No-nonsense, no-frills news stories from around the world
Wada Farms, one of America’s largest grower-shippers-marketers of fresh potatoes, onions and sweet potatoes for retail buyers and the food distribution industries and The Produce Moms, a leading digital influencer of all things fruits and vegetables, have moved their long-time partnership onto the retail shelf with a new co-branded potato package.
Britons already eat potatoes boiled, baked, roasted and mashed but now the humble spud is being milked for all its worth, with potato milk set to be the next big thing, according to a report by The Guardian. Alice Shrubsall, alternative milk buyer at Waitrose, said the retailer was planning to expand its alt-milk range to include potato milk.
Hormel Foods Corporation recently announced its venturing company, 199 Ventures, has entered into an exclusive partnership with The Better Meat Co. to bring new mycoprotein and plant-based protein products to the marketplace. Its product Rhiza is produced via a potato-based fermentation pioneered by The Better Meat Co.
Several key UK retailers have pledged to sell disease resistant organic potatoes, boosting sustainability and farm resilience for producers. Organic certification body the Soil Association developed its ‘UK Robust Potato Pledge 2021’ in a bid to help growers move away from potatoes that are susceptible to blight. Signees to the pledge have agreed to favour organic spuds that have been bred to be blight resistant.
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.’s top and bottom lines headed in different directions during the first quarter of fiscal 2022. Sales rose 13% as foodservice and institutional businesses recovered around the world, but the company’s net income fell 67% for the quarter. “In the US, we continue to be encouraged by the pace of recovery in restaurant traffic and demand for fries,” Thomas P. Werner, president and chief executive officer said.
The marketing year that ended in June 2021 was unlike any year the potato industry has ever experienced, says Potatoes USA in a news release issued today. “With pandemic restrictions ebbing and flowing from June 2020 to July 2021, sales at foodservice fluctuated while retail purchases remained extremely strong throughout the year,” the industry body says.
Side Delights shared industry data showing that retail sales of fresh potatoes alone totaled $3.1 billion for the past year (July 2020-June 2021). “While many shoppers are returning to their busy schedules, many are leaning into the convenience of quick-to-cook products like our Side Delights® Steamables and Bakeables so they can prepare meals easily and cost-effectively in the comfort of their own home,” noted Kathleen Triou, President and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network.
The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) reports that retail and consumer demand have improved in the country this week as colder weather has returned and families are back into routines, following the holiday period. The hospitability sector continues to prosper despite the return of schools. European markets continue to regain confidence as economies are almost fully re-opened at this point.
Tasteful Selections recently announced the limited launch of its new 100-percent plastic-free, recyclable and compostable packaging in the US. “This new paper packaging with PaperLock™ technology is a major step forward in sustainable packaging. It offers light protection and natural absorption characteristics that protect our potatoes and help keep plastic out of the waste stream,” said Tim Huffcutt, vice-president, sales and marketing operations.
A restaurant in the United Kingdom is hiring experts to review their roasted potatoes. The restaurant, named The Botanist, recently took to its Instagram to make an announcement regarding the job profile, writes Somdatta Saha in an article for Food NDTV. According to the post, the food chain is looking for experts to sample their Sunday lunch to ensure its quality.
Would you be keen to splash some liquid potato into your morning coffee? According to the Swedish manufacturers of the world’s first commercially produced potato milk, the trusty tuber has been elevated to a new frontier, and plenty of plant milk fans are curious. The concoction, from Scandinavian brand Dug, is said to have a creamy texture, and the makers claim it can even be whipped into a froth for coffee.
Modern Plant-Based Foods Inc., an award-winning plant-based food company, is pleased to announce that it will be listing its plant-based snacks, Snacks from the Sun’s, “Popped Potato Crisps” with Germany’s largest grocery chain, ALDI. The products will initially role out at 285 ALDI retail locations. Currently, the ‘Popped Potato Crisps’ are in over 5,000 stores throughout the United States and Canada. These vegan snacks come in four different flavours.
A dietary shift from rice to potatoes could ‘notably reduce’ the climate and environmental impacts of staple crop agriculture in China, according to a new study. It finds that a large-scale dietary shift towards potatoes, combined with better growing methods, could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of these staples by up to 25 per cent. However, the authors note that it remains to be seen whether such a major dietary shift can be carried out on a large scale.
Food waste prevention firm Too Good To Go is working with key players in Belgium to prevent a large volume of potatoes from being wasted with the new campaign ‘SOS Patat: save the potatoes, eat the fries’.
From July 2020 – June 2021, potato sales increased in dollars by 3% but declined slightly in volume by 0.3% compared to the previous July-June marketing year, according to Potatoes USA. Consumers bought 577 million more pounds of potatoes from July 2020 – June 2021 than July 2018 – June 2019. Refrigerated potatoes had the largest increase compared to the same period the previous year of 10.6% increase in dollars and a 5.3% increase in volume.
Move over lightly salted and boring barbecue – MSN’s Lifestyle / Food and Drink reporter Miriam Carey has uncovered (and tried out) some seriously inventive flavors of our favorite salty snack. From doner kebab and pizza to squirrel and chocolate, she report for MSN on the most unusual varieties of potato chips tantalizing taste buds around the globe. We feature a few below, courtesy MSN – captions by Miriam Carey.
ANI reports on a recent study conducted among people aged between nine to 18 years which suggested that eating potatoes can be an effective strategy to modestly improve intake of key shortfall nutrients. “The potato is a nutrient-dense vegetable that provides important, critically under-consumed nutrients to adolescent diets,” said Victor Fulgoni, co-author of the study.
The Daily Mail reports that the UK is facing a shortage of chips due to high demand for British potatoes from the Continent. According to the report, experts predict the British crop will be in short supply after floods decimated potato production in Europe. A report revealed frozen chips are likely to be particularly affected – with a warning of steep price rises.
Red Rock Deli in Australia and New Zealand has teamed up with Colin Fassnidge, using his culinary creativity to inspire three new, restaurant quality flavours as part of Red Rock Deli Chef Series range. Colin has a famous philosophy with food, creating rich flavours and always pushing the boundaries. PepsiCo Australia & New Zealand’s Hind Simhairi, Senior Brand Manager, said the collaboration with Colin was a natural fit.
What can possibly happen in 10 seconds? For Filipinos hooked to their mobile phones for more than 10 hours a day every day, 10 seconds is a lot. A new advertising concept will even shake things up in online consumer engagement as Potato Corner, the beloved “flavored fries,” brings its playful and fun flavors in a pioneering, never-before-seen storytelling adventure.
India’s Britannia 50-50 has launched the ‘5050 Potazos’. It is billed as a ‘fusion’ product that brings together potato chip and biscuit. The brand undertook a nationwide consumer survey in the run up to the launch, and the product was rated by consumers as the ‘best new product’ in the snacking space, with 90 per cent of consumers giving it a ‘definitely buy’ rating.
According to a market report issued by Potatoes USA, potato sales declined in dollars by 10.5% and in volume by 15.5% during April – June of 2021, compared to the same time period in 2020. However, when sales are compared to that same timeframe in 2019, sales increased in value and volume. Consumers bought 53 million more pounds of potatoes, demonstrating demand for potatoes is elevated in grocery stores.
In Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a $200 plate of french fries stretches the definition of haute cuisine. The restaurant Serendipity 3 already claims world records for the most expensive burger ($295) and ice cream sundae ($1,000), so if the question is, “You want fries with that?” its answer is a resounding yes…
Last week, The Establishment Brewing Company announced the release of a new beer called “This Spud’s For You” – an American lager. In its promotional campaign, the company use the slogan “Taters. But not for tots.” Earlier in the year, Holy Whale Brewery in New Brunswick announced “a kind of goofy beer” brewed with Prince Edward Island potatoes.
Chuno comes from the indigenous Aymara word ch’unu. It is also practiced in Peru, but its origins are uncertain. Archeologist Jedu Sagarnaga believes this conservation method was developed “probably during the Formative Period” from around 2,000 to 200 BC. It may be even older, as 2017 tests on chuno dug up in Peru showed it was more than 5,000 years old. After it is prepared, this foodstuff lasts for decades.
Side Delights offers solutions for shoppers who want to continue eating at home with an elevated dining experience. “Increased family time, convenience, and cost-savings are some of the reasons that consumers have traditionally chosen to stay in and eat at home,” noted Kathleen Triou, President and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. Side Delights’ line of Gourmet Petites potatoes is for shoppers seeking potatoes similar to those found in fine-dining restaurants.
