Cheesy Does It For Britain

LONDON -- In Europe, dinner isn’t only a matter of taste – it’s a question of national pride. The very thought of a Frenchman tucking into the national dish of the British "rosbifs" would have elicited derisive laughter in years past. But tastes change, especially during tough economic times.

Although France and the U.K. have enjoyed a friendly culinary rivalry for years, the British export market appears to be winning the day. According to a report published last week by the British Food and Drink Federation, exports of U.K. food products soared in 2008, with a year on year increase of 22.3% to France alone – worth 1.1 billion pounds ($1.9 billion).

"This year’s export figures represent yet another impressive performance from the U.K. food and drink industry." says Julian Hunt of the Food and Drink Federation. “Although exchange rates did swing round in the favor of U.K. exporters towards the end of last year, the weakening of global markets in 2008 due to the credit crunch means that competing on the international stage remained a big challenge."

Exports of chilled roast beef to France grew 56.4%, while tea increased 15.7%, and cakes were up 34.7%, exports worth 21.2 million pounds ($35.1 million) 19.8 million pounds ($33 million) and 8.7 million pounds to the U.K. ($14.4 million) respectively.

The figures also show a 20.2% rise in English cheese exports to their cross channel rivals, a field in which France has long been considered the world’s connoisseurs.

In total 14,000 tons of English cheese were exported to France last year – worth 42.7 million pounds ($70.7 million). More surprisingly still, 2008 saw a 29.6%, or 6.3 million-pound ($10.4 million) growth in traditional English cheddar cheese exports.

Can it really be that the French have taken a liking to Cheddar cheese and afternoon tea? What is it about English products that have brought them back into vogue in France? "Food price inflation may have accounted for a proportion of the rise in the value of exports," said Hunt, "but this is now the third consecutive year of growth, which reflects the U.K. food industry’s long-established reputation for innovation and quality."

However, it isn’t only France that’s increasingly enamored with English cuisine. English exports grew 15.5% last year, taking the total value of goods to 256.6 billion pounds ($419 billion). Other territories have also fared well, with exports to Hungary up 74.3% to 40.2 million pounds, ($65.8 million), Poland up 53.6% to 116.4 million pounds ($190 million), Latvia up 51% to 8.6 million pounds ($14.09 million), Slovakia up 45.2% to 11.4 million pounds ($18.7 million) and Lithuania up 32.7% to 9.7 million pounds ($15.8 million), due in part to the growth of Eastern European economies since their admission to the European Union last year.

"More companies are moving outside their traditional European heartlands and exporting to the rapidly developing economies of central and eastern Europe” says Hunt, “tapping into the more cosmopolitan eating habits of consumers in these markets."