Beef campaign goes on

- Published: 25 September, 2007

British beef is still making its presence felt in France so it can regain markets as soon as exports restart at the end of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

EBLEX has sponsored a beef recipe in a new 400-page book of humorous pictures of rugby players, French chefs and great dishes.

Linked to the book is a rugby and cuisine event being held on October 1 where EBLEX will be sponsoring a team in a rugby tournament of French chefs and each team of eight is being coached by a retired rugby star.

A gala dinner will follow the tournament and British beef will be served to 250 guests at a new restaurant called SYDR run by celebrity Chef Alain Dutournier in partnership with the French rugby player Philippe Sella. The guests at the event will include buyers and journalists.

EBLEX's head of marketing, Andrew Garvey, said: "France has been and remains a very important market for British beef and though exports can't take place at the moment it is vital to maintain as high a profile as possible.

"This is an ideal way to achieve it and will help us with our export drive when we set out to regain the market once the export ban is lifted."