Conor O’Sullivan, UK manager of Bord Bia, discusses the opportunity Ireland’s products present to wholesalers.
Headquartered in Dublin, Bord Bia supports the national and international ambitions of Irish food, drink and horticulture businesses through its highly focused organisational structure and its network of offices in EMEA, Asia and the USA.
How does Bord Bia view the UK wholesale market in 2026, and what opportunities do you see for Irish food and drink suppliers working with UK wholesalers?
With food price inflation outpacing revenue expectations for both foodservice and retail channels, it’s clear that we’re in for another year of squeezed margins. Wholesalers are playing a more critical role in helping customers manage cost, labour constraints, and quickly evolving consumer demand. Ironically, that pressure is opening up opportunities for innovation.
Our most recent Sustainable Nutrition study shows us that health and nutrition continues as the dominant trend, with 62% of consumers paying closer attention to healthier eating[1] and 83% of operators agreeing health considerations are influencing menu choices[2].
42% of people now identify protein as the most important ingredient in their diet[3], but as protein claims become more widespread, quality is becoming a more meaningful driver of choice.
‘Being natural and real’ is now the number one purchase driver[4], playing directly to Ireland’s strengths in grass-fed dairy and quality-assured beef. We’re also seeing a shift towards “benefit stacking”, with consumers seeking more balanced, multi-functional nutrition over single claims.
On-demand eating continues to grow, driving demand for versatile formats that work across dayparts, occasions, and fit into busy lives. In dairy, for example, Irish suppliers have found success with functional cheese snacks, pouched yoghurts, enriched milks and more. But innovations play out across categories.
What product categories are currently seeing the strongest demand from UK wholesale, foodservice, and convenience channels, and where do you expect growth over the next 12 months?
Ireland’s food and drink exports to the UK are particularly strong, growing by 14% to €6.4bn in 2025[5]. Our biggest categories are prepared consumer foods (€2.5bn), meat (€1.9bn), and dairy (€1.3bn), and growth is increasingly coming from value-added propositions.
Meal solutions is a really strong space. Labour costs and shortages are playing their part, and products that can help restaurants deliver quality and consistency with less burden have a big part to play in the success of the industry. Sous-vide, slow cooking, sharing plates, and global flavours are all on the rise. Nutrient density is shaping portion sizes and composition. There’s a lot happening here.
We’re positive about dairy, which because of its versatility and opportunity for innovation might benefit most from the drive for natural nutrition, added function, and convenient formats. We also expect demand for Irish beef to remain strong as operators increasingly seek trusted suppliers that deliver on quality, taste, and sustainability in a time of tight supply.
Looking ahead, growth will concentrate in products that combine nutritional value, ease of use and flexibility across occasions. For wholesalers, the opportunity is to drive growth through the right listings, bringing in innovation that meets evolving needs while strengthening core lines that consistently deliver for operators.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for buyers. How is Bord Bia helping Irish producers meet the environmental and reporting requirements that UK wholesalers and their customers now expect?
This is a real point of difference for Ireland. Origin Green, the world’s only national food and drink sustainability programme, brings farmers and processors together under a common goal, driving measurable improvements in carbon, water, energy, social, and biodiversity across the supply chain. It also ensures consistent ways of measuring and reporting progress. This directly addresses a major challenge of UK operators: dealing with complex and inconsistent measurements across their supplier base.
At farm level, tools like AgNav make this more actionable, enabling farmers to measure performance, forecast improvements and implement tailored plans based on their own data.
Importantly, this goes beyond environmental reporting. Sustainability is being recognised as a major lever to achieve supply chain resilience. In many instances, the tools and techniques to reduce emissions also improve the resilience of food production. Better use of data, more efficient farming methods, reduced reliance on inputs, and greater financial stability. As a result, we’re seeing more collaboration between operators and Irish suppliers, with a growing focus on farmer support programmes that deliver both sustainability progress and greater reliability of supply.
With ongoing economic pressures and supply chain challenges, what practical advice would you give UK wholesalers looking to strengthen partnerships with Irish suppliers and drive profitable growth?
In an environment shaped by inflationary pressures, fast changing consumer behaviour, geopolitical uncertainty and ongoing supply chain disruptions, close collaboration between Irish suppliers and UK wholesalers remains essential.
Things are changing quickly, so work closely with suppliers who can deliver consistency, with flexibility and agility, and not just those that meet specification.
Ensure ranges solve operator pain points. Products that perform well today are those that help operators manage labour, reduce waste and serve multiple occasions. Bord Bia invests heavily in UK consumer and trade insight to ensure Irish suppliers can deliver this kind of innovation.
Supply chain risk remains a real concern. Ireland’s long-established partnerships with the UK, geographic proximity, and shared regulatory frameworks offers unrivalled reliability.
Don’t compromise on standards. Trusted sources, transparency, and quality-assurance are as important as ever for customers.
Irish suppliers are well positioned to support profitable growth for UK wholesalers. Despite challenging market conditions, Ireland’s food and drink exports to the UK continue to prosper, growing by 14% in 2025[6]. This reflects the partnership’s strength, and the confidence UK buyers and customers place in Irish produce. The UK is our largest export market for a reason. We are trusted for our high quality, standards, sustainability, innovation, and reliability.
[1] Bord Bia Sustainable Nutrition Global Barometer, 2025
[2] Base:1,500 UK Foodservice consumers, 150 Foodservice operators
[3] Bord Bia, 2025
[4] Bord Bia Sustainable Nutrition Global Barometer, 2025
[5] Bord Bia Export Performance and Prospects report 2025 (published 07.01.26)
[6] Bord Bia Export Performance and Prospects report 2025 (published 07.01.26)
