Agri-food exporters are currently showcasing the best of British at the world's largest trade event for the food industry, which is taking place in Germany.
Red meat and dairy exporters are showcasing their products at the ongoing Anuga event in Cologne – this year’s biggest agri-food trade show.
Anuga, which takes place every two years, provides a platform for exporters to connect with international buyers, build new relationships, and expand their presence in the global market.
AHDB and the UK government have underlined their commitment to help British red meat and dairy exporters shine on the global stage.
Here's a flavour of what visitors at #Anuga23 experience when they come to our stand - 14 exporters showcasing the best of British dairy produce, cheese tastings, a VR cheese-making experience and an understanding of the exceptional quality of dairy products we have to offer.???? pic.twitter.com/cs9ihHadQ9
— AHDB (@TheAHDB) October 9, 2023
Kevin Hollinrake MP, Minister for Enterprise at the Department for Business (DBT), threw his support behind UK agri-food exporters showcasing their products.
Mr Hollinrake met with exporters on the AHDB stand in the British Meat Pavilion and the jointly organised AHDB and Government Dairy Pavilion stand at the event which attracts more than 100,000 visitors from around the world.
The red meat stand includes dedicated meeting areas and features high-end dishes for visitors to sample quality meat and dairy products sustainably produced by British farmers.
Addressing around 300 key industry stakeholders, Mr Hollinrake said: “Across the UK, our agriculture, food and drink sectors help create thousands of well-paid jobs and grow our economy.
“The UK is home to world-class food and drink and this government is committed to supporting our producers and manufacturers as they look to expand further into the overseas market.”
We go again, all ready for day 2 @anugacologne 2023. There are 956 exhibitors across the meat halls alone this year, attracting trade visitors from around the globe. The last pre-pandemic edition attracted 170,000 visitors over the 5 days. #exportisgreat pic.twitter.com/nhodj1DhVB
— Jono Eckley (@jono_eckley) October 8, 2023
Earlier this year, the government pledged to invest £2m to boost its programme of global trade shows and missions, £1.6m for the GREAT food and drink campaign and a new £1m bespoke export support fund for the dairy sector.
Last month, a recruitment drive to appoint five extra agri-food attachés was also launched to help boost the UK’s agri-food exports, bringing the total number of dedicated UK agri-food attachés to 16.
The new attachés will cover Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Australia/New Zealand, South Korea and Africa.
Dr Phil Hadley, AHDB’s director of international trade development, said the levy board's participation with Anuga aligned with the government's commitment to support British food and drink exports.
He said: "We are committed to delivering on our objectives as outlined in our export strategy– Beyond Borders and helping to attract international markets for our levy payers.
“Through the trade show, we are able to strengthen existing partnerships and establish new connections for our levy payers as stated in our export campaign.”
Figures show that the UK red meat exports for this year January to June were worth £860 million – up marginally on the same period in 2022.
This was due to increased demand for sheep meat in the Middle East. Dairy exports value for the same six months period was £983 million.
