Key factors influencing economic relationships and communication in European agri-food chains

End of project reportThis report reflects the Irish contribution to an EU-funded project which aimed to: clarify the relevance of business-to-business relationships and communication in European agri-food chains, and identify the economic, social and cultural factors that influence agri-food chain relationships and business-to-business communication. Such research was expected to be of use to companies seeking to develop more sustainable business relationships.The project considered meat and cereal commodities in six EU countries. In total thirteen agri-food chains were examined: five pig-to-pigmeat chains, three cattle-to-beef chains, two barley-to-beer chains and three cereals-to-bakery product chains. The pig-to-pigmeat and cattle-to-beef chains were examined in Ireland.European Union (FOODCOMM

Key market drivers in the organic sector

The total organic market is valued at more than €100 million. The fresh and chilled category accounts for the majority of this (€77.3m), followed by ambient (€22.6) with a very small amount accounted for by the frozen category(€0.7m). Whilst the sector has grown by 82% in the last 2 years (Bord Bia, 2008), there are signs of a slow down in growth. This paper looks at what is going well from a marketing perspective,identifies some areas requiring attention and suggests a change in positioning to maintain current levels of growth

Consumers’ Perceptions of Novel Process Technologies: The Case of High Pressure Processed Chilled Ready Meals

Consumers’ growing concerns with regard to the food supply chain continue to influence their perceptions of emerging novel food processes. The main objective of this study was to explore consumers’ perceptions and potential purchase motivations for chilled ready meals produced using high pressure processing. In-depth one-to-one soft laddering interviews were conducted in-home with 40 purchasers of chilled ready meals, aged between 18 and 44 years, living in Dublin City and County, Ireland. The in-depth discussions explored a range of issues concerning consumers’ acceptance of high pressure processing, as well as their preferences for high pressure processed chilled ready meal concepts. The results of the study showed that consumers were generally receptive towards high pressure processing of chilled ready meals. Subsequent discussions revealed where consumer acceptance issues could potentially arise concerning the application of high pressure processing to chilled ready meals. The soft laddering technique revealed distinct differences between consumer groups across consumption patterns and life stages with regard to their purchase preferences and potential purchase motivations. The insights generated from this research can assist companies design consumer-relevant communication strategies, which effectively differentiate high pressure processed chilled ready meal from incumbent products.Means-end Chain, Consumer Acceptance, Novel Process Technologies., Agricultural and Food Policy,

A Double-Hurdle Model of Irish Household Expenditure on Prepared Meals

In this paper, Irish households' expenditure on prepared meals for home consumption is analysed using the 1987 and 1994 Irish Household Budget Survey datasets. The aim of the paper is to analyse the factors influencing Irish households' decisions to purchase prepared meals and how much to spend on these food items. This is done using the double-hurdle methodology adjusted for the problems of heteroscedasticity and non-normality. Income elasticities are estimated for household expenditure on prepared meals in both years and significant socio-economic influences are identified. These socio-economic factors are assumed to underpin the tastes and preferences of Irish households, with convenience identified as a significant preference of many household groups.

Supply Chains Linking Food SMEs in Lagging Rural Regions in Ireland

End of project reportThis report reflects the Irish contribution to a 3-year EU-funded research project, SUPPLIERS, which was concerned with the development, innovation, competitiveness and sustainability of food SMEs in lagging rural regions(LRRs) of the EU and Poland. It summarises the results of the research conducted in Ireland, evaluates these findings and makes recommendations to benefit food SMEs located in Ireland’s LRRs. Two regions were selected for study in Ireland. These were the West, comprising counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, and the Northwest, comprising counties Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. Both are classified as Objective 1 regions reflecting their predominantly rural character, economic disadvantage and relative remoteness from urban centres. Three food products were selected for detailed study in each region. Products selected in the West were mushrooms, farmed salmon and speciality foods and, in the Northwest, organic produce, farmed shellfish and prepared consumer foods. This product range encompassed a range of chains from local to international, integrated to fragmented, direct to indirect, providing a basis for comparison and evaluation of different chain structures. This summary report concentrates on the results of four surveys carried out over the course of the study. Producers, intermediaries, commercial customers and support institutions were surveyed.This publication derives from the EU funded project on ‘Supply chains linking food SMEs in Europe’s lagging rural regions’ (SUPPLIERS, QLK5-CT-2000- 00841

An assessment of the Irish speciality food enterprises’ use of the internet as a marketing tool

End of Project ReportThis study set out to explore the role of the Internet as a marketing tool for Irish speciality food producers and to research on-line speciality food sales as a business opportunity. The project achieved this through a combination of consumer focus groups, a producer web audit, producer depth interviews and an e-mailed on-line producer survey. Irish consumers acknowledged potential for on-line sales of Irish speciality food products to export and gift markets; however they could not see significant advantages for on-line sales in the domestic market. Experience with the product (and consequent importance of the purchase experience), the high delivery cost of an already premium priced product and difficulties associated with receipt of deliveries were identified as the main reasons for not purchasing on-line

Factors Shaping Expenditure on Food-Away-from-Home in Irish and UK Households

End of project reportFactors influencing consumer spending in two sectors of the food-away-from-home (FAFH) market (quick-service e.g. takeaways, and full-service e.g. restaurants) were analysed using national household expenditure survey data. Different variables affect expenditure in the two sectors in different ways. Income has a greater effect on expenditure in the full-service sector than in the quick-service sector. Similarly households that are health-conscious indicate a greater preference for full-service meals while households which place more value on time (and therefore are more convenience-oriented) indicate a greater preference for quick-service. Households of a higher social class and those with higher education levels also appear to favour full-service expenditure. In addition, younger, urbanised households favour quickservice meal options. The results emphasise the merits of analysing different sectors within the FAFH market separately.Teagasc Walsh Fellowship Programm

If Opportunity Doesn’t Knock, Build a Door: Reflecting on a Bioeconomy Policy Agenda for Ireland

peer-reviewedThe development of the bioeconomy offers an alternative economic mode of growth whereby renewable biological resources are transformed to meet food, feed, fuel and fibre needs. Ireland however lacks a cohesive bioeconomy policy to guide this development. Drawing on a strategic analysis of the resource base in Ireland, this paper sets the scene for the development of the Irish bioeconomy. A number of case study opportunities are outlined, followed by a critical analysis of Irish bioeconomy-related policy. The analysis culminates in a bioeconomy policy illustration that highlights the number of competing interests in the bioeconomy arena, alongside the wider governance context that will influence the development of a comprehensive national bioeconomy policy

Technology Transfer in the Irish Food Industry: Researcher Perspectives

The public R&D system represents an important part of the framework conditions for carrying out innovation activities and creating commercially applicable knowledge (Drejer and Jørgensen, 2004). It is an important source of information for companies, particularly those that are developing new products (Tijssen, 2004). However, Rubenstein (2003) stated that there has been a perception that public research capacity and results were not being optimally used and thus that potential economic benefits were not entirely realised. It is also suggested that research conducted in the public sector is not efficiently or successfully transferred to industry (Markman et al, 1999) and that it is necessary to understand and improve the means of technology transfer for society to reap the benefits of public science (Geuna and Nesta, 2003). Thus, there is a growing interest, and indeed pressure, among policymakers and academics to ensure informed spending of taxpayers’ money, that useful and relevant research is conducted that represents good “value for money” and that wealth is generated from publicly-funded research (Carr, 1992; Lyall et al., 2004; Mustar et al., 2006). To achieve this requires, amongst other things, the establishment of scientific and technical human capital which is the sum of researchers’ professional network ties and their technical skills and resources (Bozeman and Coreley, 2004). This paper examines the interactions engaged in by researchers from Irish public science providers (public research centres and higher education institutions), with a particular focus on researchers- industry interactions, as well as their skills and resources. To provide context, it firstly briefly outlines the actors involved in conducting publicly funded R&D in Ireland. It then describes the methodology and presents the results of a national survey of publicly funded food researchers focusing on the extent and nature of researcher interactions with other researchers and with industry, the barriers to and motivations for researcher-industry interaction and researcher skills regarding technology transfer. It concludes with a discussion and some policy recommendations.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Industrial Organization,

Improving Technology Transfer and Research Commercialisation in the Irish Food Innovation System

End of project reportThe process by which knowledge generated by publicly-funded research is transferred to industry – technology transfer – has been criticised as being inefficient and having limited success. This research project aimed to obtain a better understanding of the technology transfer process and thereby contribute to policy development and provide guidance for researchers to improve the process. Through a series of focus groups, surveys, case studies and depth interviews, the research identified five key challenges that exist in the context of the Irish food innovation system. These relate to communication, industry capabilities, research capabilities, strategic management and socialisation. To address these challenges, a selection of tools, illustrative case studies and recommendations for a range of stakeholders on how to deal with each of these challenges is provided on the project website (www.dit.ie/toolbox/)