Grocerants and Gen Z: Looking for the future for potatoes

You may not have heard of a “grocerant,” but you’re almost certainly among the growing number of Americans who have eaten in one. It’s part of a fundamental change in eating patterns, and one the U.S. potato industry is well positioned to benefit from, an industry official said. “More people are eating out, at bars and restaurants (and other establishments), more so than at supermarkets,” Rachael Lynch said. “It’s a huge opportunity for us.” Lynch, global food service marketing manager for Potatoes USA, the national marketing agency formerly known as the U.S. Potato Board, spoke Feb. 21 in Grand Forks, N.D., at the International Crop Expo. Potatoes — of which the Red River Valley of northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota is a top producer — is a major component of the annual Crop Expo. Food service refers to businesses, institutions and companies responsible for any meal prepared outside the home. Globally, food service sales have climbed to $761 billion annually. More