More and more people in the US are embracing the creamy goodness of Irish Kerrygold butter as sales soar to the highest they have ever been.
The Irish favorite could be on its way to a massive 30 per cent increase in their sales in the US this year, proving what we’ve all know for a long time: There’s no beating Irish butter.
Ornua (formerly known as the Irish Dairy Board) have revealed that sales figures for this year will see the brand climb to the third best-selling butter across the US—up from fifth last year—on target to beat the already astounding 10,000 tons of butter (22 million blocks!) that were sold in 2014.
Taking into consideration that each block of butter costs from upwards of $3.40, the US market is a massive one for Irish dairy, worth as much as $74.5 million.
They’re no stopping Kerrygold yet, however, and plans to double the exports to America over the next two years are already in place as a means of using the extra milk produced in Ireland following the abolition of EU quotas earlier in 2015.
With thanks to the increased awareness of the benefits of butter and other dairy products from grass-fed cows, the Irish market is booming, held in high regard for the standards it upholds in its dairy farming and dairy production.
#Kerrygold US butter & cheese sales set Ornua Foods North America for +30% volume growth: http://t.co/oQALdp8c2o pic.twitter.com/FsLmCvYZHm
— Ornua (@ornua) September 10, 2015
@KerrygoldUSA from my upcoming cookbook: "Kerrygold butter might be the best butter in the world; made from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows."
— oneononeweightloss (@1on1weightloss) September 10, 2015
The high standards attributed to Irish dairy farming have, in fact, seen more than a 60 per cent increase in butter revenue over the past 12 years.
“Irish dairy farmers produce a premium product which is peerless in terms of quality,” said Irish Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney.
“While we aim to increase dairy production, we want to ensure that the world continues to understand that Irish milk, butter and cheese is of a superior quality.”
Ornua hopes that the current marketing campaign pushing the health benefits of Irish products such as Kerrygold will result in a continued increase in sales in the next few years. The board believes that if the current sales increase continues, they should reach 20,000 tons in butter sales in 2017 and 2018.
“Kerrygold would be a key brand for where a lot of milk will go post EU quotas,” said Jeanna Kelly of Ornua.
“The growth this year is around 30 per cent. The US has been a phenomenally successful market … We’re very much of the belief that if you taste Irish butter and then American butter, our taste will get you every time.”
“We’ve a new TV ad that was shot on a family farm in Bunmahon in Co. Waterford which is being aired nationally over there and is going really, really well. It brings the American consumer closer to the Irish farmer.”
And butter is not the only Kerrygold product that is having a successful 2015. Kerrygold Cheddar (cheese), especially Dubliner cheese, has become the number one speciality cheese in dollar sales this year.
“American consumers have responded to our message about the ‘grass-fed difference,’” said Ornua’s North American head Róisín Hennerty.
“In addition to the nutritional benefits associated with sustainably produced butter, consumers state clearly that there is a taste difference and that it is better to cook and bake with.”
We can't help but wonder if this surge in sales could be in any way linked to the latest health craze hitting the US: Butter coffee.
As previously reported on IrishCentral, Kerrygold butter was applauded as the perfect sample of butter from grass-fed cows to add to your morning cup of coffee as part of the latest healthy eating/drinking phenomenon started by entrepreneur Dave Asprey.
“Kerrygold cows are not given antibiotics or growth hormones,” Asprey says of our now world-famous brand.
“Kerrygold doesn’t use pesticides in their pastures. Irish dairy cows graze outdoors on grass all day long for up to 312 days a year. In fact, Irish cows graze on grass for longer than almost every country in the world.”
Do you use Kerrygold butter? Would you purposefully buy (go out of your way to buy) an Irish product when buying groceries? If so, let us know why in the comments section.
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