Six Irish food and drink companies target Scandinavia

’Access 6’ export programme is aimed at helping companies break into €102 billion market

Jane Duncan (Access 6 Project Manager) is joined in Stockholm by Colm O’Brien of Nutrisnax and Gitte Brondum (Scandinavian retail consultant from ‘Food Is More’) for the launch of the Scandinavian ‘cluster’ on 24 April 2014
Jane Duncan (Access 6 Project Manager) is joined in Stockholm by Colm O’Brien of Nutrisnax and Gitte Brondum (Scandinavian retail consultant from ‘Food Is More’) for the launch of the Scandinavian ‘cluster’ on 24 April 2014

Six Irish food and drink companies are hoping to break into the €102 billion Scandinavian market, thanks to the help of the Access 6 export programme.

Access 6, a € 2.2million EU funded export programme, offers Irish companies access to the lucrative Scandinavian market, and this year six companies have been selected to participate in the programme: Derrycamma Rapeseed Oil, Ferdia Fine Foods, Gallaghers Bakery, Nutri Snax, Rangeland Foods, and Shalvey Poultry.

While remaining a traditional market with a focus on frozen and convenience foods, the last decade has seen Scandinavia opening up to imported food influences and products. Total Irish food imports to the Nordic region reached € 257 million in 2012 – a figure that Access 6 partners hope to build upon.

Following a launch at the Irish Embassy in Stockholm hosted by the Irish Ambassador to Sweden, H.E. Mr James Joseph Carroll, Access 6 companies also participated in a 'study tour' which has given them an insight into the market enabling them to groom their own products to meet consumer tastes in Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

Fiona Reddan

Fiona Reddan

Fiona Reddan is a writer specialising in personal finance and is the Home & Design Editor of The Irish Times