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Ireland wants to beef up exports to Korea with its 'unique' cattle

Published: 09 Jun. 2025, 22:44 Updated: 11 Jun. 2025, 17:30

SEO JI-EUN
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From left, Irish Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon and Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole speak at a press conference on expanding Irish food and drink exports, held in Yeouido, western Seoul, on June 9. [BORD BIA]

A trade delegation from Ireland is back in Seoul for the fifth time in eight years, and it’s not just here for the kimchi.

Led by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon, Dublin's latest trade mission is doubling down on what it sees as a natural fit between Ireland’s premium food philosophy and Korea’s evolving consumer tastes — particularly when it comes to beef and dairy.

“We can see that we’re interested in understanding what motivates Korean consumers — and there is a focus on health, well-being and sustainability,” Jim O’Toole, CEO of Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, said during a press conference on Monday in Yeouido, western Seoul. “We believe the quality of our beef and dairy can respond to those needs.”

Korean consumers’ growing preference for functional, health-boosting foods, particularly protein, has put grass-fed beef in the spotlight. And that happens to be Ireland’s specialty.

“We know Korean consumers are increasingly looking to beef to boost their health," Heydon said. "Consumers associate beef as being the top purchase for protein, and grass-fed beef is considered the healthier option, which fits very well with our Irish product."

Irish food, O'Toole said, has a "unique story to tell," as the nation is positioned on a small island on the western edge of Europe, with the Atlantic Ocean providing rainfall and fresh air. That geography fuels Ireland’s pasture-based farming system, where cattle roam freely and feast on grass for most of the year.

“They take grass — inedible protein — and make it into edible protein," said Heydon.

Irish beef returned to the Korean market in May 2024 after a more than two-decade ban linked to Europe’s mad cow disease scare.

After years of negotiations and proof of Ireland’s food safety systems, including its government-backed Origin Green sustainability program, Korean authorities gave it the green light.

Since then, four processors operating seven plants have been certified to export beef to Korea. The first container of Irish beef from Liffey Meats arrived this week, heading to food service and manufacturing clients.

Irish exporters are keenly aware of Korean tastes.

“We adjust to the market,” said Joe Moore, market manager of Korea and Japan at Bord Bia. “The quality of the product that we export doesn't change, Irish companies are used to adjusting the spec of the product depending on the market.

“In particular in beef, we know there is strong passion and great love for beef cuts like the short rib here in Korea, and we know that Irish exporters and Korean customers are building partnerships in these specific cuts," he said.

While Irish food and drink exports to Korea totaled just €36 million ($41 million) in 2024 — a small fraction of its €17 billion in global trade with exports to 180 countries — officials say the value isn’t in the volume. It’s in the potential for long-term, values-based relationships.

“We do not usually tend towards short-term speculative business,” said Moore. “Ireland depends on export markets, and so we hope to build long-term relationships with customers here.”

A selection of Irish food and drink products are on display at a press conference on market access expansion, held in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Monday. [BORD BIA]

And it’s not just about beef and dairy.

Irish spirits — especially whiskey — and seafood and ready-to-eat consumer foods are all gaining traction.

With Korea’s booming e-commerce market and a growing interest in premium, traceable foods, Ireland is positioning itself not just as another supplier, but as a brand that Korean consumers can trust.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]