Record levels for UK Food and Drinks exports

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Britain’s food and drink manufacturing and retailing industries contain many iconic names, such as Scotch whisky, Cheddar cheese and McVitie’s biscuits.

Successful British products 
According to the export figures, drinks and meat were the best performing product categories in 2006.

The total drinks market was up 7.4 per cent compared to 2005. Whiskies accounted for £2.5 billion of all drinks sales, beer sales increased by 21 per cent to £402 million and soft drinks sales rose by 14.5 per cent to £207 million.

The sale of meat overseas rose by four per cent to £764 million in 2006. Lamb continued to be the largest export, with £232 million shipped overseas last year. Beef sales also bounced back to £80.1 million after a 10-year export ban was lifted in March 2006.

Best markets for UK products
Ireland was the top destination for the export of UK food and drink in 2006, selling goods worth nearly two billion pounds. Exporters also sent more than £1.3 billion worth of food products to France. Beer exports continued to grow, funded in part by the flourishing British real ale society in Italy.

The United States retained its position as the biggest market for UK drinks – sales grew by five per cent to £676 million. France maintained its second position at £512 million, a rise of 31.9 per cent.

Selling foreign ingredients back to their producers
British companies have also become adept at using overseas ingredients to make some products. Dundee marmalade maker, Mackays – whose products are breakfast favourites around the globe – won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for exporting its produce to Spain after making the marmalade from Seville oranges.

Demonstrating world’s fascination with British produce
The UK food industry has many entertaining stories which demonstrate the fascination with its food and innovative approach.

A webcam pointed at a West Country Farmhouse Cheddar cheese in south-west England has become a worldwide phenomenon. Cheddarvision.tv – originally conceived by a group of dairy farmers over a drink – has become cult viewing online, attracting an audience of more than 800,000 visitors as far afield as India, Iceland and New Zealand.

Four years of growth
Food and drinks exports have now risen for four successive years, climbing from a low of £9.2 billion in 2002.

The key to this growth is the ever-widening portfolio of UK products, which appeals to overseas retailers more than ever before, according to market development consultant, Food from Britain.

Emerging markets such as China, Russia and Dubai have recently started buying large amounts of western food and drink, with China leading the way ahead of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

It seems that the continued growth of these markets, combined with the return of British beef, should see an increase in the UK's food and drink exports in years to come.