Exports of Irish food and drink to the UK jumped by 14% to €6.7bn (£5.8bn) in 2025, with growth in all key categories, though meat volumes fell amid a drop in production, particularly in beef and lamb, Bord Bia data has shown.
Beef exports rose by 25% in value terms to a total of £1.4bn last year, revealed the Irish food body’s Export Performance and Prospects report, published this week.
However, this growth was driven by the same inflationary pressures (caused by tight supply) that sent UK farmgate prices to record highs over the past year, with beef export volumes across the Irish Sea falling by 5%.
While stock carryover from 2024 into 2025 had a positive impact on volumes in the first half of the year, big declines in cattle availability in the second half offset this, Bord Bia said, with cattle throughput also affected by structural changes in the dairy sector via contracting cow herds.
However, Bord Bia’s UK market manager Conor O’Sullivan stressed demand, particularly in UK retail, remained strong for Irish beef, “where the Irish brand is still very strong”.
Ireland remains the leading supplier of beef to the UK, accounting for 77% of imports, versus southern hemisphere competitors New Zealand and Australia, who, despite seeing increases in exports to the UK last year, had a combined share of 10% for beef value up to August 2025.
Irish sheepmeat volumes to the UK were down by 15% due to similar supply constraints, with export values down 10%. Meanwhile, pigmeat export volumes rose by 3%, with value sales down 3% due to lower prices.
Elsewhere, Irish dairy exports to the UK rose by 18% to £1.1bn, with demand strong despite inflationary pressures.
Prepared foods booming
Prepared consumer goods, such as ready meals, meal kits, bakery products and cooked or added-value meats, were also singled out as a standout performer – with sales climbing by 10% to £2.2bn on the back of a strong innovation pipeline, with the UK now taking 70% of Ireland’s PCF exports, up from 67% in 2019.
“Consumer demand continues to shift toward health, premium quality, value, and convenience, driving increased innovation and closer supplier collaboration,” Bord Bia said.
This growth occurred “despite new regulatory and logistical challenges, including additional documentation, border and sanitary checks, currency volatility, elevated logistics costs, and heightened competition”, it added.
“In a highly volatile market, we’ve once again demonstrated that through partnerships built on trust, Irish suppliers are able to work with UK retailers, chefs, and hospitality businesses to develop and deliver premium products that taste great and help meet sustainability targets, backed by [assurance scheme] Origin Green,” O’Sullivan said.
“We know it’s tough for businesses throughout the UK who are facing increasing pressure on supply chains, with margins being squeezed more than ever over the past 12 months,” he added. “Ireland is poised to help meet these challenges head-on with robust availability of sustainably sourced, quality ingredients and goods that both shoppers and diners love.”
Total global Irish food exports rose by 12% to reach a record €19bn, despite “one of the most volatile years in our sector”, said Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole.
“Yet, against this backdrop, the Irish food, drink and horticulture industry delivered a strong performance, achieving record export values and reinforcing its reputation for quality, reliability and adaptability.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Irish exporters were entering the year “with a more cautious outlook, despite a good 2025 performance”, Bord Bia said.
“Inflation continues to affect the market with growing affordability concerns, especially in relation to beef. Bord Bia-commissioned research with Numerator highlighted how British consumers were trading down to lower-priced beef products and switching to other proteins over the summer period,” it added.
But citing Bord Bia’s CEO Sentiment Survey with senior executives from Irish food and drink exporting companies, overall sentiment remained “moderately positive, with just over half of companies expecting export growth in 2026”. However, it warned “growth expectations have softened compared with the previous year, reflecting ongoing cost pressures, geopolitical uncertainty and subdued consumer demand in some markets”.
No comments yet