Irish food and drink producers are continuing to grow their international footprint, with more than €900 million worth of Irish products exported each year to Tesco stores outside Ireland.
Highlighting their continued commitment to Irish exports, Tesco Ireland today announced €10 million in new contract wins for four Irish suppliers into its UK and Central European (CE) businesses, with Irish food now stocked in hundreds of Tesco stores across the United Kingdom, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia. These new contracts are in addition to existing significant contracts for each supplier with Tesco Ireland.
Tesco is the world’s largest retail buyer of Irish food and drink, buying approximately €1.6 billion worth of Irish products annually, highlighting the key role Irish suppliers play across the entire Tesco Group.
Over the past year, Tesco Group has significantly expanded the presence of several leading Irish suppliers - including Folláin, Keohane Seafoods, Killowen Farm and Bandon Vale - all of whom produce premium products for Tesco own brand. Their success abroad has been driven by a combination of quality, innovation and growing appetite among UK and Central European customers for Irish food. This growth is supporting suppliers to scale sustainably and helping to support local employment across Ireland.
Cork based preserves producer Folláin has expanded its international presence fourfold in the past year, growing from 180 to 750 Tesco stores across the Group, including new listings in Central Europe.
Cork supplier Keohane Seafoods has also continued to grow its overseas footprint, with its Tesco Finest seafood range now stocked in more than 500 Tesco stores across the UK, reflecting strong demand for the product in overseas markets.
Killowen Farm, the Wexford-based yoghurt producer, has seen strong momentum in the UK market, with five of its Tesco Finest yoghurts now available in 650 UK stores following their launch in September 2025.
Meanwhile, Cork cheese producer Bandon Vale has expanded beyond Ireland into Central Europe, now supplying 750 Tesco stores across the Group, including in Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary. Its success highlights the enduring international appeal of Irish dairy products.
“Irish suppliers are playing an increasingly important role in bringing high quality Irish food to customers across the UK and Europe,” said Tesco Ireland CEO Geoff Byrne. “Their success reflects the strength of Ireland’s food industry and our shared ambition to help Irish producers grow confidently in international markets. As the world’s biggest retail buyer of Irish food and drink, we’re proud to champion Irish products to consumers at home and overseas.”
Jim O’Toole, CEO, Bord Bia commented: “The success of Tesco Ireland suppliers across the UK and Central Europe is a testament to the dedication, innovation, and world-class standards that define Ireland’s agri-food sector. At Bord Bia, we are proud to bring Ireland’s outstanding food, drink, and horticulture produce to markets around the world. These achievements reflect Ireland’s growing global reputation and highlight the strength of the partnerships that continue to drive sustainable growth for Irish food and drink internationally.”
