Meat and dairy on show in Montreal

British red meat and dairy products will be showcased at a major international food and drink show in Canada this week.

Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), alongside Meat Promotion Wales and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), is showcasing premium meat and cheese at the threeday SIAL event in Montreal.

The event, which attracts almost 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countries and more than 18,000 visitors, brings together retail, food service and equipment industries under one roof. The presence of the three levy bodies at the trade fair has been financed from a £2million fund of AHDB red meat levies ring-fenced for collaborative projects.

The fund is an interim arrangement while a long-term solution is sought on the issue of levies being collected at point of slaughter in England for animals which have been reared in Scotland and Wales.

AHDB senior export manager, Susana Morris, said: “This is an incredibly important market for us. Canada is the sixth-largest importer of food products. It is vital that we look at new markets and opportunities to ensure that British meat and dairy products are front of mind for importers.”

QMS director of strategic engagement, Laurent Vernet, said: “Canadian consumers have a genuine appetite for quality natural lamb produced with traditional grass fed and extensive methods.

“SIAL Canada is a fantastic opportunity for us to meet with buyers, reinforce the key messaging and secure trade for our exceptional brands with a specific focus on Scotch Lamb PGI.”

Exhibitors plan to entice Canadians with the high-quality red meat that Scotland has to offer