Through the Twenty20 Beef Club, Kepak and Tirlán have partnered with Tesco Ireland to launch the Bright Meat Company, a new lower-carbon Irish beef range now available exclusively in Tesco stores and online across Ireland. The range was officially launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, and Tesco Ireland CEO, Geoff Byrne.
Every product in the Bright Meat Company range carries a Carbon Trust verified carbon product footprint — 14% to 23% lower than equivalent Irish beef meat cuts or finished products. It is the first beef range in Ireland to achieve independent Carbon Trust verification across every product in the range.
The supply chain behind it
The Twenty20 Beef Club is an integrated dairy-to-beef supply chain developed by Kepak and Tirlán. Twenty20 farmers have invested in improving cattle genetics, reducing finishing age and optimising feed efficiency, supported by emissions modelling built on ICBF, Bord Bia and Teagasc datasets. That ongoing, farm-level work is what puts a credible, independently verified claim on every pack.
What it means for shoppers
While shoppers care about sustainability, taste, quality and value remain the primary purchase drivers. Bright Meat Company bridges that gap — verified lower-carbon Irish beef that doesn’t ask shoppers to compromise on either.
Geoff Byrne, CEO Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland, said:
“At Tesco, we know our customers want food that delivers on taste, quality, and value, but they also want to understand the impact of the choices they make. The new Bright Meat Company range offers customers excellent quality Irish products they can feel good about putting into their baskets.”
Minister Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said:
“This initiative demonstrates how collaboration across farming, processing and retail underpinned by independent verification by the Carbon Trust can successfully lead to lower carbon footprints, while maintaining the high standards for quality that Irish beef is known for.”
Brian Tormey, CEO Kepak Meat Division Ireland, said:
“Achieving independent certification from the Carbon Trust is an important milestone for Kepak and reflects the work being done across our business and supply chain to build a more sustainable and resilient beef production model. We see this as another step in strengthening the long-term competitiveness and credibility of our beef.”
Carbon product footprint comparison based on equivalent Irish beef meat cuts or finished products. Full details available Here!