St Patrick’s Day offers a unique opportunity to put Ireland on the global stage and to celebrate our largest indigenous industry overseas, Bord Bia CEO Jim O'Toole said this week.

Over the last number of days, Bord Bia has been hosting events from Sweden to Shanghai to showcase Irish produce.

Did you know these facts about Irish food and drink?

  • 1. Over €16bn in exports

    • In 2023, Ireland exported €16.3bn of Irish food and drink worldwide – equivalent to €45m worth of Irish food and drink exported every day. The UK is Ireland’s principal agri-food export destination; exports to that market were valued at €5.3bn in 2023.

  • 2. Market reach

    • Irish food and drink is consumed in 187 markets worldwide and is the largest beef exporter in the EU and in the northern hemisphere. A total of 90% of Irish food and drink production is sent abroad. 

  • 3. Big brands

    • Ireland is home to some of the world’s most iconic brands such as Bailey’s Cream Liqueur, Kerrygold butter and Guinness. 

  • 4. Going green

    • Over 55,000 farmers and 315 verified companies are members of Origin Green, the only sustainability programme in the world operating on a national scale throughout the entire supply chain.

  • 5. Milk production

    • Ireland produced 8.8 billion litres of milk in 2023.

    6. Spirits

    Irish whiskey is one of the fastest-growing spirit categories in the world. 

  • 7. Irish beef

    • Irish beef is served in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. 

  • 8. Milk production

    • Ireland is the eighth-largest exporter of boneless beef and veal in the world. 

  • 9. Beef tongues

    • The Negishi restaurant chain in Japan is made up of 40 restaurants that focus solely on serving Irish beef tongue. 

  • 10. Michelin stars

    • Over 90 Michelin star and award-winning chefs proudly promote Irish beef through Bord Bia’s exclusive Chefs’ Irish Beef Club. It celebrates 20 years as a club this year.