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Good News on the Dairy side in China

Ambassador of Ireland to the People’s Republic of China Paul Kavanagh and Mr Frank Qu, President, Wyeth Nutrition

On 12 November, in close liaison with Bord Bia, the renovated Embassy of Ireland in Beijing hosted a major event to mark the relaunch of Illuma 3 which is a market leader in the top premium segment of China’s Infant Formula (IF) market nationwide.

Wyeth’s infant formula product is wholly manufactured by a workforce of some 600 at Wyeth’s plant in Askeaton, Co. Limerick.

The Chinese inspection authorities visited Ireland in early 2014 and gave a 100 per cent clean bill of health to Ireland’s Dairy sector. This approval by the Chinese authorities means that consumers here can be assured that dairy produce from Ireland is trusted, safe and reliable. This approval also allowed dairy companies based in Ireland, including Wyeth, to secure maximum commercial benefit for the company and consequently the added reputational and employment benefit for Ireland. Today there are now 36 Irish dairy companies selling a range of products in China.

Wyeth have an outstanding marketing team and the Embassy and Bord Bia have supported them in promoting Ireland as a great place for China to source top quality and safe food. Such events are a great way for Team Ireland to support companies selling Irish food in China just as the Embassy, Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland support other Irish exporters of goods and services.

The promotional campaign of Wyeth that began last year has helped develop in the Chinese popular consciousness - to a far greater extent than previously - an image of Ireland, the Green Island and producer of top quality and safe food.

ILLUMA 3 has been strengthened as a formula on the back of significant product development undertaken in Ireland. The product is marketed for consumption by infants at least 13 months old and the company also conducts simultaneous campaigns advocating breast feeding.

Present at the Embassy were some 150 key distributors, retailers and others brought in from across China. All of the major chains, e-commerce platforms, etc. were strongly represented. The event went off extremely well. We were told that the prestige of the Embassy venue and the opportunity of spending an afternoon with the Ambassador and his colleagues were potent factors in attracting so strong a presence.

Also in the past week, the Chieftains undertook a three-city concert tour of China - to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Their tour has been made possible by substantial sponsorship support from Wyeth as well as Culture Ireland and with strong organisational support from the Embassy.

At the beginning of the Beijing concert, I invited the audience to observe one minute’s silence in respect for the victims of the atrocities in Paris last Friday, 13 November, in sympathy for their families and loved ones and in solidarity with the people of that world capital of culture and the people of France.

I also took the opportunity to address the 1,000-strong audience in Beijing. An evening of wonderful Irish entertainment provided a further platform for me to promote Ireland as the Good Food Island, the Home of Origin Green, and much more.