Bord Bia operates a global network of 14 overseas offices that are dedicated to the promotion and trade development of Irish food, drink, and horticulture.

In this article, we meet with Conor O’Sullivan, who is Bord Bia manager for the UK.

A little bit about yourself and your career history?

I’ve spent about a third of my life each in Ireland, the UK, and China. I was born in Leicester, then moved to Mallow. I studied Commerce and Chinese in University College Cork, and upon graduation flew to Beijing to work for Enterprise Ireland.

I’ve been with Bord Bia for nearly a decade now, starting in our Shanghai office as Market Specialist and then as China Market Manager for five years.

Last September, my family and I relocated to London, and I now lead Bord Bia’s team in the UK.

It’s been hugely rewarding to help people around the world fall in love with Irish food and drink.

Where does the UK rank in terms of priority for Irish food and drink exports?

The UK remains Ireland’s largest and most strategically important export market for food, drink and horticulture.

Despite the uncertainty around Brexit, the UK’s share of our overall exports has actually been rising, from 30% in 2020 to 35% of total export value last year. More than we send to the rest of Europe combined.

What are the main Irish exports to the UK?

Total food and drink exports to the UK were €6.4 billion in 2025.

The largest export category is prepared consumer foods at €2.5 billion. This includes a very broad range of products from value-added meats to bakery, confectionary, and beverages.

Beef exports were over €1.5 billion last year, up 21%, while dairy exports were up 18% to €1.2 billion.

The highest value dairy export to the UK is cheese, with close to half a billion euro sent to the UK last year.

The UK is also the most important market for Irish horticulture exports, taking almost all our mushrooms and most of our cereals.

What are some the challenges on the horizon, particularly against competition from the southern hemisphere?

Margins for retailers and restaurants remain tight and below pre-pandemic levels.

Irish suppliers have managed to achieve significant growth in the UK despite this, but it’s worth noting as inflation concerns rise again given the sudden energy crisis.

There’s a shortage of beef in the UK, and our own supplies are tight too. That has naturally opened the door for other origins.

Retail beef prices in the UK rose by around 25% last year, leading some to cut back or choose cheaper options.

Reassuringly, our insights consistently show that UK shoppers significantly prefer British and Irish beef over any other origin.

Trust in our standards and how we produce is high, and retailers and restaurants recognise this.

Our consumer beef campaigns are taking on heightened importance as we aim to reinforce preference for Irish beef amid increasing competition.

Any highlight from Bord Bia’s recent work in the UK?

We’ve just wrapped up our St. Patrick’s Day activities – always a great time to leverage the buzz around Ireland for both trade engagement and promotional activity.

On March 12, we hosted our annual Irish Beef UK Meat Seminar, kicking off a day of industry engagement. That evening, attendees joined an Irish food and drink networking event, offering a chance to connect with key players in the UK.

A few days earlier, we collaborated with Tesco to showcase 10 Irish suppliers to more than 1,000 staff in their UK headquarters, demonstrating the excellence of Irish food and drink to decision makers in the UK’s largest retailer.

We also do our part to shine a light on Irish food and drink during these weeks.

Bord Bia sponsored London’s iconic St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at Trafalgar Square, which attracted over 50,000 visitors.

We also highlighted Irish beef, dairy, seafood, and drinks through St. Patrick’s Day activities at prestigious restaurants including Smith & Wollensky and Corrigan’s Mayfair.

RHS

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