Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is working to consolidate recent success for PGI Welsh Lamb in the German market, which was described as an “increasingly important destination”.
According to HCC, Wales exports around a third of its lamb production to the European Union each year, while HMRC figures on trade showed that UK lamb exports to Germany jumped by 29% in the first half of 2017.
The meat sector is the largest segment of Germany’s food and drink industry, worth around €40 billion; Germans consume a relatively high 60kg of meat per year, said HCC.
The trade statistics reflect a range of broad factors, such as movements in the exchange rates over the past 18 months, the Welsh levy body noted, as well as suggesting that previous measures to market Welsh lamb in the German foodservice sector “are paying dividends”.
HCC in-market agent, Patricia Czerniak, commented: “This autumn has been an incredibly busy time in supporting our growing number of Welsh Lamb customers in the German market.
“We took part at the MLF trade conference in Aachen, showcasing PGI Welsh Lamb in front of a key audience of high-end independent retailers from right across Germany and also supported foodservice operators who have recently expanded their range of Welsh Lamb, including at a major fair in Düsseldorf.”
HCC is currently in the final phase of a three-year EU-funded programme to raise awareness and sales of PGI Welsh Lamb in Germany; the key to the strategy has been targeting the country’s wholesalers and foodservice sector, HCC noted.
Czerniak added: “We are delighted at the success that PGI Welsh Lamb is currently enjoying in Germany.
“By now, a number of key distributors offer Welsh red meat to their customers, including Transgourmet, Frische Paradies, Havelland Express and Schwamm & Cie mbh. Significantly, many of these listings are in premium ranges, showing a demand for a range of cuts from high-end restaurants.”
She also highlighted that “so long as free and unfettered trade can be maintained after Brexit in 2019, the future is bright for Welsh red meat in Germany and central Europe”.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.