Criteria - Love Irish Food

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Love Irish Food Membership Criteria

What is an Irish Brand?

Mr Spud

Made in Ireland using local ingredients where available...

Bord Bia conducted research in spring 2009 and asked consumers what an Irish brand was. 84% of consumers said they believed an Irish brand is one that is manufactured in Ireland – in the ROI and further more it should use ingredients sourced from ROI where possible.

The consumers also acknowledged there is confusion as to what is genuinely an Irish Brand as some brands which were once made in ROI are now produced outside of Ireland sometimes using non-Irish ingredients.

We have taken these suggestions by consumers and our Criteria for Love Irish Food Membership is matching consumer expectations.

To make it easier for you to choose an Irish made-product we have developed a new Love Irish Food logo. Over the coming weeks and months you'll start to see this logo appear on labels on food and drink products in your local store.

Not all Food and Drink brands are eligible to join Love Irish Food. When you see this Love Irish Food Logo on a product you know that this product meets our strict criteria and is:

Made in the Republic of Ireland using Local ingredients where they are available.

Only those products which meet our strict criteria are allowed to carry the Love Irish Food logo and can be called a truly Irish brand.

Supporting Irish jobs and Irish business...

All brands must meet our strict criteria before being accepted to join Love Irish Food.

1) Is the brand manufactured in the Republic Of Ireland?

This verifies the brand is made in the ROI and has a direct link to providing employment in the ROI.
A brand can only be classified as a Love Irish Food brand when at least 80% of the brands revenue is derived from the manufacturing process in ROI.

Some brands may have some of their pack variants produced outside of the ROI for various reasons. Where a SKU i.e. a variant, flavour or pack size in the range is not produced in ROI that SKU cannot carry the LIF logo as there is no direct benefit by this product variant to generating or sustaining employment in ROI.

AND

2) Primary Ingredients must be sourced from Ireland where possible.

Some ingredients for Irish Food and Drink Brands are not grown in Ireland e.g. we do not grow tea leaves, oranges, cocoa beans, etc so these ingredients must be imported. A brand can still be eligible when its ingredients are imported as long as these ingredients cannot be sourced from ROI.

Some ingredients are only available seasonally in the ROI, or supplies may be limited and therefore it may be necessary to import replacement/additional supplies.

There must still be value added to the brand in the ROI through the manufacturing process and the addition of other raw materials, packaging, labour etc. It is these additional elements which help sustain employment for the direct employees of the company and to the many suppliers who also play an integral role in getting the finished product to the shelf in the grocery shop.

AND

3) The Member Company should qualify for manufacturing relief.

Manufacturing relief is provided for in the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA 1997) Part 14 (sections 442-457) and is given to eligible companies who satisfy criteria demonstrating they manufacture in the ROI.

A Brand is eligible to join Love Irish Food only when all 3 criteria are met.

So how do you know which brands have met our criteria...

As the Love Irish Food campaign unfolds it is our aim to ensure that as many eligible Irish brands as possible become involved in this initiative. Please go to the brand pages on the website to see which brands are part of this initiative and which pack sizes and variants are eligible under each brand. In store you will find these eligible products carrying the Love Irish Food logo on pack.

To learn more about any of the brands involved in Love Irish Food simply click on the logos below.