Welcome to the May Edition of Bord Bia's Ireland Market Foodservice Newsletter
Just over two weeks until our Bord Bia Bloom Festival kicks off in Phoenix Park, running from Thursday, 28th May – Monday, 1st June (incl). We will have over 100 food and drink producers exhibiting in the Food Hall & Bloom Inn, more information on each of them is available via our website here.
Monthly Spotlight: How Anytime Eating Is Reshaping Mealtimes
Traditional meal occasions continue to blur as consumers prioritise flexibility and value over rigid ideas of when food is “supposed” to be eaten. Breakfast is emerging as the clearest beneficiary of this shift, increasingly consumed across lunch occasions thanks to its familiarity, affordability and strong nutritional credentials. Rather than being anchored to the morning, breakfast formats are evolving into all‑day utility foods that flex across multiple needs and moments.
Foodservice operators are already responding. Starbucks has long positioned breakfast sandwiches, egg bites and protein boxes as credible all‑day options beyond the morning rush. Similarly, Pret A Manger have institutionalised “breakfast any time” through all‑day availability of egg‑ and breakfast‑led dishes, while cafés across Ireland routinely serve full Irish breakfasts and egg‑based plates well beyond the morning window — effectively eroding the traditional boundary between breakfast and lunch.
Collectively, this points to a shift away from rigid dayparts towards needs‑based eating, creating clear opportunity for food and drink suppliers that can deliver solutions that enable menus to travel across occasions and remain relevant from morning through evening.
General Industry News
Growth Slows, Inflation Rises but No Recession Expected
RTÉ News – 05.05.2026
Bank of Ireland has cut its 2026 GDP growth forecast from 2.8% to 1.6%, citing higher energy costs, softer consumer spending and weaker export momentum, while warning inflation will rise to 3.3% this year. Despite the slowdown, the bank does not expect Ireland to enter recession, supported by resilient employment growth and a strong €9bn Government surplus acting as a fiscal buffer. Energy costs remain the key uncertainty, with a 10% increase in household gas and electricity bills assumed in the outlook. For Irish foodservice, this signals another year of margin pressure from utilities, fuel and logistics, alongside cautious consumer behaviour as real incomes are squeezed, even as underlying demand remains supported by a still‑robust jobs market.
Tourism Ireland Launches New Global Campaign
Tourism Ireland – 06.05.2026
Tourism Ireland has launched the latest phase of its ‘Ireland Unrushed’ overseas marketing campaign across 15 international markets during May, aimed at supporting inbound visitor demand into the peak summer season. Overseas tourism contributes over €6 billion annually to the economy and supports a significant share of hospitality employment, making international arrivals a key driver of foodservice footfall, particularly in regional and tourism‑dependent locations. The campaign emphasises slower‑paced travel, regional dispersal and locally focused experiences, including food‑led tourism, village dining and coastal offerings, which are directly relevant to restaurants, cafés and hospitality businesses outside major urban centres.
Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) & Pub Sector
McDonald’s Announces €150m Irish Expansion Plan
RTÉ News – 08.04.2026
McDonald’s has announced a €150 million investment in Ireland over the next five years, confirming plans to open 25 new restaurants and create approximately 1,750 jobs nationwide. The rollout of five new sites per year highlights sustained confidence in Irish QSR demand, particularly across convenience‑led, drive‑thru and regional locations. Growth will be supported by both new restaurant development and continued reinvestment in the existing estate, including a €3 million refurbishment of its Cork Douglas restaurant. Operating 96 restaurants through 18 Irish franchisees, McDonald’s remains a key reference point for QSR expansion in Ireland, combining ongoing footprint growth with strong domestic supply chain engagement, underpinned by annual Irish sourcing in excess of €240 million.
Lidl’s Move Signals New Opportunities for Irish Pub Sector
Hospitality Ireland – 13.04.2026
Lidl has begun construction on its first standalone licensed venue beside an existing store in Dundonald, Co Down, as part of a wider site redevelopment. While unusual for a grocery retailer, the project highlights broader opportunities emerging for the Irish pub and foodservice sector around mixed‑use sites and co‑located developments. As retailers, developers and landowners look to maximise footfall and strengthen destination appeal, pubs and food‑led licensed concepts are increasingly seen as anchors that drive dwell time and repeat visits. The move reinforces the value of flexible pub formats and food offers, creating potential opportunities for operators, drinks suppliers and casual dining partners to collaborate within evolving retail and community settings.
Hotel & Restaurant Sector
Hotel Development Momentum Continues Across Inner Dublin
The Irish Times – 05.05.2026
Hotel development activity continues across Dublin’s inner city, with new proposals and planning approvals reinforcing confidence in the capital’s hospitality market. Giocoso UC is preparing to lodge plans for a 223‑bedroom, six‑storey hotel at 121–125 Lower Rathmines Road. Separately, Balmoral Land Beresford Ltd has secured planning permission for a 12‑storey mixed‑use scheme at Beresford Street, Dublin 7, incorporating a 267‑bedroom hotel, 191 apartments, and a new public plaza. Together, the projects highlight continued support from planners for hotel-led regeneration on accessible urban sites, particularly where development is aligned with residential delivery, employment creation and improved public realm.
Michelin‑Starred Variety Jones to Launch New Casual Concept
The Taste – 21.04.2026
Michelin‑starred Dublin restaurant Variety Jones is set to expand its footprint with the launch of a new casual dining concept, Mongoose, opening later this month in The Liberties. Led by chef‑owner Keelan Higgs, the new restaurant will operate from the original Variety Jones premises on Thomas Street, following the flagship’s relocation next door. Mongoose will move away from the tasting‑menu format, instead offering a more accessible, à la carte experience focused on simple, flavour‑led dishes and value‑driven dining. The opening reflects continued diversification among established Irish fine‑dining operators, responding to demand for relaxed yet high‑quality restaurant experiences in urban centres.
Forecourt Convenience & Contract Catering Sector
Circle K Opens Newly Refurbished Store Following €1.4m Investment
Shelf Life – 27.04.2026
Circle K has officially reopened its Kilternan store in Dublin 18 following a €1.4 million refurbishment, reinforcing the forecourt operator’s ongoing investment in its Irish convenience network. Located on the Enniskerry Road, the redeveloped site features a brighter, more intuitive store layout alongside an expanded food‑to‑go offering, including a full hot and cold deli, enhanced bakery and extended grab‑and‑go range. The upgrade also includes significant investment in EV infrastructure, with four chargers installed on site. The reopening highlights the continued evolution of forecourt retailing in Ireland, with renewed emphasis on foodservice, sustainability and community‑focused convenience formats.
Compass Ireland Leads Workplace Food Waste Reduction Drive
Shelf Life – 27.04.2026
Compass Ireland is stepping up efforts to reduce workplace food waste as it marks ten years of Stop Food Waste Day, the global initiative launched by Compass Group to drive practical action across foodservice operations. Working with employers nationwide, the contract caterer is focusing on prevention‑led approaches, using technology, chef training and behavioural change to cut waste at source and lower emissions. The initiative includes real‑time waste tracking, surplus redistribution partnerships and new product innovation such as Refruit, developed with O Brother Brewing using rescued fruit trimmings. The programme highlights the growing role of contract catering operators in embedding sustainability into everyday workplace dining.