New strategy charts ambitious future for Irish Prepared Consumer Foods sector

• The PCF sector targets €5.4bn in exports and 38,000 jobs by 2035

The Prepared Consumer Foods (PCF) Council, as part of Ibec’s Food Drink Ireland sector, has today launched the Prepared Consumer Foods Strategy for Ireland 2025–2035. The new strategy, launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, reflects the sector’s strong performance over the past decade, offering insights into current challenges facing businesses, and providing recommendations that create an environment for this sector to thrive over the next ten years. There are currently 1,650 PCF companies producing or supplying value-added food and beverages, from packaged fruit and vegetable produce to value-added meat, consumer dairy, ambient, frozen, bakery, non-alcoholic beverages, and much more.

The vision of the strategy is to foster a vibrant, competitive and growing PCF sector that enriches lives, economies and our planet, cementing its role as a key contributor to Ireland’s economy by driving job creation, leading in both innovation and sustainability, and supporting healthier lifestyles.

Launching the strategy, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said:

“In an environment of evolving challenges, from climate change to global market pressures, the provision of a clear roadmap for the development of Prepared Consumer Foods sector is now more critical than ever.

The Prepared Consumer Foods sector has proven its immense resilience and capacity for innovation. By advancing the goals of Food Vision 2030 through a partnership approach, the sector is not just managing the present but also actively securing a prosperous, competitive, and climate-smart future for the next generation of food companies and Irish farmers.

I congratulate Ibec and the Prepared Consumer Food Council on the launch of its new 10-year strategy. I am pleased that my Department has been able to provide significant support to the National Prepared Consumer Food Centre, which assists companies in piloting industry-led collaborative research to address the challenges across the industry. My Department will continue to support the sector including through the Food Vision Industry Group.

The success of sectors such as Prepared Consumer Food is a clear example of our world class credentials in food production and this ambitious strategy provides a blueprint designed to deliver continued growth for Irish companies in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

Killian Barry, Danone Ireland Managing Director and Chair of the PCF Council, said:

“Prepared Consumer Foods is a key part of the overall food sector, and of the Irish economy. This strategy presents a vision and an action plan to ensure that the passion, innovation and energy that drives PCF businesses is recognised and supported by Government, to allow the sector to reach its potential by 2035.

Despite recent challenges, including rising costs for commodities, transport, energy, and manufacturing, the sector has demonstrated remarkable agility and achieved considerable growth. Between 2014 and 2024, exports increased by 52%, revenue rose by 36%, and employment expanded by 36%.”

Director of Prepared Consumer Foods in Food Drink Ireland, Linda Stuart-Trainor, said:

“We believe the Government has an opportunity to create a policy environment that serves as a launchpad for PCF. By building on the strong foundations created over the last decade, this strategy can accelerate the growth of an indigenous manufacturing sector that is committed to long-term investment and employment in all parts of Ireland.”

The strategy is built around five interconnected pillars - Competitiveness, People, Innovation, Sustainability, and Health. Within these pillars, the strategy outlines key policy recommendations and industry initiatives that will enable the sector to fulfil its potential. These include:

• Include PCF companies of all sizes in state supports for capital expenditure

• Establish regular data reporting on the PCF sector by the Central Statistics Office

• Establish an Apprenticeship in Food Operations Management (FOM) and work with PCF companies to drive participation in this and other relevant apprenticeships