The two-day tour took place in Waterford and Tipperary, where the group visited Eddie Keane’s beef farm in Youghal, Harty’s Oysters in Dungarvan and toured ABP’s slaughtering and de-boning facility in Cahir.

The chefs are members of the Swiss branch of Bord Bia’s Chefs’ Irish Beef Club, which brings together Michelin-star and other renowned chefs who promote and use Irish beef in high-end restaurants.

The chefs assist Bord Bia in driving the premium image of Irish beef along with other Irish food and beverages across key markets.

Arno Sgier, one of the chefs in the group and owner of the Michelin-starred Restaurant Traube in Trimbach, Switzerland, said: “The fact that the animals are grass-fed and the production is sustainable has a positive effect on quality and taste and, above all, consistency.“

Swiss market

Bord Bia says Switzerland is regarded as a prized marketplace for exporters of premium-quality produce. The average food spend per capita is €4,919 per annum compared with the European average of €2,430 (according to Institute of Grocery Distribution data).

As one of the wealthiest countries in the world, its affluent society boasts an impressive appetite and spending power for luxury, high-quality goods. Irish food and drink exports to Switzerland were worth over €44m in 2014.

Bord Bia’s Nicolas Ranninger, who accompanied the group, said that Switzerland is a small and complex market with specific requirements and legislation for imported food. Ireland exported approximately 2,000t of beef in 2014.

He added: “Ireland enjoys an excellent reputation for the quality of its meat, with exports worth over €26m in 2014. Initiatives such as the Chefs’ Irish Beef Club allow renowned chefs to meet the Irish producers and understand what differentiates our products and is essential to maintaining and growing our reputation in this lucrative market.”