Export success as global sales of UK food and drink reach record high

UK food and drink exports are continuing to smash records, with new figures revealing exports reached £10.6bn in the first six months of 2018.

Demonstrating a clear global desire for British taste, quality and high standards, UK food and drink businesses are now selling their products to over 200 global markets.

UK seasonal favourites are also in demand abroad – in the first half of the year 64m litres of ice cream and over 500 tonnes of strawberries were shipped to foreign shores.

Traditional barbeque produce, such as sausages and cuts of beef have risen by 48% and 17% respectively. This is due in part to new meat export markets opening in recent years – and will be bolstered further in the future by the recent announcement that China will lift their BSE ban on British beef, which is estimated to generate £250m in the first five years alone. Taiwan will also soon be importing UK pork for the first time – worth an estimated £50m over five years to the UK’s industry.

Iconic British produce such as whisky, worth £2bn, beer worth £235m, and smoked salmon worth £308m are also being snapped up from international supermarket shelves.

Food Minister George Eustice said: “Consumers across the globe know British produce is delicious. They also know it is high in quality and backed by high standards of animal welfare. This is why we are continuing to see a huge growth in the worldwide demand for the best of what British farmers and food producers have to offer.”