The Sustainable European Dairy from Ireland trade seminar, held in Kuala Lumpur, wraps up Bord Bia's three-year promotional campaign in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Jan. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 14, 2025, at Le Méridien Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, the Sustainable European Dairy from Ireland trade seminar took place. The seminar, which is the finale in a three-year campaign to promote European Dairy from Ireland in the region, highlighted the continued and growing opportunities for European Dairy products in Malaysia. The seminar brought together key Malay chefs and F&B professionals to not only gain insights on market opportunities, but also to see first hand the quality of ingredients through a professional chef demonstration hosted in Le Meridien in Central Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia: A Leader Market for Dairy Imports That Is Still Growing 

Emma McLoughlin, Third Secretary of the Embassy of Ireland to Malaysia, gave her welcoming remarks to the attendees. During her welcome remarks, McLoughlin noted that the European dairy from Ireland campaign has offered an excellent opportunity to strengthen links with the Malaysian dairy industry, and looks forward to continuing to build on these relationships into the future.

Following this, a panel of expert speakers delivered insights on the Irish and Global Dairy landscape.

Robert Murphy, from Bord Bia Dublin, introduced the opportunities that sustainable European dairy from Ireland represents for the F&B industry in Malaysia. Ireland, alongside its European counterparts offers a wide portfolio of sustainable milk products. European dairy exports from Ireland to Malaysia were last year valued at €50 million, with milk powders accounting for over half of the total exports.^[1]

Guest speakers, Mr. Tim Hill from Global Data, and Mr. YiFan Li from StoneX presented on the evolving trends within the Asian Dairy industry. Global Data and gave insights on consumer trends and examined consumer behaviours and opportunities for growth within the Malay Dairy industry and beyond. StoneX offered a review of current market activity, and an outlook for 2025 in the global arena, focusing offering attendees comprehensive update in the outlook of the Southeast Asian dairy market for 2025.

The Proven Quality of Sustainable European Dairy from Ireland

Concluding the seminar, Chef Budiman Bistari, Executive Sous Chef of Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur demonstrated the qualities and taste of sustainable European dairy ingredients from Ireland and how best they can be utilised in contemporary and traditional Malay recipes.

"European Dairy from Ireland offers a richness and quality that is synonymous with grass fed production methods. The adaptability and availability of the product can be incorporated into a wide range of Asian cooking styles, and offers a path for creativity in utilising dairy beyond classic European dining and baking. The sustainability aspect which is becoming increasingly important increases its appeal to customers."

The trade seminar ended with a networking session, with key Malaysian F&B professionals. The attendees enjoyed a buffet featuring European Dairy from Ireland dairy ingredients, offering a first-hand experience of the high quality of European dairy from Ireland.

The Sustainable European Dairy from Ireland trade seminar is part of an EU co-funded awareness campaign that presents Ireland, as a member of Europe, as an example of the high-quality standards of sustainable dairy production in the region. This seminar marks the end of a three-year campaign to promote European Dairy from Ireland in Malaysia.

About European Dairy from Ireland

Located on the western edge of Europe, Ireland's island situation is the setting for the Irish proven quality dairy industry. In Ireland, the 1.5 million dairy cows graze a minimum of 240 days each year on pasture, with 95% of their diet consisting of grass. These distinct farming conditions are at the root of European Dairy from Ireland's strong reputation for producing high-quality dairy products, from milk powders to cheddar cheeses, processed and exported globally to over 140 markets by trusted professionals. In numbers, the Irish dairy industry was equivalent to 1.64 million metric tons of exported dairy products for a value of €6.3 billion in 2023, a showcase example of what Europe has to offer to international markets.

About Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board

Bord Bia - the Irish Food Board, is the government agency responsible for the promotion and marketing of Irish food and beverages. With 15 offices, Bord Bia is present across 4 continents, including one in Singapore that focuses its efforts on delivering business development initiatives in Southeast Asia.