Manufacturing Food Products in Ireland

The food industry in Ireland

The food industry in Ireland is among the most developed industries. The Irish food industry remits a 25 billion euro annual turnover to the country’s economy and accounts for approximately 250,000 jobs. Also about 10 billion euro worth food and drink products are exported every year by Irish companies. The Irish food industry has undergone important changes and food manufacturers operate in modern and sophisticated premises nowadays. Also, considering Ireland is the largest exporter of dairy products and meat in Europe, many foreign investors are encouraged to set up food companies in the country.

Starting a food company in Ireland

In order to manufacture food products in Ireland, companies must obtain certain approvals depending on the food products to be manufactured. The approval must be obtained before starting operating with the relevant authorities. Among the types of Irish companies manufacturing food products are slaughterhouses, meat processers and producers of other types of foodstuff. The approval is granted based on business plan, premises and waste management. Once the food business is approved, the company will receive an unique approval number which must appear on the products’ packages or labels.

Our specialists in company formation in Ireland will guide you through the company registration procedure. There are various steps to complete if you want to set up a company in Ireland. The first one is ensuring you have a correct and well-chosen trading name. It must be unique and must also provide information on the activity of the company, if possible. Contact us for details on choosing a suitable company name.

What are the correspondent NACE codes for food manufacturers in Ireland?

Food manufacturers must select the appropriate NACE (Nomenclature of Economic Activities) code for the types of products they will produce or sell. Companies must select the NACE code when applying for company registration with the Irish Companies Registrar. Under Section D, subsection DA, one can find the following NACE codes:

• - 15.1 for the production and processing of meat and meat products,
• - 15.12 for producing poultrymeat,
• - 15.2 for processing and producing fish and fish products,
• - 15.3 for processing fruit and vegetables,
• - 15.4 for manufacturing vegetable and animal oils and fats,
• - 15.5 for manufacturing dairy products,
• - 15.6 for manufacturing grain mill products, starches and starch products,
• - 15.8 for manufacturing other food products.

For a detailed list of the NACE codes for food manufacturers please contact our Irish consultants in company formation.