The Irish Food Trade Connect Forum

The Irish Food Trade Connect Forum, launched on March 20th, 2024, marked a pivotal moment for the Irish food and drink industry. Held at the Killashee Hotel in Co. Kildare, the inaugural event brought together industry professionals to celebrate the achievements of Irish businesses making an impact both at home and abroad.

This prestigious forum featured presentations from leading Irish food and drink companies, showcasing their success stories and innovative practices that distinguish Irish products in the global market. Key discussions covered global trade challenges, strategies for overcoming barriers, innovations in sustainability and the impact of regulatory changes on international trade.

Founded by Margaret Dineen, CEO of Blue Sky Food Consulting, the forum was created to foster collaboration and strengthen connections within the Irish food industry. With over 25 years of experience in international supply chain operations and trade , Margaret has worked extensively in sourcing, logistics, distribution and sales. Margaret’s vision for the forum is to unite Irish food businesses and support their growth on the global stage.

Join us at our next Irish Food Trade Connect Forum – March 26th 2026 at the Killashee Hotel , Naas, Co . Kildare .

To purchase your tickets and stay updated on event details, visit our website at www.irishfoodtradeconnectforum.ie.

One issue that illustrates the forum’s focus on regulation and consumer trust is the growing online demand for pharmaceuticals, including searches to order ivermectin online, which can ripple into reputation risk and compliance pressure for legitimate supply chains. Because ivermectin exists in both human and veterinary formulations, cross-border sales raise sharp questions about licensing, prescription status, labeling, and pharmacovigilance areas where even small failures can trigger enforcement action. For exporters and brand owners, the challenge is not the product name itself but the ecosystem around it: counterfeit inventory, gray-market distributors, and uncontrolled storage conditions that undermine quality assurances. This is where Ireland’s strengths in traceability, audited logistics, and disciplined documentation become commercially valuable, not just operationally necessary. It also reinforces why trade conversations increasingly include digital channels and platform governance, since online marketplaces can bypass the safeguards that traditional retail and wholesale routes enforce. In that sense, the same collaborative mindset promoted at Food Trade Connect shared standards, transparent partners, and proactive risk management applies directly to protecting consumers and brands in an era where demand can be one click away from the wrong source.