible plastic packaging distributors.

Nutrition Supplies

Address: Innishannon,

Co. Cork, T12 F248.

(021) 477 5522 Tel: (021) 477 5449 Fax: Email: ursula.lecane@nutritionsupplies.ie Web: www.nutritionsupplies.ie Main Products & Services:

Vitamin & Nutrient

Precision Premixes.

O Obeeco Ltd

Address: Annaville Avenue, Blackrock,

Co. Dublin.

Tel: (01) 278 2323 Fax: (01) 278 2374 Email: sales@obeeco.ie Web: www.obeeco.ie Main Products & Services: Packaging Processing and Automation Machinery.

Coding and Printing Solutions and Materials.

Contact: Sales Director: Richard Burke

Managing Director:

Olive Walker

O’Brien Ingredients

Address: 11 Magna Drive,

Magna Business Park,

Citywest, Dublin D24 T97Y Tel: 00353 [0]1 469 1400 Fax: 00353 [0]1 469 1360 Email: ingred@obrien-ingredients.ie Web: www.obrien-ingredients.ie Main Products & Services:

Supplier of ambient,

frozen and chilled

ingredients to Bakery,

Beverage, Confectionery,

Dairy, Ice Cream, Feed,

Pharmaceutical, Infant

Formula and Savoury

sectors in Ireland.

Contact: Christopher Doyle, Paul Wiseman

company listings

Ornua

Address: Grattan House,

Mount Street Lower,

Dublin 2. +353 1 661 9599 Tel: Fax: +353 1 661 2778 Email: communications@ornua.com Web: www.ornua.com Main Products & Services:

Ireland’s largest exporter of

Irish dairy products (butter,

cheese and milk powders) and proud owner of the Kerrygold

brand.

P Packex Industries Ltd

Address: Unit 1, Village Mills Business

Park, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow.

Tel: (0404) 69 851 Fax: (0404) 69 861 Email: sales@packex.ie Main Products & Services:

High quality flexible packaging.

Contact: Ivan Cruise

Main Products & Services:

Bilwinco Multihead

Weighers, Mondini Tray

Sealers Vacuum and Gas,

Limitech Liquid Processing

Equipment, Rovema

Vertical Form Fill Sealers,

Cartoning, Bag In Box,

Abtech Premade Pouch

Production for Tuna in Foil.

Puratos Crest Foods Ltd

Address: 70 - 71 Dunboyne Business Park,

Dunboyne, Co. Meath.

Tel: (01) 825 5505 Fax: (01) 825 5506 Email: info_ireland@puratos.com Web: www.puratos.com Main Products & Services: Bakery, patisserie and

chocolate ingredients.

Belcolade Belgian

chocolate, Puratos bakery

& patisserie products,

PatisFrance premium

patisserie ingredients.

Contact: General Manager:

Sean McDaid www.linkedin.com/in/seanmcdaidgm Puratos’ Virtual Innovation Center www.poppr.be/virtualtour/puratos_innovationcenter/

P.C. Packaging Ltd

Address: Derrynane House, Eadestown, Naas,

Co. Kildare.

Tel: (045) 883 510 Fax: (045) 880 934 Email: philip@pcpackaging.ie Web: www.pcpackaging.ie Main Products & Services:

Packaging machinery/

shrink films, flexible

packaging, Belca range of

shrink wrappers, Ilapak

flow wrapping, Sovereign

labelling systems, Sick sensors.

Pharmafoods Ltd

Address: Lower Waterford Road, Carrickbeg, Carrick-on-Suir,

Co. Tipperary.

Tel: (051) 645 066/645 084 Fax: (051) 645 033 Email: info@pharmafoods.net Web: www.pharmafoods.net

Q

Loggers, pH Meters, Gas Analysis,

Magnetic Separators, Automatic Labelling Machines and Automatic

Sleeving Machines, Service & Calibration.

Contact: Andy Nevin

Quitmann O’Neill Packaging Ltd

Address: St Brendan’s Road, Portumna,

Co. Galway, H53 HX51 Tel: (090) 97 41148 (090) 97 41459 Fax: Email: sales@quitmannoneill.com Web: www.qonpack.com Main Products & Services:

Stockist and Distributors

of Packaging Contact: General Manager:

David O’Neill

R Rentokil Pest Control

Nationwide Coverage Tel: 1890 869 869 Fax: (045) 852 890 Email: pestcontrolinfo@rentokil.ie Web: www.rentokil.ie Main Products & Services:

Suppliers of Pest Control

to ISO 9001:2008 specification.

Contact: Pest Control:

Michael O’Mahoney

Q-Lab Ltd

Address: PO Box 27,

Kerlogue Industrial Estate,

Drinagh, Co. Wexford.

Tel: (053) 914 5600 Fax: (053) 918 4575 Email: info@qlab.ie Web: www.qlab.ie Main Products & Services:

Microbiological & chemical

analysis of food, water &

environmental samples.

QPM Ltd

Address: Unit 12, Robinhood Business

Park, Robinhood Road, Dublin 22.

Tel: (01) 450 2421 Email: anevin@qpm.ie Web: www.qpm.ie Main Products & Services: X-ray inspection, Metal Detection,

Checkweighing, Scales,

Temperature Probes, Data

Repak Ltd

Address: Red Cow Interchange Estate,

1 Ballymount Road,

Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

Tel: (01) 467 0190 Fax: (01) 403 0929 Email: info@repak.ie Web: www.repak.ie Main Products & Services:

Repak is an environmental not-

for-profit organisation with a

social mission.

Repak is Ireland’s only government-

approved packaging compliance

scheme, licensed by the Department of Communications,

Climate Action and Environment.

Repak was set up in 1997 in

accordance with EU Packaging Regulations. Repak has over

3,400 members (importers, FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 73

company listings

brand-holders, retailers) whose fees fund household recycling bins, bottle banks, civic amenities and commercial back-

door waste nationwide. Over

the past 23 years, Repak

members have invested over

€475 million to help grow

packaging recycling and

recovery from under 15% in

1997 to an estimated 93% in 2018.

There are many benefits to

becoming a Repak Member,

including access to its Prevent

& Save programme which can

cut packaging waste at source

and save your business money.

Certification, Environmental Management, Quality Management Systems, Supply Chain Management, Aquaculture Services, Fishery Services, Compliance Solutions, Risk Management.

Saica Pack Ireland

Address: Ashbourne Industrial Estate, Ashbourne,

Co. Meath.

(01) 801 0400 Tel: (01) 835 1249 Fax: Email: michael.shaw@saica.com Web: www.saica.com

S Schütz (Ireland) Ltd

safe food

Address: 7 Eastgate Avenue, Eastgate,

Little Island,

Co. Cork

T45 RX01 Tel: 021 230 4100 Fax: 021 230 4111 Email: info@safefood.net Web: www.safefood.net Main Products & Services: safefood is the all island public agency promoting food safety and healthy eating to consumers through education and awareness campaigns.

It also acts as an independent source of scientific advice, commissions and funds relevant research, co-ordinates scientific co-operation and facilitates knowledge exchange among those working in the food sector and other key stakeholders.

SAI Global

Address: Block 3, Quayside Business Park,

Mill St, Dundalk,

Co. Louth.

Tel: 042 932 0912 Email: information@saiglobal.com Web: www.saiglobal.com Main Products & Services: Food Safety certification, BRC Certification, GFSI Scheme 74 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Address: Killala Business Park, Townamore,

Killala, Co. Mayo,

F26 XY18 Tel: (096) 33044 Fax: (096) 33045 Email: info1ireland@schuetz.net Web: www.schuetz.net Main Products & Services: Manufacturer of IBCs and PE Drums.

Sealed Air Ltd

Address: Clifton House,

1 Marston Road,

St. Neots, Cambridgeshire

PE19 2HN. Tel: (0044) 148 022 4000 Fax: (0044) 148 022 4063 Email: cryovac.ukmkt@sealedair.com Web: www.sealedair.com Main Products & Services: Cryovac® Packaging Solutions, including films, barrier bags, rigid trays, punnets and pots. Diversey Hygiene Solutions including detergents, disinfectants, dosing equipment and energy and water

management solutions.

Contact: Timothy O’Connell

Mobile: 086 225 3172

Smurfit Kappa Ireland

Address: Ballymount Road, Walkinstown,

Dublin 12.

(01) 409 0000 Tel: Fax: (01) 456 4509 Email: info@smurfitkappa.ie Web: www.smurfitkappa.ie www.skpackaging.ie www.smurfitkappadirect.ie Main Products & Services: Ireland’s leading

manufacturer of

packaging and point of

purchase displays, with a

wide product range to suit

the needs of the food

industry. Standard

packaging & promotional

products can now be

bought on-line via our

webshop at www.smurfitkappadirect.ie

Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland

Address: Wilton Park House,

Wilton Place,

Dublin 2.

Tel: (01) 808 2100 (01) 808 2002 Fax: Email: info@sei.ie Web: www.sei.ie

Syspal

Address: Cockshutt Lane, Broseley,

Shropshire, TF12 5JA, England.

Tel: (0044) 1952 883188 Fax: (0044) 1952 884 093 Email: sales@syspal.com Web: www.syspal.com Main Products & Services:

Manufacturers of stainless steel

and aluminium products,

specifically designed for

regulations within the food industry.

Contact: Nicky Davies

company listings Toyota Material Handling Ireland

T

Teagasc Food Research Programme

Moorepark and Ashtown Address: Moorepark, Fermoy,

Co. Cork, P61 C966.

Ashtown, Dublin 15,

D15 KN3K. Tel: (025) 42 222 / (01) 805 9500 Email: mark.fenelon@teagasc.ie / declan.troy@teagasc.ie Web: www.teagasc.ie Main Products & Services:

Research, development

and innovation, food

bioscience, food safety,

food chemistry and

technology, food industry

development, Food Quality &

Sensory Science pilot plant

facilities, analytical services,

training, consultancy.

Address: Killeen Road,

Dublin 12.

(01) 419 0200 Tel: Fax: (01) 419 0325 Email: materialhandling@toyota.ie Web: www.toyota-forklifts.ie Main Products & Services:

Toyota forklifts and BT

warehouse equipment.

Diesel/LPG and electric

forklifts, powerpallet

trucks, stackers etc.

Trilby Trading Ltd

Address: Boyne House,

Boyne Business Park,

Greenhills, Drogheda,

Co. Louth.

Tel: (041) 983 2137 (041) 983 5463 Fax: Email: sales@trilbytrading.ie Main Products & Services:

Food Grade Vegetable Oils.

Contact: sales@trilbytrading.ie

The Packaging Centre Ltd For all your packaging needs

TPC

Fox & Geese House, Naas Road, Dublin 22.

Tel: 01 450 8759 ~ Fax: 01 450 7567 www.thepackagingcentre.ie

The Packaging Centre

Address: Fox & Geese House,

Naas Road,

Dublin 22.

Tel: (01) 450 8759 Fax: (01) 450 7567 Email: sales@thepackagingcentre.ie Web: www.thepackagingcentre.ie Contact: Managing Director, Ivan Powell

Address: O’Rahilly Building,

University College Cork, Cork.

Tel: (021) 490 2570 Email: foodbusiness@ucc.ie Web: www.ucc.ie/en/foodbus/ Main Products & Services:

Education, research, continuing

education & training.

UCC - Food Industry Training Unit

Address: Room 246,

Food Science Building,

University College Cork, Cork.

(021) 490 3363 Tel: Email: m.mccarthybuckley@ucc.ie Web: www.ucc.ie/en/fitu Main Products & Services:

Education, research, continuing

education & training.

UCD - School Of Agriculture and Food Science

U

Tekpak Automation Ltd

Address: Whitemill Industrial Estate, Wexford, Ireland.

Tel: (053) 916 3033 Email: jkehoe@tekpak.ie The Packaging Centre Ltd Web: www.tekpak.ie For all your packaging needs Main Products & Services: Fox & Geese House, Naas Road, Dublin 22.

TPC Vision guided Tel: 01 450 8759 pick ~ Fax: 01 450 7567 www.thepackagingcentre.ie

and place robots.

Contact: John Kehoe

UCC - Department of Food Business and Development

Pantone 2935 Address: 3rd Floor, Food Science Building UCC - Food Institute

University College Cork, Cork.

Tel: (021) 490 3810 Email: infofoodinstitute@ucc.ie Main Products & Services:

Education, research, continuing

education & training.

CMYK

100 UCC Cyan: - School of Food and Magenta: 50 Nutritional Sciences

Address: UCD Agriculture and

Food Science Centre,

UCD, Belfield,

Dublin 4.

Undergraduate Programmes:

UCD Agricultural

Science and Veterinary

Medicine programme

Office UCD Agriculture

and Food Science Centre.

Tel: (01) 716 7194 Email: agandfoodprogrammes@ucd.ie Web: www.ucd.ie/agfood

Postgraduate Programmes:

UCD School of Agriculture,

Food Science

and Veterinary Medicine

UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre.

Tel: (01) 716 6100 Email: agfoodvet@ucd.ie Web: www.ucd.ie/agfoodvet

Address: Room 242,

Food Science Building,

University College Cork, Cork.

Tel: (021) 490 3393 Email: foodandnutrition@ucc.ie Web: www.ucc.ie/en/fns/ Main Products & Services:

Education, research, continuing

education & training.

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 75

company listings WrenTech Ltd

Univar Solutions

Address: 536 Grants Crescent, Greenogue Business Park,

Rathcoole, Co. Dublin. +44 7803 951222 Tel: Email: Angela.Mills@univarsolutions.com Web: univarsolutions.com Main Products & Services:

Food and Pharmaceuticals.

Contact: Angela Mills

V Versatile Packaging Ltd

Address: Silverstream Business Park, Silverstream, Co. Monaghan.

Tel: (047) 85 177 Fax: (047) 85 199 Email: info@versatilepackaging.ie Web: www.versatilepackaging.ie Main Products & Services:

Food Packaging Materials and

Equipment - Tray Sealers, CPET,

Barrier, Antifog Films, Aluminium

Trays, Stand Up Pouches,

Vacuum Pouches, Pouch

Filling & Sealing Equipment.

Address: Eversley, Church Bay Road, Crosshaven,

Co. Cork.

(021) 483 2644 Tel: (021) 483 1363 Fax: Email: smurray@wrentech.ie/ mwren@wrentech.ie Web: www.wrentech.ie Main Products & Services:

Ytron & Matcon Mixing &

Blending, Powder Dispersion / Incorporation, Dust free transfer batch sytems, Powder bins / Silo discharging, Auger filling, Dosing, Formulation, Batching, Flexibatch.

The manufacture of beer

X Xtrupak Ltd

Address: Gowna, Co. Cavan +353 43 6683464 Tel: Email: johnm.reilly@xtrupak.ie Manufacturing Web: xtrupak.ie Apet & Rpet Main Products & Services: packaging

Manufacturing extruded Apet

andservicing Rpet sheet films rolls thefor the

packaging and display markets. thermoforming Contact: John M Reilly, industry under the

Commercial Director

XtruForm brand

Form Fill Seal PET/PE RPET/PE MONO Xtrupak now offers a solution for Film Slitting Rewinding and Roll Restoration.

Currently 90% of base web film is imported from other European countries and UK into Ireland - Xtrupak are currently the only Irish company focused entirely on the Form Fill Seal (FFS) market.

Additional investment is already in place to further develop our product range.

✓ High Quality, Fully Certified ✓ Flexible & Dynamic Service ✓ Sustainable & Recyclable

W

Weber Packaging Solutions Ltd

Address: Kilcannon Industrial Estate,

Old Dublin Road,

Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.

Tel: (053) 923 3778 Fax: (053) 923 3284 Email: sales@weberireland.com Web: www.webermarking.ie Main Products & Services:

Print & Apply Labelling Systems,

Desktop Printers, Laser Coders.

Manufacturers of Blank &

Pre-wPrinted Labels.

D.D. Williamson (Ireland) Ltd

Address: Little Island Industrial

Estate, Little Island, Co. Cork.

Tel: (021) 435 3821 Fax: (021) 435 4328 Email: info@ddwmson.com Web: www.ddwilliamson.com Main Products & Services:

Caramel colours, natural colours,

burnt sugars, natural colour

blends, liquids & powders.

76 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

Gowna, Co. Cavan, Ireland +353 (0) 43 668 3464 | info@xtrupak.ie

W fo

St M

Th 26

relevant organisations

relevant

Organisations AN BORD PLEANÁLA

64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1.

Tel: 01-858 8100 Lo-call: 1890 275 175 Email: bord@pleanala.ie Web: www.pleanala.ie

BORD BIA

Clanwilliam Court, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-668 5155 Email: info@bordbia.ie Web: www.bordbia.ie Subject to change in 2022

BORD GÁIS ENERGY

DRINKS INDUSTRY GROUP OF IRELAND (DIGI) 50 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-637 1777 Web: www.drinksindustry.ie

ENTERPRISE IRELAND

The Plaza, Eastpoint Business Park, Dublin 3.

Tel: 01-727 2000 Web: www.enterprise-ireland.com

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSOC. OF IRELAND

PO Box 10943, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-611 0133 Emergency: 1850 205 050 Email: customercare@bordgais.ie Web: www.bordgaisenergy.ie

Heraghty House, 4 Carlton Terrace, Novara Avenue, Bray, Co. Wicklow.

Tel: 01-276 1211 Email: info@ehoa.ie Web: www.ehai.ie

BORD IASCAIGH MHARA

EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN IRELAND

(Irish Sea Fisheries Board) BIM Dun Laoghaire, Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Tel: 01-214 4100 Email: info@bim.ie Web: www.bim.ie

Europe House, 12-14 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-634 1111 Email: eu-ie-info-request@ec.europa.eu Web: ec.europa.eu/ireland

EXPERIAN IRELAND LTD

Ground Floor, Newenham House, Northern Cross, Malahide Road, Dublin 17.

Tel: 01-846 9200 Email: info@experian.ie Web: www.experian.ie

FOOD DRINK IRELAND (FDI) Confederation House, 84-86 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-605 1500 Email: info@fooddrinkireland.ie Web: www.fooddrinkireland.ie

The FOOD Innovation Lab TU Dublin - City Campus, Sackville Place, Dublin 1 DO1 WD85 Tel: Dr Lubna Ahmed 01 402 4442 Email: foodinnovation.research@tudublin.ie Web:https://www.dit.ie/fil/

FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY OF IRELAND The Exchange, George’s Dock, Dublin 1.

Tel: 01-817 1300 Email: info@fsai.ie Web: www.fsai.ie

COMPETITION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMISSION

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

GUARANTEED IRISH LTD

Bloom House, Railway St, Dublin 1.

Tel: 01-402 5500 Web: www.ccpc.ie

Europe House, 12-14 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-605 7900 Email: epdublin@ep.europa.eu Web: www.europarl.europa.eu/ireland

CONSUMERS’ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND

EXCELLENCE IRELAND QUALITY ASSOCIATION

The Metropolitan Building, James Joyce Street, Dublin 1.

Tel: +353 1 614 7000 Lo-call: 1890 289 389 Email: wcu@hsa.ie Web: www.hsa.ie

120/121 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-659 9430 Email: cai@thecai.ie Web: www.thecai.ie

26 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 4.

Tel: 01-660 4100 Email: info@eiqa.com Web: www.eiqa.ie

20 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-661 2607 Email: info@guaranteedirish.ie Web: www.guaranteedirish.ie

HEALTH & SAFETY AUTHORITY

FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 77

AQS delivers a wide range of industrial cleaning and waste removal services to the dairy and food manufacturing industry in Ireland.

Our services include: CCTV surveys for pipe and tank food production systems On-site wastewater treatment plant desludging and sludge haulage Tank cleaning services Organic waste management Nutrient management planning

Land bank supply for dairy sludges Factory site drainage and sewer CCTV surveys Drain and sewer pipe repair and rehabilitation Food factory drain and sewer pipe lining Food effluent and chemical pipe lining

24 / 7 / 365 emergency response service

1800 500 020 For more information, contact: AQS Environmental Solutions Castletown Galmoy Co. Kilkenny E41 CH93

Tel: 0504 57800 Email: info@aqssolutions.ie Web: www.aqsenvironmentalsolutions.ie

Follow us on:

relevant organisations INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (IDA) Three Park Place, Hatch Street Upper,, Dublin 2, Ireland Tel: 01-603 4000 Email: idaireland@ida.ie Web: www.idaireland.com

IRISH BUSINESS & EMPLOYERS CONFEDERIATION (IBEC) Head Office, Confederation House, 84-86 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-605 1500 Email: info@ibec.ie Web: www.ibec.ie

IRISH SECURITY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION Chase House, City Junction Business Park, Northern Cross, Malahide Road, Dublin 17.

Tel: 01-484 7206 Email: info@isia.ie Web: www.isia.ie

IRISH SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ASSOCIATION (ISME) 17 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-662 2755 Email: info@isme.ie Web: www.isme.ie

LEGAL METROLOGY, C/O NSAI

1 Swift Square, Northwood, Santry, Dublin 9.

Tel: 01-807 3800 Email: info@nsai.ie Web: www.nsai.ie/legal-metrology/

MANDATE

O’Lehane House, 9 Cavendish Row, Dublin 1.

Tel: 01-874 6321 Email: glight@mandate.ie Web: www.mandate.ie

NATIONAL DAIRY COUNCIL The Studio, 55C, Maple Avenue, Stillorgan Business Park, Sandyford, Co. Dublin, A94 HY83.

Tel: 01-290 2451 Email: hello@ndc.ie Web: www.ndc.ie

THE PRIVATE SECURITY AUTHORITY Davis Street, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary.

Tel: 062-32600 Email: info@psa.gov.ie Web: www.psa.gov.ie

REVENUE COMMISSIONERS Head Office, Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-647 5000 Web: www.revenue.ie

RGDATA

Mentec House, Pottery Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Tel: 01-288 7584 Email: rgdata@rgdata.ie Web: www.rgdata.ie

SMALL FIRMS ASSOCIATION (IBEC) 84-86 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-605 1500 Email: info@sfa.ie Web: www.sfa.ie

TEAGASC FOOD RESEARCH CENTRE Ashtown, Dublin 15.

Tel: 01-805 9500 Email: info@teagasc.ie Web: www.teagasc.ie

WORKPLACE RELATIONS COMMISSION

O’Brien Road, Carlow, R93 W7W2 Tel: 059-917 8990 Web: www.workplacerelations.ie

Government Departments: AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND THE MARINE Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01 607 2000 Email: info@agriculture.gov.ie Web: www.agriculture.gov.ie

COLLECTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE VAT/PAYE/PRSI Sarsfield House, Francis Street, Limerick.

Tel: 01 738 3663 Email: through MyEnquiries Web: www.revenue.ie

COMPANIES REGISTRATION OFFICE

Bloom House, Gloucester Place Lower, Dublin 1.

Tel: 01-804 5200 Lo-call: 1890 220 226 Email:cro.info@enterprise.gov.ie Web: www.cro.ie

CUSTOMS PROCEDURES BRANCH

St. Conlons Road, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.

Tel: 067 63370 Email: tarclass@revenue.ie Web: www.revenue.ie

Enterprise, Trade and Employment 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-631 2121 Lo-Call: 1890 220 222 Email: info@enterprise.gov.ie Web: enterprise.gov.ie

FINANCE

Government Buildings, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-676 7571 Email: webmaster@finance.gov.ie Web: www.gov.ie/finance

HOUSING, LOCAL GOVERNMENT & HERITAGE

Custom House, Custom House Quay, Dublin 1.

Tel: 01-888 2000 Email: qcsofficer@housing.gov.ie Web: www.gov.ie/housing

JUSTICE AND EQUALITY

51 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01-602 8202 Lo-call: 1890 221 227 Email: foi@justice.ie Web: www.justice.ie

SOCIAL PROTECTION Aras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin 1.

Tel: 01-704 3000 Email: info@welfare.ie Web: gov.ie/dsp

VALUATION OFFICE

Block 2, Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

Tel: 01-817 1000 Email: info@valoff.ie Web: www.valoff.ie FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22 | 79

three year calendar

2020 January

Week 1 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5

2020

2

3

4

5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

July

Week 5 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

1

2

3

4

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

January

Week 53

M T W T F S S

1 2 3

2021

July

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

6

7

8

M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

1 2 3 4

Week 52

1 2

M T W T F S S

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

1

2

3

4

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 31 25 26 27 28 29 30

2022

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

2020

Week 9 M T W T F S S

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

September M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 6

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 30 24 31 25 26 27 28 29

2020

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

March M T W T F S S

21 28 22 29 23 30 24 25 26 27

2021 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

5

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

6

7

8

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 28 22 23 24 25 26 27

February Week 5 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 6

23 30 24 31 25 26 27 28 29

10 11 12 13 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

September

2022 9

2022

Week 31 32 33 34 35 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 29 23 30 24 31 25 26 27 28

= Public Holiday

80 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2021/22

M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5

22 29 23 30 24 31 25 26 27 28 2021

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

March M T W T F S S

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30

2022

Week 9 1 2 3 4 5 6

10 11 12 13 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

September

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

2022

Week 35 36 37 38 39 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4

April

2020

10 11 12 13 14 Week 14 15 16 17 18

1

Week 9

2021

2022 August

Week 26 27 28 29 30

March

Week 30 31 32 33 34 35 Week 35 36 37 38 39

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

July

24 31 25 26 27 28 29 30

2021

2021 August

January

M T W T F S S

9

February

2022 M T W T F S S

8

2020

Week 5

Week 26 27 28 29 30 M T W T F S S

7

Week 31 32 33 34 35 36 Week 36 37 38 39 40

2021 M T W T F S S

1 2

2020 6

2020 August

Week 27 28 29 30 31 M T W T F S S

February

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

October

27 28 29 30

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

April

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

2021

Week 13 14 15 16 17 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

October

26 27 28 29 30

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

April

1 2 3

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

M T W T F S S

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

M T W T F S S

23 30 24 25 26 27 28 29

2021

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 31 25 26 27 28 29 30

2021

Week 44 45 46 47 48

May

October

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Week 17 18 19 20 21 22

2022 25 26 27 28 29 30

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

2020

May

M T W T F S S

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 29 23 30 24 25 26 27 28

2022

Week 17 18 19 20 21 22 M T W T F S S

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

2022 November

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 30 24 31 25 26 27 28 29

2022

Week 39 40 41 42 43 44 Week 44 45 46 47 48 M T W T F S S

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 31 25 26 27 28 29 30

June

2020

Week 23 24 25 26 27 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

December

22 29 23 30 24 25 26 27 28 2020

Week 44 45 46 47 48 49 Week 49 50 51 52 53

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Week 13 14 15 16 17 M T W T F S S

M T W T F S S

2021 November

Week 39 40 41 42 43 M T W T F S S

2020

Week 18 19 20 21 22

2020 November

Week 40 41 42 43 44 M T W T F S S

May

M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 28 22 29 23 30 24 25 26 27

M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

June

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

2021

Week 22 23 24 25 26 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

December

21 28 22 29 23 30 24 25 26 27 2021

Week 48 49 50 51 52 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

June

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

2022

Week 22 23 24 25 26 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

December

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30

2022

Week 48 49 50 51 52 M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

S T A F F O R D B O N D E D I S A T H I R D P A R T Y B O N D E D WA R E H O U S I N G S T O R A G E A N D D I S T R I B U T I O N B U S I N E S S W I T H F O U R G E N E R AT I O N S OF EXPERIENCE. THE STORAGE OF WINES, BEERS AND SPIRITS UNDER BOND IS A COST EFFECTIVE BUSINESS SOLUTION. S T O R E Y O U R P R O D U C T I N O U R S TAT E O F T H E A R T R E V E N U E A P P R O V E D T A X WA R E H O U S E F A C I L I T I E S .

LEAR N MOR E ABOUT OU R BON DE D WAR E HOUSI NG AN D DISTR I BUTION SE RVIC E S BY VISITI NG

WWW.STAFFORDBONDED.COM OR BY F OLLOWI NG US ON:

STAFFORD BONDED

STAFFORDBONDED.

STAFFORD BONDED, SINNOT TSTO WN L ANE, DRINAGH, WEXFORD,Y35 T3HT. E: INFO@STAFFORDBONDED.COM

079 Stafford Bonded Advert 1p.indd 79

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