On the world stage
Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food and beverage show, takes place this year in Dubai from February 19-23. For context, in 2023, Gulfood was attended by 134,500 buyers, from 195 countries, with 5,223 companies exhibiting. Bord Bia’s (Irish Food Board) Origin Green Ireland participation at Gulfood 2024 will see 12 companies exhibiting over two halls: dairy and world food. Here, Irishfood profiles the companies that are representing Ireland on this world stage
Article appeared in issue 1, 2024
Ashbourne Meat Processors
Ashbourne Meat Processors is a privately owned company that supplies high-quality beef to domestic and worldwide markets. It operates its own slaughterhouse, cutting plants and modern processing facilities in Ireland, under the strictest quality control and management supervision. Ashbourne Meat Processors holds higher level European Food Safety Inspection Service (EFSIS)-approved ISO 9001 status. It also has modern processing and cold-store facilities. The company offers full traceability from farm to fork and is a member of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme. This is coupled with a commitment to service, which, the company says, gives it an edge in a competitive marketplace. Annually, Ireland produces close to 500,000 tonnes of beef, with 450,000 tonnes exported across the globe. Ashbourne Meats operates modern processing, storage and handling facilities. According to the company, traditional methods of animal husbandry and Ireland's mild climate, fine grasses and expert processing, as well as the company’s strong focus on quality, mean you can taste the difference in its products. The company’s sales team has built trusted and lasting partnerships with distributors in Europe and beyond. Ashbourne Meat Processors is committed to sustainability and is a verified member of Bord Bia's Origin Green sustainability programme.
The company is exhibiting in Shk Saeed Hall 3, S3-D29.
Dairygold Food Ingredients
Dairygold Food Ingredients, a division of Dairygold Co-Operative Society, is located in the south of Ireland. Its award-winning milk powders and cheese products, marketed under the Glenor brand, are manufactured from milk sourced from its own milk-supplier shareholders located across the region, and utilising predominantly grass-fed milk-production systems. Dairygold’s vision is to be a leading, global, farmer-owned co-operative, supplying industry-leading nutritional products from its manufacturing facilities, including the recently expanded Nutritionals campus in Mallow, Co. Cork. With a commitment to sustainable growth, both on farm and across its facilities, Dairygold’s strategy will see ongoing investment to support the increased global demand for dairy nutritional products.
The company is exhibiting in Hall 2, D2-52.
Do Me A Flavour
Do Me A Flavour is a family-owned business based in Athlone, Co. Roscommon, in the heart of Ireland. The company specialises in the production of award-winning ingredients ranging from flavoured butters, cheese melts and fillings, sauces, marinades, stuffings, crumbs and seasonings for the retail and manufacturing sector. It also produces a range of bespoke organic ingredients. The company’s plant is approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; it is certified by Halal Quality Control Ireland; the Irish Organic Association; and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). In addition, it holds BRCGS AA accreditation. The business is an Origin Green Gold Member, indicating its commitment to sustainability across all aspects of the business. Do Me A Flavour partners with the finest producers whose ethos and values are aligned. It sources ingredients from all over the world to create recipes and endeavours to seek out the most intriguing and inspiring flavours. Its skill lies in elevating everyday flavours into award-winning products for its customers. Do Me A Flavour’s passion and curiosity, combined with innovation and craftsmanship allow it to create a myriad of ingredients for its customers in any market across the world. It creates bespoke solutions that enable its customers to make the ordinary great, guaranteeing delivery on taste, flavour, appearance, and application.
The company is exhibiting in Shk Saeed Hall 3, S3-C26.
Future Nutrition
Future Nutrition is a private-label formulation, development, and manufacturing partner that develops the best tasting functional beverages and ready-to-mix powders. The company is an expert in four markets: sports nutrition; active nutrition; health and wellness; and gaming. Future Nutrition is a family business, spanning four generations and prides itself on product quality, innovation and service. Its facility is WADA- and IOC banned substance-free, and is accredited by Informed Sport, and ISO 22000:2018. It is also a member of ESSNA and Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme, Origin Green. Future Nutrition has grown from a fast-paced start-up to a global functional beverage and powder manufacturer, working with some of the largest consumer functional beverage brands across the globe. Its trademark agility allows it to work with small, medium and large clients.
The company is exhibiting in Shk Saeed Hall 3, S3-C32.
Glenstal Foods
Based in the heart of the Golden Vale in Ireland, Glenstal Foods is a leading, independent, dairy-trading company with significant presence in the foodservice and retail sectors. The company’s product range includes cheese, butter, and milk powders. Glenstal Foods has established relationships worldwide with many multinationals in the retail, foodservice, and manufacturing sectors. The company has been exporting to the Gulf region since 2008 and is well equipped to meet the unique demands of the region’s marketplace. Glenstal Foods offers a one-stop-shop for dairy ingredients, retail and foodservice dairy products, and specialises in the sourcing, sales and marketing of quality dairy products and ingredients. The company sources its dairy products from accredited factories to ensure that it offers the highest quality products to its customers around the world. Its skilled team is well placed to source and supply the required products to customer specifications on time and in time. This approach has enabled Glenstal Foods to establish strong relationships and key partnerships with many multinational companies specialising in key sectors of the Irish dairy food industry. Glenstal Foods will be showcasing its range of aged Irish cheddars in a variety of pack formats, Irish flavoured cheddar range, Irish creamery butter in unique packaging, and a large range of milk powders.
The company is exhibiting in Hall 2, E2-43.
Lakeland Dairies
Lakeland Dairies is a leading dairy processor on the island of Ireland, processing over two billion litres of high-quality milk, annually, collected from 3,200 family farms. The co-operative exports an extensive range of dairy foodservice, consumer products, and food-ingredient products to blue-chip customers in over 100 markets worldwide.
Lakeland Dairies’ Foodservice and Consumer Division is a sophisticated dairy operation with automated, modern, production technologies. Lakeland offers highly appealing, value-added dairy products for use in food preparation and direct use by clients’ consumers throughout the international foodservice industry. Lakeland Dairies’ Food Ingredients Division extracts the constituents of freshly assembled milk to offer a comprehensive portfolio of highly functional food ingredients with fine, free flowing milk powders, proteins and liquid dairy fats of an exceptionally high quality and consistency. Through the co-operative work of generations of dairy farmers, Lakeland Dairies has created a strong and resilient business with excellent operations supplying a comprehensive portfolio of 240 different dairy foodservice, consumer and food ingredient products. The co-operative continues to meet growing global demand with industry leading expertise in long-life UHT creams, milk sticks, award winning flavoured milks, ice creams, butterfats, powders, caseins, lactose and whey. Lakeland Dairies has a continuously strong focus on the development and evolution of its technical capabilities through ongoing investment in new technologies and facilities.
The company is exhibiting in Hall 2, D2-34.
Musgrave Ireland
Musgrave is Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale and foodservice company. From a small grocery store founded by two brothers in 1876, Musgrave feeds one in three people in Ireland every day. It supports more than 41,000 jobs in 1,000 stores, distribution centres, and offices. The company’s brands across the island of Ireland include SuperValu, Centra, Daybreak, Mace, Donnybrook Fair, Musgrave MarketPlace, La Rousse Foods, Frank & Honest, Italicatessen, Doyles Fruit & Veg, and Drinks Inc. In Spain, it operates Dialprix supermarkets and Dialsur cash and carry, and in the UK it operates the newly acquired Ritter Courivaud and Town & Country Fine Foods, while customers across the UK, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates stock its quality and award-winning products. Its international export offering includes over 14,000 own-brand product lines for grocery and wholesale, from high-quality fresh, chilled and frozen foods to dried food and catering equipment. Its grocery range boasts a collection of food awards, including 120 from the Great Taste Awards 2023, and 71 awards for its SuperValu Signature Tastes range, making it Ireland’s number one premium range. Musgrave has several successful supply partnerships for its SuperValu range across Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Musgrave is one of Europe’s most successful family-owned businesses with a 147-year heritage in food and brand innovation. Musgrave was the first food retail and wholesale group to become a verified member of Origin Green, the world's only national food and drink sustainability programme, and the first company in Ireland to embed the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals into its sustainability strategy. The company supports hundreds of family businesses and local entrepreneurs through its supply chain and franchises. More than 1,800 local food producers and suppliers are supported by SuperValu.
The company is exhibiting in Shk Saeed Hall 3, S3-D33.
Oakpark
Oakpark is a renowned name in the food industry, committed to providing innovative and healthier meat products. Based in Co. Tipperary, Oakpark is a family-owned bacon and poultry producer. It is part of the Brett Group, which was first founded in 1940. Oakpark has evolved into an award-winning multinational company. Specialists in private-label manufacturing and concept development, Oakpark is a fully integrated premium bacon producer with all aspects of the company’s ‘Farm to Fork’ lines produced and controlled by the Brett Group. The company has been exporting to the Gulf region since 2020 and is well equipped to meet the specific demands of the region’s marketplace. Marked success has been achieved among Middle Eastern customers due to the superior offering of the company’s dedicated halal brand, Marbaana. Thanks to the high demand for the range coupled with the company’s vision to cater to evolving consumer preferences, Oakpark is set to launch its new Oakpark branded halal range at Gulfood 2024. The launch is set to expand the product range to a wider customer base and deliver high-quality and nutritious options for the discerning Gulf consumer. Oakpark operates two BRC AA-rated manufacturing facilities in Ireland, one of which is dedicated to halal production. It is also a Gold member Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme, Origin Green. A family business that prides itself on product quality, innovation and service, Oakpark was delighted to win Best Bacon in Britain at the 2023 Meat Management Awards.
The company is exhibiting in Shk Saeed Hall 3, S3-D27.
Ornua
Ornua is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products and has annualised sales of over €3.4bn. Headquartered in Dublin, Ornua has a strong global team of 3,000 employees, operating from 10 business units worldwide, including 16 production facilities. Ornua’s core purpose is to build profitable routes to market for Irish dairy products. The group is structured across two divisions: Ornua Foods and Ornua Ingredients. Ornua Foods is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Ireland’s most successful food export: Kerrygold, as well as Kerrygold Dubliner, Pilgrims Choice, Forto and BEO milk powders. Markets are served by production facilities in Ireland, Germany and the UK and by in-market sales and marketing teams in Asia, Germany, Ireland, MEA, Poland, Spain, the rest of Europe and North and Latin America. Ornua Ingredients is responsible for the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products, for the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers across the world, and for managing volatility through de-risking and trading strategies. The business is supported by production facilities in the UK, Spain, the US, Saudi Arabia, and by in-market teams in Africa and the Middle East.
The company is exhibiting in Hall 2, E2-33.
Silver Hill Duck
Founded in 1962, Silver Hill Duck began operations in Ireland with just six top-quality ducks. Fast forward to 2023, the company now has one production base, generating 82,500 ducks per week, and six breeding sites. Additionally, it has 240 employees and a presence in 30 international markets. One of Silver Hill Duck’s unique selling points is that it is a fully integrated premium duck producer. This means all aspects of the company’s duck production are owned and controlled by the company, from breeding, egg production, hatching and selection, to processing, cooking and packaging. The distinctive hybrid duck is the secret of the company’s success and is a breed that is exclusive to Silver Hill Duck. It has been continually developed over the years, to produce a duck that is full of flavour, succulent, tender and that has a crispy skin when cooked. Silver Hill Duck has achieved tremendous success in recent years, in both domestic and overseas markets. At 70 per cent export-led, Silver Hill Duck currently supplies duck and duck products to 30 countries worldwide, including the UAE, UK, Holland, Germany, France, Singapore and Hong Kong. Marked success has already been achieved amongst customers due to the superior roasting qualities of the Silver Hill Duck. It is the proud supplier of premium duck to the very best Chinese and Asian restaurants in major cities around the world and commands a premium price. For this reason, chefs have christened Silver Hill’s unique breed of duck, ‘the mother of all duck’ or ‘the Wagyu of duck’ and is used by renowned chefs around the globe. The world-famous Silver Hill Duck is currently available in Dubai and the wider United Arab Emirates (UAE) market via Silver Hill Duck’s distribution partner Fresh Express.
The company is exhibiting in Shk Saeed Hall 3, S3-C28.
Tipperary Co-op
Tipperary Co-operative is a world-class, innovative dairy-ingredient manufacturer for the infant-formula and food-ingredient sector, globally. Its products include butter, Emmental cheese, skim-milk powder, buttermilk powder, whole-milk powder, fat-filled-milk powder, sweet-whey powder as well as specialised fortified dairy and plant-based nutritional and medical supplements. Tipperary Co-operative has invested in state-of-the-art product formulation, milk evaporation and spray drying facilities. The site is one of the most modern dairy-ingredient facilities in Europe. It is by employing the most efficient processing technologies and working closely with farmers and customers that Tipperary Co-operative can ensure the long-term sustainability of the dairy-food sector. The co-operative’s farmers have also invested extensively in creating long-term sustainability on their farms and Tipperary Co-operative supports them to continuously improve milk-production methods and sustainability. Support programmes from the research farm owned by Tipperary Co-operative shareholders in conjunction with Teagasc, Ireland’s national advisory body, are fundamental to the future sustainability of the co-operative’s supply base. With its new formulation facility, Tipperary’s research-and-development team, in co-operation with its customers, is focused on the development of healthy, natural, clean-labelled products that exceed expectations and improve the health and wellbeing of all consumers. Tipperary Co-operative lives a four-pillar approach that drives this innovation. These pillars include:
1) Gut and metabolic health;
2) Immunity and wellbeing;
3) Bone and muscle maintenance/development; and
4) Cognitive support/development.
The company is exhibiting in Hall 2, D2-42.
Tirlán
Tirlán is a world-class food and nutrition co-operative, with a diverse portfolio of quality ingredients, leading consumer and agri brands. The farmer owned co-operative has a first-class track record of success in the global market. Rooted in a rich heritage of family farming and embedded in its communities, Tirlán has evolved to bring the passion of its farmers and their high-quality milk and grains to the international marketplace. Using modern-day technology and applying the best processes to its milk pool of three billion litres and its premium grains portfolio, Tirlán now exports to more than 100 countries. Its award-winning brands are household names in Ireland, and include Ireland’s number-one consumer dairy brand, Avonmore. The organisation draws on a wealth of experience to deliver exceptional products and tailored nutritional solutions including Kilmeaden, Wexford, Truly Grass Fed, Solmiko, CheddMax and Gain Animal Nutrition. Tirlán has a strong market presence in the UK, France, Germany, Middle East, the US, North Africa, Japan and China. Avonmore produces a range of premium dairy products to cater for a wide variety of consumer and food service needs. Its international product range includes cheese, butter, UHT milk and UHT cream. A talented team of over 2,100 people manage Tirlán’s network of 11 production facilities. Tirlán is committed to sustainability through its comprehensive Living Proof programme.
The company is exhibiting in Hall 2, E2-51.