Ambassador promotes Irish Lamb at Cactus

On Monday 18 June at Cactus Belle Etoile, the Irish Ambassador to Luxembourg, Peadar Carpenter, joined Cactus Managing Director, Laurent Schonckert, to celebrate the introduction of Ireland as Cactus’ preferred lamb supplier.

Accompanying them were Yannick De Mesmaeker, Cactus Butchery Director, Bernadette Byrne, Marketing Manager of the Irish Food Board (Bord Bia), and Alexandre Dupont, General Manager of A. Lonhienne, the lamb supplier to Cactus.

Mr. Schonckert led a guided tour of the store, pausing to demonstrate other Irish products on sale, before stopping at the new display reserved exclusively for Irish meat products. Yannick De Mesmaeker demonstrated the products, including, exclusively to Cactus in Luxembourg, a range of organic lamb products, as well as the Irish Black Angus beef, including, for the first time, Black Angus Picanha.

Afterwards refreshments based around the theme of Irish lamb and prepared by Cactus’ in-house catering arm De Schnékert were served, and Mr. Schonckert gave a short presentation in which he stressed the breadth of appeal of the new range saying “From now on the many Irish living in Luxembourg have a new place in which to find the products of their native land. Our multicultural clientèle is composed of many discriminating gourmets who will be equally delighted by this high quality lamb”.

Ambassador Carpenter responded by thanking Cactus and its partners, and wishing them all success in their new promotion of Irish products.

Chronicle.lu spoke afterwards with Mr. De Mesmaeker and asked him what prompted the switch to Irish lamb. He told us that there are several reasons, all interlinked, with particular emphasis on the close relationship between the farmers and their flocks, the average size of which is only about 100 head, the low carbon footprint that comes from a natural outdoor grazing programme on lush meadows and the close proximity of the farms to the abattoirs, as well as the traceability programme (Origin Green) initiated by Bord Bia, that gives a strong confidence in the quality and sustainability of the food chain. He also cited the long growing season for the vegetation upon which the animals feed as a result of the mild climate and rainfall of the region, and the positive working relationship that he had personally built with Bord Bia. Finally he emphasised that Ireland is already a known and positive brand with many consumers, and thus Irish meat is a naturally easy product to market.

Asked by Chronicle.lu about their sales expectations, Mr. De Mesmaeker said that based on sales so far, they are expecting to sell around 100 tonnes per year, and that the products will be available across all Cactus stores.

Bernadette Byrne added that the climate ensures that Irish lamb arrives earlier than elsewhere in the region, has a milder taste and retains its quality throughout the season, and with the “Origin Green” programme, the board is able to protect nature, the consumer and the animals themselves.

To mark the occasion, Mr. Schonckert presented Ambassador Carpenter with a basket of Luxembourgish products.

(L-R): Yannick De Mesmaeker, Ambassador Peadar Carpenter, Laurent Schonckert​