A new integrated, state-of-the-art consumer research and market insight centre was launched by Bord Bia at its headquarters in Dublin today.
This comes as the industry prepares to virtually double its exports, to reach the target of €19 billion set by FoodWise2025.
The Thinking House will play a potentially transformative role in helping it to develop and differentiate its offerings in the global marketplace, according to Bord Bia Chief Executive, Aidan Cotter.
The Thinking House, the logical progression for Bord Bia’s growing investment in market and consumer research will be managed by Helen King, Director of Consumer Insight and a team of 12 professionals with backgrounds ranging from psychology to librarianship.
The creative space includes a Trends Zone to highlight the latest food and drink innovations from around the world and a Packaging and Branding gallery to promote best in class design and to showcase Bord Bia’s recent work with Irish food and drink brands.
The ‘Living Room’ and its adjacent viewing room will allow Bord Bia and the industry to conduct qualitative focus and discussion groups, equipped with audio, video recording and live streaming capacity while the Library presents invaluable access to a wide range of databases and reports that would heretofore have been financially prohibitive to source for many small to medium-sized companies working in the industry.
Finally, an innovative working space with room for up to 70 people will be available for the industry to use for workshops, meetings and presentations.
Speaking at the launch this morning, Chief Executive at Bord Bia, Aidan Cotter commented, "The recent performance of our food and drink exports, growing by more than 50% over the past six years, and now at just short of €11 billion, has been exceptional in the context of its time, positioning the industry at the heart of our economic recovery."
He added, "As the industry strives to reach the ambitious export target of €19 billion, the goal set by FoodWise2025, it now requires transformational initiatives to support another step change in export growth. I believe the establishment of The Thinking House sends a signal of how our industry will seek to compete and will, over time, prove transformational."
Source: www.businessworld.ie