Singapore diners and the local food industry will be seeing more European beef and lamb from Ireland over the next few years, following the launch of a new three-year campaign by Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, together with the European Union.

The European Beef and Lamb – Sustainably from Ireland campaign is part of a €3.45 million co-funded programme running from 2026 to 2028 across Singapore, Japan and China. In Singapore, it aims to build awareness of Irish beef and lamb among chefs, importers, distributors, foodservice operators and consumers.

What the Singapore campaign will involve

Rather than focusing on a single launch event, the programme will roll out a mix of chef collaborations, restaurant partnerships, trade seminars, educational initiatives and consumer activations over the next three years.

The campaign will highlight the quality, food safety, traceability and sustainability standards behind European beef and lamb from Ireland. Irish cattle and sheep are predominantly raised on grass-based farming systems, supported by the country’s temperate climate, rainfall and natural grasslands.

Ireland also operates Origin Green, a national food and drink sustainability programme involving 61,000 farms and more than 300 Irish food and drink companies. The programme sets measurable sustainability targets across the supply chain. Irish Grass Fed Beef has also received Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status from the European Union, recognising the relationship between its production methods, natural environment and product characteristics.

Why Singapore is part of the campaign

Singapore is one of only three Asia-Pacific markets selected for the campaign. With no domestic beef or sheepmeat production, the country relies on imported meat to meet demand, while its role as a regional hospitality and foodservice hub gives suppliers access to a wider Southeast Asian market.

The campaign also arrives as Singapore continues to diversify its food sources. The country now imports food from more than 180 countries and regions as part of efforts to strengthen the resilience of its food supply.

Irish food and drink exports to Southeast Asia grew 6% to €331.5 million in 2025, with Singapore among the markets contributing to that growth. Globally, Ireland recorded €19 billion in food, drink and horticulture exports in 2025, up 12% from the previous year. Meat and livestock exports exceeded €5 billion, including an estimated €3.4 billion in primary beef exports.

Campaign kicks off at Brasserie Astoria

The Singapore programme was officially launched at Brasserie Astoria, where guests from the media, hospitality and food sectors attended a curated luncheon featuring European beef from Ireland.

Executive Chef Emil Ess created a series of contemporary dishes intended to showcase the beef’s flavour, consistency and provenance. The luncheon marked the start of a wider calendar of activities planned for Singapore through 2028.

Bord Bia says the campaign will also focus on building closer relationships with Singapore’s importers, distributors, chefs and foodservice operators, with the aim of making Irish beef and lamb more familiar within the local dining scene.

From Singapore to Ireland

Another part of the programme will take selected importers, chefs and media from Singapore to Ireland for business development and market study visits.

One such trip, scheduled from 23 to 28 August 2026, will bring representatives from two Singapore food import and distribution companies to Irish beef and lamb farms and production facilities. The itinerary includes visits to five production sites, where participants will be introduced to Ireland’s grass-based farming systems, animal welfare practices and production standards.

The group will also visit restaurants around Ireland to see how local chefs use Irish beef and lamb alongside regional and seasonal ingredients.

What this could mean for diners in Singapore

For consumers, the most visible part of the campaign is likely to be the restaurant collaborations and chef-led activations planned over the next three years. More details on participating restaurants and consumer events are expected as the programme develops.

With Singapore already accustomed to sourcing premium ingredients from around the world, the campaign is essentially an effort to give Irish beef and lamb a more recognisable place in the local market — not only as imported meat, but as products with a particular focus on provenance, traceability and production standards.

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Images: Bord Bia