Known all over the world as the Emerald Isle, the island of Ireland is filled with and surrounded by natural resources, a mild climate, a luscious green countryside, and vast blue oceans.
A country rich with culture and traditions, Ireland holds a strong reputation as a source of natural, high quality, and sustainable food products under Origin Green – the world’s first national food sustainability programme.
Origin Green is a voluntary and independently verified programme run by Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, which aims to protect and sustain Ireland’s natural resources by reducing the environmental impact of food production. By sourcing from Origin Green verified members, foodservice operators in the United Arab Emirates can expect guarantees around sustainable raw material sourcing, sustainable production processes, and social sustainability.
Bord Bia recently released the Consumer Lifestyle Trends report which examined consumption drivers in the food and drink sector across multiple countries including the UAE. The study found that consumers are becoming more concerned with how food is produced, from both ethical and sustainable standpoints.
“This growing affluence in the UAE will bring new challenges but also many new opportunities as consumers look for premium food experiences and expect the highest quality food ingredients,” says Gillian O’Neill of Fine Foods Éire. Her company hosts an extensive portfolio of Irish suppliers available in the UAE including Origin Green members John Stone, Goatsbridge Trout, and Maria Lucia Bakes.
Fine Foods Éire has just added Origin Green verified members Cooleeney Farm and Killowen Farm to its list of Irish suppliers. Cooleeney Farm delivers farmhouse cheese to the UAE foodservice via Breda Maher’s Cooleeney Farm in Tipperary, while Killowen Farm in Wexford supplies a range of premium yoghurts to hotels and restaurants in the UAE.
“What connects Ireland and the UAE together is a common desire to provide safe, nutritious food to our consumers,” said O’Neill. “We share an understanding that security of supply is key to allowing us to plan ahead for growth and success and that’s why the Origin Green programme acts as a stamp of approval, bringing quality, traceability, and sustainability from farm to fork.”
“It’s an exciting time for Irish food companies in the UAE,” added O’Neill. “All of these Irish companies are now ready to capitalise on the growing profile of Ireland as a producer of sustainable food and drink and meet the growing expectations of foodservice consumers in UAE.”
