Representatives say domestic travel not enough to sustain tourism sector, and viability of many businesses could be in doubt.  ​Domestic customers alone will not be enough to sustain Ireland’s tourism businesses, industry figures have warned, and the viability of many could be put into question if visitors from abroad stay away for another year.

Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, chief executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, said it was important for the sector that overseas travel into the State resumed in the second half of this year.

​Leading retailer and wholesaler, BWG Foods, has today announced the launch of a new range of high-quality fresh ready meals, which is being rolled out across its network of over 1,000 EUROSPAR, SPAR, MACE, Londis and XL stores nationwide.
 
The launch of ‘Fresh Choice Kitchen’ follows a partnership with a number of Irish suppliers to bring a new range of quality but affordable fresh and chilled convenience products to the marketplace, with a focus on sustainable, environmentally friendly packaging. Suppliers include Galmere Foods, Galway; Swift Fine Foods, Monaghan; Prestige Foods, Kerry and Aveo based in Dublin.

​The quantity of goods passing through Irish ports from the UK remains around half of what it was this time last year, nearly four weeks after the Brexit transition period came to an end. 

At a briefing at Dublin Port this afternoon, officials from a range of state departments and agencies said volumes remained below what had been expected. 

We are delighted to launch the IFSA’s Award Programme 2021. Following on from the success of the inaugural awards in 2020, The IFSA’S are aimed at showcasing the wealth of innovation and technology which our members continually bring to market each year.

Theme & Focus
The key environmental challenges facing the food service sector remain;

• Carbon emissions reduction
• Food waste minimisation
• Elimination of single use plastics
• Water management

For 2021 the theme of The IFSA’s will be “Sustainability and the Circular Economy”, highlighting the Industry’s continued focus on environmental issues and suppliers’ response to the ever evolving need to develop practices in line with the circular economy concept.

Introducing Friedr. Dick Pink Spirit: a knife series inspired by the courage of women around the world in the fight against cancer. Mc Donnell’s will be donating between €3 and €30 from the sale of each Pink Spirit knife and knife set to the Marie Keating Foundation in support of Cancer.

This knife series features the same popular paring, santoku, chef and bread knives from the renowned Friedr. Dick Red Spirit line, meeting the exact same standard of pure design, well-thought-out function, and highest precision, but now with stunning pink handles. Sold individually or as a complete (4) piece set, the Pink Spirit knife series will make a proud addition to any professional or home kitchen.

Now in-stock this limited edition, available only while quantities last.  DOWNLOAD BROCHURE

See mcdonnells.ie to select a Pink Spirit item or contact sales@mcdonnells.ie for more details and donation amounts.

​Ireland’s pioneering food and drink sustainability programme recognises BWG Foods’ commitment to pursuing sustainable business practices.

BWG Foods, one of Ireland’s leading wholesalers and retailers, has become a verified member of the world’s first national sustainability programme, Origin Green. The announcement comes following recognition of BWG Foods’ commitment to pursuing sustainable business practices.  

The business has worked very closely with Bord Bia’s Origin Green team to develop a sophisticated and comprehensive sustainability strategy that includes measurable targets around initiatives that will contribute positively to the environment, and also to the local communities in which BWG and its retailers operate.

All members are invited to complete the monthly Foodservice Sector Sentiment Index for January 2021.  The survey, conducted with both suppliers and end users across the foodservice sector, aims to provide a snapshot of attitudes towards current marketplace conditions and the economic climate.

Covering such areas as employment, team management, state support, and industry perceptions, the index gives a unique perspective on how the hospitality supplier sector sees itself and how it views the outlook for the industry over the short to medium term.

Up to 100,000 hospitality sector employees will be among around 420,000 tax payers who will be issued tax bills today as a result of payments they received under the two main Revenue Commissioners Covid subsidy schemes last year.

​An estimated 71% of those in receipt of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and 33% of those on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment underpaid tax - and will receive a bill.

Following ongoing consultation by the board of IFSA with exhibitors and our partners and faced with the continued backdrop of uncertainty which COVID brings to us all, we have taken the decision to reschedule CATEX 2021 from 23-25 March 2021 to 21-23 September 2021. 
​
The rationale behind choosing this date was a combination of trying to keep CATEX 2021 in the 2021 year, while giving ourselves some additional time to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic and indeed the country will react to the rollout of vaccinations early this year. 

New figures released in the annual Bord Bia Export Performance and Prospects report 2020/2021 show that the value of exports of Irish food, drink and horticulture were held to a marginal 2% decline in 2020, valued at €13 billion (v €13.2 billion in 2019), during a period of unprecedented change and challenge that saw the largest disruption to normal market operation, globally, since the end of World War II.

The figures underline the dividend of a decade-long diversification strategy that has seen Ireland achieve a broad global base for its food and drink exports which now reach in excess of 180 countries.  Increases have been recorded in the value of Irish dairy, pigmeat and sheepmeat exports, along with very significant increases in the value of exports to Africa and the Middle East as new international markets come to the fore.