5th February, 2010 - A ‘Taste of Holland’ for Northern Ireland
Ten Dutch food companies
- participating in a Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries
sponsored Trade Mission engaged on a Trade Mission to Northern Ireland in
January.
The companies participated in supermarket visits,
a visit to a leading retail distributor, a food service cash and carry, a 1-2-1
Matchmaking event with potential partners as well as the NI-NL New Year’s
Dinner, during a 60 hour visit to the island.
The mission, delivered by NITC, was led by Age
van Balen, Coordinator International Trade Promotion, from the Ministry of
Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in The Hague and Ewald Wermuth, Counsellor
for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, based at the Embassy of the Kingdom
of the Netherlands in London.
Tight scheduling
Day 1 – Marketing Information and
Orientation
Following a training session at Groenveld Vlees
in Nieuw Vennep in early January the companies were keen to experience the well
documented ‘Newry Effect’ of Irish customers travelling North over the border
to purchase goods and groceries at lower prices due to price differences
created mainly by exchange rate and taxation differences.
Visits to supermarkets in Dublin, Newry and
Dromore, on arrival, showed the Dutch exporters clear differences in both range
and price points South and North of the border.
The companies were then welcomed to the PRM Group
in Lisburn which is responsible for the sale and distribution of a portfolio of
major chilled food brands throughout the island of Ireland.
Following a presentation by Trevor Magill and
Philip Morrow the companies toured the impressive 4,500 m2 warehouse facility
operating under three temperature regimes.
Day 2 - ‘A Taste of Holland’
Matchmaking
Each of the 10 companies engaged in 1-2-1
pre-planned meetings with buyers and decision makers from retailers,
foodservice distributors, and industrial processors in the unique location of
Hillsborough Courthouse.
While the world’s press camped outside waiting
for white smoke from the important talks taking place next door at Hillsborough
Castle, Dutch and Northern Ireland companies negotiated their way through no
less than 90 individual meetings each lasting twenty minutes.
VIP guests who greeted the Dutch
participants and tasted the delicacies included:
Arlene Foster, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and
Investment dropped in for tasty Dutch pancakes
Mayor Allan Ewart of Lisburn City Council, pictured
with representatives of local food companies O’Kanes Foodservice and
Dailyfresh.
All of the Dutch contingent and their invited
guests then travelled into Belfast to attend the NI-NL New Year’s Dinner at the
Harbour Commissioners.
Day 3 – Confirmation and ‘Let it
all sink in’
Companies engaged in individual meetings as well
as a visit to Musgraves Cash and Carry in Belfast prior to departing via
Belfast International airport for Amsterdam.
All in all a busy few days in Northern Ireland. Thank goodness there was some time for a rest on the flight home !!
