Irish Food Bets on Flavor, Tourism, and the Story Behind the Slice

Irish food is leaning into its next act: not just feeding people, but inviting them into the story. Good Food Ireland chief executive Margaret Jeffares spoke about tourism, food trends, and even bringing Irish charcuterie and salamis into Spain, where she says people told her, “This is better than ours.” That’s quite a compliment to carry through customs.

For farmers, the key word here is value. Raw commodities often leave the farm with thin margins attached. But cheese, cured meats, preserves, cider, farm stays, tasting rooms, pasture walks, cooking classes, and regional food trails can help producers capture more of the final price. The pig, cow, apple, or oat crop becomes more than an ingredient; it becomes an experience.

Food tourism works because people want connection. They want to know where flavor comes from, who made it, and what landscape shaped it. That is especially powerful in places with strong rural identity. Ireland has grass-fed dairy, beef, lamb, seafood, baking traditions, and newer artisan products that can sit comfortably beside the old bacon-and-cabbage image.

But value-added is not easy money. It brings regulations, processing costs, branding, packaging, cold chains, staffing, and the eternal headache of marketing. A farmer who makes salami is suddenly also a food-safety manager, storyteller, retailer, and sometimes tour guide. That is a lot of hats — and not all of them fit over a wool cap.

Still, the opportunity is real. As commodity markets swing and input costs stay stubborn, more producers are looking for ways to move closer to the customer. The Irish example shows that regional food systems can grow by celebrating authenticity without getting stuck in nostalgia. Sometimes the future of farming smells like fresh pasture — and sometimes it smells like a very good salami.