Singapore is a gateway to Southeast Asia

Why does Singapore have a Bord Bia office as it is a tiny market?

Singapore itself may be a relatively small market for Irish Food and drink but it is very much a gateway to Southeast Asia (SEA) where many countries already import Irish Food and drink and there is potential to do more. While the UK, Europe and the US will remain high volume markets for Irish exports, SEA ranks very highly in terms of future potential and strategic importance for Bord Bia.

Irish dairy and pigmeat is well established in the region and the Philippines is consistently among the highest volume export markets for Irish beef outside Europe. Singapore is an ideal location from which to access these markets in a region where there is potential to develop. It also services Australia and New Zealand and while neither are recognised as major importers of agri food products, they did source €48m worth of pig meat from Ireland last year.

What are the main categories, volume and value?

Irish exports to the region experienced growth, up 6% to reach €331m last year with dairy the leading Irish export category with 80% or €276m of exports to the region. Pig meat exports to the region have been falling lately – this is a highly price sensitive market and Brazilian prices have been particularly competitive.

How has the market developed over the past five years?

SEA remains one of the world’s fastest growing regions, though growth is more uneven across the market.

The region as a whole is very diverse and complex, each country having its own unique characteristics and challenges.

Over the past five years, there has been consistent and often double-digit growth of Irish exports to certain parts of the region though of course we have been coming from a low base

Is it a market that will grow further or do we work to hold what we have?

Bord Bia sees SEA as a key region for growth and somewhere to expand its footprint.

With SEA being a fast growing economy, it suggests that there is considerable potential for growth in Irish food and drink exports to the region.

Irish exporters tend to concentrate their efforts where they are doing business at present and it is our job to be looking out for where business opportunities might emerge in future and prepare the way for our companies to develop them.

An example of this will be our work in Thailand and Vietnam which both opened to imports of Irish beef in recent months.

These will not be major export markets for beef exporters in the short term but we will be working to identify opportunities and get the groundwork done for their future development.

Bord Bia is running an EU co-funded dairy campaign to support continued expansion in dairy ingredients and functional nutrition exports to the region. There has been and will be further growth in opportunities for value-added ingredients, particularly for nutrition and food manufacturing

What do buyers look for in imports from Ireland?

Customers in the market look to Irish suppliers to source high-end, premium products. Suppliers who they trust and from who they can receive consistent supply.

Although awareness for sustainability is often referred to in terms of food security, Ireland’s reputation as a source of credible, consistent and sustainable food and drink products. Across Asia, there is a growing demand for high-quality, trusted and sustainable ingredients and Irish produce delivers on all three.

Anything else of interest?

Bord Bia is active in two EU promotion campaigns that are ongoing in SEA. They are the EU co-funded Beef and Lamb campaign across China, Japan and Singapore (2026-2028), and an EU co-funded Dairy Ingredients campaign in China, Singapore and Vietnam over the period 2025 – 2028.