Bord Bia has again expressed confidence that the number of cattle eligible to attain ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status will increase to meet growing market demand.
The Irish food board said that currently somewhere between 50 to 60% of prime cattle qualify for PGI.
However, it was noted that this can vary by region, time of year and processing site.
PGI
In November 2023, the European Commission awarded Irish grass fed beef all-island PGI status.
Product names can be granted a ‘geographical indication’ (GI) if they have a specific link to the place where they are made.
The recognition enables consumers to trust and distinguish quality products while also helping producers to market their products better.
Since March, Irish grass fed beef PGI has been available as a rump steak. Two additional cuts were added in October 2024; fillet mignon and medallions.
“Adding more cuts into the PGI is an evolving process, and is important so that more of the carcass from PGI qualifying animals can be sold with the PGI,” the Bord Bia spokesperson said.
8 beef processing plants have been approved to the requirements of the Irish grass fed PGI specification with a further four plants awaiting audit.
Bord Bia
Irish grass fed beef with PGI status appeared for the first time on the shelves of 170 Esselunga supermarkets Italy in March.
A spokesperson for Bord Bia told Agriland that it has run three PGI focussed promotions with the Italian retailer this year.
This included a promotion in June for barbecue season and in the autumn to coincide with peak Irish beef production and the launch of new cuts: fillet mignon and beef medallions.
“Results from the spring and summer promotions were very positive with double digit sales growth on the promoted PGI products against an overall decline in beef sales in Italian retail,” the spokesperson said.
The second phase of a campaign targeting trade customers commenced in October and ran throughout November.
This campaign included 21 full-page advertorials in print publications in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy.
Ireland’s PGI status for grass-fed beef was highlighted in large banners at the Salon International d’Alimentation (SIAL) trade fair in Paris in October.
While there was a media event in Italy showcasing Irish produce, including Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI, at the three Michelin star restaurant of chef Enrico Bartolini.
During the summer and autumn, Bord Bia hosted four from Italian customers who visited farms and approved PGI processing facilities.
Bord Bia said that it is working together with processors to target individual customers mainly in Europe, but also international markets where the PGI can build or support higher value business.
The board would not provide data on how much PGI beef has been sold to date as it is deemed to be “commercially sensitive”.
Bord Bia also added that discussions are currently ongoing with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on the establishment of the monitoring group for the Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI.
“At this point the group has not been established as yet,” the Bord Bia spokesperson said.
As part of an agreement previously reached by the Beef Taskforce, Bord Bia committed to establish a monitoring group once the PGI was granted.