Bord Bia has been awarded a new €3.2m contract to promote dairy in Asia for three years on behalf of the European Union.

The ‘European dairy - where nature meets science’ campaign, which will commence in June 2025, aims to position the EU as a leader in the supply of value-add dairy ingredients to the specialised nutrition manufacturing sector across China, Singapore and Vietnam.

The three priority Asian markets for the EU have a combined dairy import value of €16.2bn per annum.

Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole said that winning the campaign is a testament to the grass-fed and sustainable nature of Irish dairy production.

“It is also in recognition of Ireland’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, ensuring that Irish dairy ingredients meet the highest standards of quality and safety,” he said.

“EU co-funded campaigns are a vital means of putting Ireland on the global stage as a food producer. Our focus will be building new relationships between Irish exporters and local manufacturers of these higher-value consumer products, as well as the importers and distributors in China, Singapore and Vietnam that serve them.”

Campaign

Ireland will be promoting the campaign on behalf of the EU27, allowing Bord Bia to spotlight the country’s wide product portfolio and scope to provide bespoke innovative dairy-based solutions.

Ireland’s dairy exports are the largest single element of total food and drink exports, with over 1.7 million tonnes of product shipped globally to over 130 markets each year.

The business-to-business-focused dairy campaign aims to raise awareness of the positive attributes of dairy ingredients from the EU, while increasing trade recognition of the ‘Enjoy! It’s from Europe’ message. 

After a campaign launch event in June 2025, a delegation of dairy specialist buyers will travel to Ireland over the summer months.

The latter part of the year will focus on technical seminars and an EU dairy stand at the Food Ingredients Asia trade show in Bangkok from 17 to 19 September 2025.

“Demand for dairy and dairy-based products is increasing in China and southeast Asia,” added O’Toole.

“These markets are heavily dependent on imports of specialised dairy ingredients that will be used for domestic manufacturing. This represents an opportunity for Irish dairy exporters from the EU to grow their operations in these markets through collaboration on research and development expertise and co-creation of added value products.”

Asian exports

Irish dairy exports to China, Singapore and Vietnam were worth over €458m in 2023.

Bord Bia’s Future of Dairy in Southeast Asia report shows that the population of southeast Asia is predicted to grow by a further 100 million by 2050 and that southeast Asia will continue to rely on dairy imports in the coming years and that domestic production levels will remain low.

Bord Bia’s senior manager for EU co-funded programmes Declan Fennell said that promoting dairy campaigns with the EU gives Ireland immediate access to some of the top buyers of dairy in these countries.

“We do this by communicating the tangible benefits of Ireland’s national sustainability programme, Origin Green, our grass-based farming systems and family-run farms.

“This campaign will target thousands of dairy buyers and allow us to communicate Irish dairy’s position as ideal partners in the global dairy industry, while also strengthening the business relationships Irish dairy exporters have already developed with stakeholders in these countries.”