Date: 2nd July 2025 @ 15.30

Where: Zoom

Booking Fee: €20

For most food and drink producers, priority one is to establish sales in their home marketplace. When it’s time to expand, export is a fundamental next step to help achieve new growth.  Whether you are just thinking about your export journey, or already have a toe in the water, this event is designed to give you an orientation of three export market territories and help you decide which might be most appropriate, guided by in market experts.

UK Retail and Foodservice Market Dynamics

Product Guru is a UK based company founded by Simon Coyle, who specialise in linking food and drink producers with trade buyers. Simon has spent years selling to UK high street retailers and the UK grocery market and is painfully aware of the challenge for suppliers in getting the right products in the right hands at the right time. He ran several food and drink businesses for over two decades, successfully selling to many of the bigger UK retailers. (including John Lewis, Sainsbury’s and TK Maxx)  He has a deep understanding of the hard work it takes to get products in front of retail buyers. 

Simon will draw on this extensive experience owning and supplying product businesses to major UK grocery and foodservice operators and help DFC members navigate the UK export market.  

Understanding Food & Drink Opportunities in Northern Ireland

For many producers, Northern Ireland can present as an easy first export market.  Michelle Lestas, who is based in Belfast and has a detailed insight into the food and Agri sector will overview the food and drink landscape in Northern Ireland through an overview of retail and foodservice operators.  Michelle will also help pinpoint some easy first steps to take in this market.

What the German Market Can Offer as a Food and Drink Destination

The German retail and foodservice sectors have already offered many Irish producers access to a new customer base, and in some instances in very large numbers.  Sarah Settke, Bord Bia’s German market expert will provide insight on Germany's retail and foodservice operators together some practical tips for those entering the market for the first time.  

Support to Help Your Export Journey

Local Enterprise Office have recently launched a new Market Explorer Grant https://www.localenterprise.ie/Portal/Discover-Business-Supports/Financial-Supports/Market-Explorer-Grant/Market-Explorer-Grant.html  which is valued at up to €10,000 (max 50% of costs). South Dublin LEO will be on hand to provide info on this initiative and will also overview the “Get Exporting programme” https://www.localenterprise.ie/Portal/GetExporting/Exporting/Get-Exporting/Get-Exporting.html which is an Enterprise Ireland initiative, rolled out through the Local Enterprise Offices.

**Anyone purchasing DFC Member Tickets must have valid DFC Membership on the day of the event. If you would like to join the Dublin Food Chain free please go to https://www.dublinfoodchain.ie/join-us/.