Enterprise Ireland Food Innovation Summit returns to Croke Park

Annual gathering puts the focus on practical innovation, AI adoption and skills as food and drink companies navigate a challenging market

Enterprise Ireland today hosts its annual Food Innovation Summit at Croke Park, bringing together hundreds of food and drink companies, researchers and industry partners for Ireland's only dedicated event focused on innovation in the sector.

The Summit follows another year of growth for the sector. Enterprise Ireland's three key sectors all saw steady, positive growth in 2025, with Food, Drink, Nutrition and ClimateTech exports reaching €16.98 billion, up 5%. The sector employs almost 70,000 people in towns and villages right across the country.

Now in its fourth year, the Summit comes at a demanding time for the industry. Companies across the food and drink sector are managing significant cost pressures — from rising input and raw material costs to wider global volatility — that are testing businesses of every size. The Summit focuses on what food and drink companies can control: investment in innovation, AI and skills and capability needed for the sector’s next chapter. It also explores major shifts in global consumer demand, including the accelerating impact of GLP-1 weight-loss medications on demand for high-protein, high-fibre, low-sugar and portion-controlled products.

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Alan Dillon TD, said: 

“Ireland’s food and drink sector is one of the cornerstones of our exporting economy and a major source of regional employment. Supporting these businesses to scale is central to the Government’s enterprise agenda. In a more volatile global environment, our long-term competitiveness rests on what we can control: the investment we make in innovation, in research and development, and in the skills of our workforce.”

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, said: 

“Our food and drink companies continue to perform strongly in international markets, built on the quality and integrity of the entire chain from primary production through to export. Consumer expectations are evolving – on transparency, on sustainability, on innovation – and Irish producers are responding. Food Vision 2030 sets the direction for the sector, and today’s Summit is an important part of delivering on it. However, success today is no guarantee of success tomorrow. We cannot view research and innovation as a ‘nice to have’. 

“As a sector, we must constantly question are we sufficiently utilising the huge range of supports that are available. We are also seeing many of the high skilled graduates from our public food research system being recruited by other sectors of the economy – this is a massive lost opportunity. Government is creating the conditions for innovation. We are investing in research, infrastructure, skills and support programmes. But ultimately, innovation requires businesses to make the investment and to prioritise R&I if we are to realise the future growth potential of this critically important indigenous sector.”

Jim Woulfe, Chairman, Enterprise Ireland, said: 

“This is a challenging time for food and drink companies, and we don't underestimate the pressures they are under. But it is precisely in moments like this that innovation matters most. Today is about meeting companies and establishing where they are — listening to what they need, and connecting them with practical supports that help them invest in their future competitiveness. Enterprise Ireland, alongside our partners, will be with them every step of the way.”

Summit Highlights:

Opening address from Jim Woulfe, Chairman of Enterprise Ireland and former Chief Executive of Dairygold Co-Operative Society

Keynote: ‘Navigating the Now: Staying Strong, Leading and Innovating in a Changing Food Landscape’ – Enda Buckley, Director of Sustainability, Carbery Group, in conversation with Tom Cusack, Enterprise Ireland

Expert panels on practical R&D for food innovation; using AI to improve planning, profit and performance; and developing skills and capability to remain competitive

Innovation pitches from high-potential start-ups Key2Biotics, Ryse Chocolates, Talio and Gigi Supplements

Speakers from across the sector, including Kerry Group, Dawn Meats, Marigot, Killowen Yogurts, IRDG and Skillnet Ireland

A new feature of this year's Summit is a Discovery Zone, running alongside the main programme. The interactive space gives companies a hands-on introduction to the supports available to begin and sustain their innovation journey.

The event is also supported by Enterprise Ireland's partners across the food innovation ecosystem, including Bord Bia, Teagasc, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Ireland's third-level institutes, Food Technology Centres and Food Technology Gateways.

ENDS

For further information or to RSVP, please contact:

Deirdre Geraghty, Press and Communications, Enterprise Ireland 

086 603 1969 / Deirdre.geraghty@enterprise-ireland.com