ABP first Irish beef processor to export to South Korea

The agreement has already seen the group deliver three shipments to date from its locations in Monaghan, Tipperary and Wexford.

An official announcement will be made later this week as part of a trade mission to China and South Lorea by Irish minister for Agriculture, food and the marine Charlie McConalogue and minister of state Martin Heydon.

Commenting on the deal, ABP general manager of international sales Martin McMahon said: “Our extended presence in Asia marks a significant step forward for both ABP and the Irish beef sector as a whole. China and South Korea are extremely important markets and there is a great opportunity for quality Irish beef in the food service and retail spaces.”​

Further access to Asian markets

McMahon thanked the Department of Agriculture and Bord Bia for their work in helping to establish and build on Ireland’s trade channel with South Korea, and encouraged continued efforts to further access in both markets.

“We look forward to continuing to build upon our customer relationships in South Korea and China and to further grow this market​,” he added.

Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia chief executive, said the launch of Irish beef in Korea was the culmination of years of relationship building with Korean trade, supported by significant government efforts to gain access.

“Since access was achieved four months ago, there has been immediate interest from the Korean trade who recognise that Irish beef offers a premium, grass-fed alternative to their existing portfolio,”​ O’Toole explained.

Valuable insights

“Bord Bia has the in-market expertise to support ABP and other exporters looking to grow their trade in this dynamic market. We will present a valuable insight study on beef conducted with Korean consumers to better understand their taste preferences. We look forward to fully debriefing Irish beef exporters on this in the coming weeks.”​

In May 2018, ABP became the first European beef processor to secure a contract in China when it secured an exclusive three-year agreement with Asian restaurant chain Wowprime Corporation.

In 2019 the company reached a deal with Beijing Hopewise to launch a range of premium Irish beef products on JD.com, one of the largest business-to-consumer online retailers in China and a Fortune Global 500 Company.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, C&D Foods – the petfood division of ABP Food Group – has announced a €48m (£41.56m) investment in its flagship facility in Edgeworthstown, Co.​ ​Longford, with the creation of more than 100 new roles.