Potato News
Nationwide Produce and Three Musketeers are donating 50p from every box of mint potatoes to support the Poppy Appeal
Nationwide Produce and Suffolk potato grower Three Musketeers will donate 50p to The Royal British Legion from every box of mint salad potatoes they sell during the three-week appeal.
After Edward Blanchard from Three Musketeers, and Nationwide’s Tim O’Malley, were moved by visiting Ypres, they decided to replace the mint leaf on packaging with a poppy in aid of the charity.
Backed by Michelin-starred chef Mark Poynton, the ‘Poppy Boxes’ went on sale on Wednesday 21 October at wholesalers and foodservice firms. O’Malley said: “This is a unique opportunity for buyers to support the Poppy Appeal while also backing British farming.
“We’re only five days into this promotion and the uplift in sales would already indicate that the amount we will raise for the Poppy Appeal will be closer to £15,000 than our original estimate of £10,000. The general reaction to this promotion from our customers has been very positive.”
Blanchard said it is “a great honour to help remember those that shouldn’t be forgotten” and asked the produce industry to support the initiative. “Chefs and buyers throughout the country, you can help us to raise some much-needed funds. Simply buy a product you already enjoy or swap from your usual supply and order a ‘Poppy Box’ of our Mint salad potatoes for the first time,” he said.
Wilson’s Country, based in County Armagh, sees the Republic as a ‘market offering extensive new business opportunities for us’
Northern Ireland’s leading potato packer is investing to grow in the Republic of Ireland’s foodservice sector.
Wilson’s Country, based at Craigavon in County Armagh, has installed state-of-the-art cooling technology at the heart of its production line.
The new cooling equipment, central to a £1.5 million investment, enhances the company’s overall production process for the catering sector throughout Ireland, now providing 40 per cent of its business. While Wilson’s continues to provide skin-on potatoes preferred by shoppers in Ireland, the investment enables it to expand production of peeled products required by chefs.
Lewis Cunningham, managing director of Wilson’s Country, said: “We have made this investment in cooling technology to give our customers in foodservice a peeled product with a good shelf-life that will cook very well.
“We’ve also automated our peeling process and camera sorting to increase efficiency and maintain downward pressure on costs. The investment is designed to increase our ability to compete for new business in foodservice in the Republic.”
The peeled potatoes are produced at a temperature lower than five degrees centigrade to ensure a product that stays fresher and whiter longer for chefs.
The new equipment has also doubled the company’s capacity and provided potatoes of a more consistent quality. A new washing system also contributes to a fresher product.
The company, which employs 85 people and has over 80 growers, is aiming to achieve faster growth in its existing business in the Republic of Ireland in particular. It already supplies hotels, restaurants and public sector clients in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick on a daily basis. Chefs there prefer the yellow flesh of Rooster potatoes.
“We see foodservice in the Republic as a market offering extensive new business opportunities for us,” Cunningham added.
“Chefs there are looking for robust potatoes that will stand up to manipulation in the kitchens and not discolour, slump or be gloopy, watery or waxy. Our investment in the latest production technology provides the type of consistently high quality potatoes they demand for their dishes.”
Wilson’s Country posted a yearly turnover (ending July 2014) of £14m, down from £17.6m, and saw a pre-tax profit of £1m.
‘Potatokens’ on packs of branded All Rounder and Jacket Potatoes will be redeemed for potato preparation equipment
Potato supplier Greenvale is launching a loyalty campaign that allows shoppers to exchange ‘potatokens’ for potato preparation or kitchen equipment.
The ‘Potato Pal’ loyalty scheme, set to run at Tesco, Booths and Ocado, aims to boost sales of GreenVale All Rounder and Jacket Potatoes.
The on-pack tokens are in the form of unique codes and, once collected, must be registered on the company website, where accumulated points are redeemed for products including mashers, chippers, ricers and peelers.
Greenvale said it expects to reach more than 12 million shoppers, and will maintain belief and enthusiasm for the promotion by encouraging participants to post on social media, weekly prize draws, emails, recipes and ‘potato tips’.
Tracey Mattock, Greenvale’s marketing manager said direct communication with shoppers is a new venture for the business.
“We are extremely excited about the potential the Potato Pal scheme holds not only in terms of increasing awareness, trial and purchase of our branded potatoes, but also as an fun and attractive format to extend our social media presence.”
The scheme officially launches to consumers in the March edition of Tesco Magazine – where 10 starter points will encourage initial sign up – and will be promoted from 20 February.
Sales of the potatoes reach an all-time high during the two-week run up to the festive period, according to key supplier Branston
Potato supplier, Branston, has revealed the King Edward as the nationʼs favourite roaster to accompany the traditional Christmas lunch.
Sales of the potatoes reach an all-time high during the two-week run up to the festive period, with celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Delia Smith and Tom Kerridge championing the variety.
Branston sales and marketing director, James Truscott, said: “The King Edward is undoubtedly the king of the crop when it comes to the Christmas roast dinner, with sales increasing by around 250% in the run up to the big day.
“Whilst sales across other lines such as mainstream white potatoes and Maris Piper also increase substantially, the UKʼs love affair with this, the most traditional of all the potato offerings, really stands out.”
The variety has been grown in the UK since 1902, making it one of the oldest varieties still grown commercially. Presented as a white skinned potato with pink colouration, it is oval shaped and has a floury texture.
Truscott added: “King Edward roast potatoes are as much a part of the traditional Christmas lunch as turkey, sprouts and chipolatas.
“With a delicious crispy outside and a smooth fluffy middle, they are the perfect accompaniment to the seasonal roast.”
King Edward potatoes are available all throughout the UK and are in peak season from October through to April.
An average 2.5kg pack costs around £2.
Researchers in Canada believe that their findings are due to potatoes’ high concentration of polyphenols
New research has found that potatoes may help prevent weight gain.
According to a new paper published by researchers at McGill University, in Canada, high potato consumption in mice was shown to decrease body weight gain.
The team believe that the research and findings are due to potatoes’ high concentration of polyphenols – a disease-fighting chemical component found in fruits and vegetables.
Professor Luis Agellon, one of the authors of the study, said: “We were astonished by the results. We thought, ‘this can’t be right’ – in fact, we ran the experiment again using a different batch of extract prepared from potatoes grown in another season, just to be certain.”
Over a period of ten weeks, the mice – who started out weighing 25 grams on average – were each fed an ‘obesity-inducing diet’, with some consuming a polyphenol-rich extract made from approximately 30 potatoes.
By the end of the experiment, the animals who hadn’t been fed the potato extract had gained an average of 16 grams.
Those who had consumed the daily dose of polyphenol-rich potato extract, however, put on only 7 grams.
The study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
Global demand has risen sharply thanks to promotional efforts American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute
Export sales of American sweet potatoes have climbed 80% in the past five years reaching a record US$95m according to the American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute (ASPMI). Shipments have jumped sharply to regions targeted by the association’s international market development efforts, and are continuing to rise this year.
“There’s no doubt that global demand for US sweet potatoes is on the rise,” said ASPMI president Johnny Barnes. “And thanks to our efforts at introducing American sweet potatoes to health-conscious consumers around the world, we believe we’re on the cusp of seeing unprecedented exports over the coming years.”
ASPMI was formed in 2013 to promote the unique attributes of US sweet potatoes domestically and abroad, and is already seeing progress in the targeted European markets. Research shows that awareness of US sweet potatoes in Europe is low, but rising. Exports to Europe are up 17% so far this year.
ASPMI leverages USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)-administered programmes to promote sweet potato exports. These cost-share programmes, such as the Emerging Markets Program (EMP) and Market Access Program (MAP), allow the association to reach emerging markets that were untapped until recently.
“Most sweet potato operations are small to medium family-owned farms, Barnes notes. “EMP and MAP funds give them the assistance needed to access new export markets,” he adds.
A key supplier to fast-food chain has won approval to grow GM potato, but McDonald’s has quoted it ‘will not change sourcing practices’
Fast food giant McDonald’s (USA) has said it will not buy a recently-approved GM potato from one of its key suppliers.
The US department of agriculture (USDA) approved Idaho-based food producer J.R.Simplot’s genetically modified potato, named the Innate potato, last week. It now has permission to cultivate the crop, which is said to produce less acrylamide and is engineered to bruise less easily.
“McDonald’s USA does not source GMO potatoes, nor do we have current plans to change our sourcing practices,” the company said in a statement.
Simplot is a major supplier of french fries, hash browns and other potato products for restaurant chains like McDonald’s, local paper The Idaho Statesman reported.
A spokesman for Simplot, Doug Cole, told the paper that Innate would be accepted by the fresh potato market, although he did not comment on the company’s plans to supply the fast food or dehydrated potato markets.