No-nonsense, no-frills news stories from around the world
Humble Snacks, Inc., based in Canada’s Ontario province, is disrupting the snack industry with the Humble Potato Chips, Canada’s first plastic-free packaged, organic potato chips. Founded by Jeff and Alicia Lahey, the chips – made from locally sourced, organic potatoes – are traditionally cooked with the skins and lightly dusted with seasoning, as Nithya Caleb reports for Food in Canada magazine.
A third of fish and chip shops in Britain could be at risk of closure due to food shortages caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, industry leaders have warned. The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) has called on the Government to “act now” to prevent “long-term damage” to the popular takeaways, Sky News reports.
Cold french fries are bad enough. But cold, old french fries are even worse. That’s the surprise from Ronald McDonald that one Illinois couple stumbled upon during home renovations, as Sara Smart reports for CNN. Researching the logo on the bag they discovered, the couple learned it was used in McDonald’s production from 1955 to 1961.
KFC Singapore said on Thursday (28 April) that it is not offering French fries for now but assured customers that the item “will be back soon” amid a global potato shortage. McDonald’s Philippines has paused sales of larger portions of their fries due to “the global freight crisis,” saying they are “working hard to bring back all sizes very soon.”
Japanese snack companies are always looking for new and exciting ways to tantalise our taste buds, writes Oona McGee in this news article for SoraNews24. She says the country’s leading potato chip maker, Calbee, is ‘changing the game entirely’ by taking the crunch out of their potato chips, with a new product called “Nure Jaga“, which translates to “wet potato“.
Side Delights announced shifts in spending and occasion for potato purchases as shoppers continue to cook and celebrate at home. While restaurants and travel are making a return, eating out has become more expensive, and consumers have adapted to the ‘pantry-to-plate’ trend created during the pandemic, spending more on produce – including potatoes.
Cold and limp fries is a problem that many catering entrepreneurs encounter. Dutch based Paardekoper says in a news article that with its new Depa® French fries box, this problem is a thing of the past. The company says the revolutionary material composition and shape provide the ideal combination of ventilation, absorption and insulation. As a result, fries and snacks stay warm and crispy longer than in traditional delivery packaging.
The bad news is that Prince Edward Island potato farmers are currently facing a federal government-imposed ban on potato shipments to the U.S. The good news is that PEI farmers are shipping out millions of pounds of edible potatoes with the help of Toronto-based Second Harvest to food banks in communities across Canada.
Frito-Lay Canada stopped shipping its snack-food brands to the country’s biggest grocery retailer this week amidst a pricing dispute. Frito-Lay, owned by Pepsi-Co, said it was trying to pass on some of the increased costs from supply chain woes companies have faced during COVID-19.
Southeast Asian fast-food chains are being hit by a shortage of French fries as supply-chain snarls slow shipments of the frozen item from the U.S. and Europe. Signs at some of Yum! Brands Inc.’s KFC outlets in Singapore informed customers that the company would replace side orders of fries with potato waffles due to a “global supply disruption.”
Australians are consuming more potatoes than ever before according to new data. As Megan Hughes reports for ABC Rural, statistics from research and development organisation Hort Innovation shows 87 per cent of Australian households bought potatoes at the supermarket, taking home an average of 1.7 kilograms per shopping trip.
Uncertain potato quality due to harsh weather conditions last summer and suboptimal harvest conditions are expected to lead to an earlier-than-usual demand for imported potatoes as has already been witnessed by growing interest in the produce of Atzmona Potatoes Production L.T.D, a leading Israeli supplier of regular and organic potatoes and carrots.
In advance of Easter and Mother’s Day, Side Delights is providing potato pairings and secondary display suggestions to help increase spring holiday grocery sales. As shoppers plan their spring holiday menus, retailers can help increase potato sales with secondary displays of complementary items and potato pairings.
The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) has bottled one of the world’s most irresistible scents, fresh Idaho Potato French fries just in time for Valentine’s Day. Frites by Idaho is a limited-edition fragrance available only on the IPC’s website. It is made from distilled Idaho potatoes and essential oils. The 1.7-ounce crystalline bottle retails for $1.89, about the price of a large order of French fries.
First came soya, nut and then oat but the new challenger to the plant milk crown is the humble spud as potato milk arrives on UK supermarket shelves. Described as “deliciously creamy” and capable of producing the “perfect foam” for a homemade latte or cappuccino, the Swedish potato milk brand Dug goes on sale in 220 Waitrose stores this week.
McDonald’s stores in Malaysia have been forced to deny customers large portions of chips due to a global shortage of frozen French fries. The lack of spuds means the fast-food giant is exploring ‘new distribution channels’ in a bid to return the popular item to their menu.
As we’ve seen over the past month, the global supply crisis and other factors have taken a huge toll on the supply of potatoes scheduled for the thousands of McDonald’s locations in Japan. Now even convenience stores are getting in on the action with Ministop announcing the Bucket Potato, which boasts three times the regular amount of their X Fried Potatoes for 641 yen.
German retail giant Kaufland has rolled out low-carbohydrate potatoes, said to have 30% less carbohydrates, under its ‘Linella’ label. The new potato SKU is available across Germany at all Kaufland outlets, the retailer added. The innovative potato was created in collaboration with Kaufland’s long-term partner, Europlant Plant Breeding.
In December, McDonald’s Japan announced that it would be suspending sales of all French fry orders except smalls due to a potato shortage. Now, rival Japanese fast food chain Freshness Burger announced it will be increasing the amount of French fires in its regular and large-size orders, as well as its combo meals, by 25 percent and without increasing the price.
Supply line troubles between Japan and North America rob fans of breakfast bliss. As Casey Baseel reports for SoraNews24, it was with great sadness that McDonald’s Japan suspended sales of medium and large-size orders of French fries in mid-December. Now comes more sad news, as McDonald’s is also suspending sales of hash browns in Japan.
As we approached the end of last year, fast food fans were hit by the news of a French fry shortage in Japan which has most notably affected the chain McDonald’s. For a week the restaurant limited sales to only small-size orders of fries, which are called “Mac Fry Potato” in Japan. At the time, the rationing was attributed to delays caused by the ongoing global supply chain crisis as well as large-scale flooding in British Columbia, Canada, where the potatoes are imported from.
Botaniline, an American food technology and innovation company, has created a healthier ground protein product line. By substituting a percentage of the meat with potato, Botaniline is able to achieve cleaner label processed meat products that are lower in sodium and saturated fat. The result is a reduction in sodium by up to 90% and a product that’s free of all allergens, gluten, MSG, TVP, and soy.
Fast food chain KFC has suffered a shortage of French fries at its outlets in Kenya following delays in delivery from its overseas suppliers, forcing it to offer customers alternative food items in place of French fries. The company at first said it does not source potatoes for fries from local suppliers due to ‘global quality standards’, but then said on Tuesday this might happen ‘in the near future’.
Uglies Kettle Chips announces a brand redesign with a new logo, website, and a package design ready to hit shelves this month. Uglies, a division of Dieffenbach’s Snacks, has been on a mission since 2017 to reduce waste, support farmers, and fight hunger by using imperfect potatoes to craft delicious kettle-cooked potato chips.
McDonald’s put medium and large servings of french fries back on its Japanese menu Friday after flying in much-needed supplies, ending a weeklong restriction caused by shortages that have stymied the nation’s food industry. While the restriction has been lifted for now, there is concern that McDonald’s could limit serving sizes once again, depending on inventory levels.
McDonald’s Japan will only serve small-sized fries for a week starting Friday, as a result of delays in potato shipments from Canada. “Due to flooding near the Port of Vancouver and the global supply chain crunch caused by the coronavirus pandemic, there are delays in the supply of potatoes,” the company announced on Tuesday. Potatoes used to make french fries are usually imported from North America, McDonald’s Japan said.
Potatoes USA has issued a comprehensive research report depicting the potato category’s penetration on menus across different segments, dayparts, cuisines, and much more. According to the report, potatoes have a presence on 82.9% of restaurant menus in the U.S., and fast-casual restaurants are projected to experience the most growth of potatoes, 5%, over the next four years.
