No-nonsense, no-frills news stories from around the world
When businesses behave with sustainability, it’s not only society that benefits – this can also help bring in new business. Stefaan Kennis, Director of Strategy, Market Intelligence and Sustainability at TOMRA Food, explains why – and how technologies can make this easy.
Hospitality venues could see a rise in the price of potatoes after last week’s heatwave potentially damaged the quality of some crop, a supplier has warned. As Jungmin Seo reports for The Caterer, Austen Dack, marketing manager of Isle of Ely Produce in Cambridgeshire, which supplies over two million bags of potatoes into fish and chip shops and restaurants, said the performance of later second earlies and true maincrop varieties of potato was “very much in the balance”.
A 4kg bag of humble potatoes is set to join iceberg lettuce in the $12 club at Australian supermarkets in coming weeks as farmers warn of a potential 30 per cent price rise. And with a price hike in potatoes comes a jump in the price of Australian’s beloved hot chips, with rises expected at restaurants, fish and chip shops, fast-food chains and pubs.
With increased focus on food security, inflation, and health, potatoes continue to gain popularity and grow in demand. Fresh Solutions Network announced the important role of their network of farmers and potato products. Fresh Solutions Network is a group of independent, family-owned farms that grow, pack, sell and deliver fresh potatoes and onions to customers across the US.
The latest U.S. Trend Index from Frito-Lay polled consumers on their snacking preferences and priorities and found that the 90 percent of consumers who snack daily care about the companies whose snacks they’re eating. Snack companies’ attention to sustainability practices (77 percent), community impact around food access (78 percent), and treatment of employees (87 percent) are among the top values driving purchasing decisions.
Commodities markets are in uproar, wheat prices have reached record highs and the cost of food is rocketing. “Yet the humble spud – a staple grown on our doorstep – is still cheap and plentiful,” writes Sarah Chambers in a news story for East Anglian Daily Times. This year’s East Anglian potato crop is looking very promising. But prices are low – making some of the farmers’ crops uneconomical.
Plant protein derived from certain foods can be as efficient as animal milk for muscle synthesis, suggests a new study. According to research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, potatoes can be as dependable a protein source as animal milk for athletes looking to build muscles.
Barry Enderwick has made a name for himself on TikTok by eating the most exotic, rare potato chips the globe has to offer. Here, he reveals which flavors left the worst taste in his mouth, as Brian VanHooker reports for Mel magazine.
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.
