Dairy Board makes Kerrygold toast of German butter market

The strong link between Ireland and butter in the mind of Germans will come as no surprise to the Irish Dairy Board which has…

The strong link between Ireland and butter in the mind of Germans will come as no surprise to the Irish Dairy Board which has been marketing its Kerrygold brand there for almost 40 years.

Kerrygold is the leading butter brand in the German market, with a value share of 14.1 per cent. In 2010, its German export value was in the region of €175 million.

Last year Kerrygold sales were up by 19.7 per cent. This outperformed the butter sector in general, which saw the total market in Germany grow by 14.9 per cent in value.

Kerrygold’s success was helped by the strong performance of a new spreadable butter called Kerrygold Extra.

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The Irish Dairy Board’s Liam O’Neill said its marketing campaigns in Germany had always focused on Kerrygold’s provenance, unique taste and environmental production conditions.

“German consumers view Ireland as the garden of Europe and Kerrygold is synonymous with the place,” he said.

“Irish cows graze on grass outdoors for longer than almost any country in the world and Irish herd sizes are small, averaging 60 to 70 cows. This is in marked contrast with many European countries where cows are fed indoors on grain and herd sizes are much larger.”

Kerrygold’s success in Germany is shared by the Irish dairy sector as the Irish Dairy Board is owned by dairy processors and, through them, by dairy farmers.

ALISON HEALY