No-nonsense, no-frills potato news stories from around the world
The February 2023 processing potato usage figures released by Vavi, the Dutch potato processors union, pegged February potato usage at 334 thousand tonnes, the highest figure for the month since 2017. The prices for processing potatoes continue to trend at multi-year highs, with the Mintec Benchmark Prices for processing potatoes EXW Netherlands assessed at €30/100kg on 21st March 2023, an increase of 53% compared to the same point last season.
If you’re involved in the potato processing industry, you might be familiar with the issue of “dusting” during the final frying of par-fried and frozen French fries. Recognized as a major quality concern, the industry is actively seeking solutions by adjusting processing parameters. A recent research program was developed to investigate this problem. R.G.M. van der Sman and Bjorn van den Oudenhoven examined dust formation by altering the standard processing of French fries and assessing the physical properties of the samples.
McCain Foods announced its largest investment in company history at its Alberta processing plant in Canada. The company is investing $600 million to more than double the size of its workforce at the plant, from 225 to 485, and double the size of its facility and output. Construction on the expansion is expected to start later this year. As Taylor Simmons reports for CBC News, it’s great news for nearby potato farmers. Michel Camps of CP Farms and Mark Miyanaga of Triple M Farms plan to plant more potatoes.
In restaurants, at home and in the food industry, frying is one of the most common methods of food preparation. It is a technique used all over the world. But because of the risks of a high-fat diet, modern day consumers are increasingly looking for more nutritious and safer food alternatives. Air fryer technology has appeared on the market in recent times.
McCain Foods today announced that it is making a substantial investment in its Coaldale, Alberta processing plant, doubling the size of the facility and its output. “The development in Alberta marks our largest global investment in our 65-year history, totalling $600 million, while underscoring our commitment to the future of agriculture and innovation in Canada,” said Max Koeune, President & Chief Executive Officer, McCain Foods.
Have you ever wondered what happens to the tons of potato peels left over after making your favorite crispy fries or mashed potatoes? While they may seem like a waste, these humble peels are now revolutionizing the processed food industry in ways you never imagined. This article explores how potato peels are changing the food industry and the thinking about food waste.
USDA’s Agricultural Research Service helps ensure that the country always has the perfect potato for frying into chips. ARS’ potato breeding program has already produced some major winners in the potato chip category – one is Atlantic. But potato producers have been ready for an Atlantic replacement for years.
Simplot sought a complete turnkey solution for their french fries production line in Tasmania. Fortunately, TOMRA Food offered sorting solutions that could be integrated with some of Simplot’s existing equipment. The sorting solutions offered by TOMRA Food enable Simplot to adjust their sorting procedures according to specific standards, ensuring they meet their customers’ targets while maintaining flexibility.
The National Potato Council (NCP) in the U.S. aims to improve potato chipping varieties in the pipeline toward commercialization and has brought more collaboration among potato growers and breeders in different regions. The program also helps enhance the trial process through reduced development time and increased candidates’ strength, Potatoes USA says in its February 2023 newsletter.
This article analyzes the technical aspects of making ‘the perfect French fry’, specifically examining the importance of potato varieties, frying oil, and the blanching process. Overall, the production of perfect French fries requires a balance between technical knowledge and innovative approaches to mitigate potential health risks associated with the consumption of this popular snack food.
U.S. headquartered Lamb Weston is making significant strides in constructing a big potato processing plant with an investment of $250 million in Argentina, according to a news report by Hector Huergo for Clarin. The construction of the new plant began a year ago and is progressing on schedule in the Mar del Plata Industrial Park. The entire production of the plant will be earmarked for the international market.
Ton Frijters has represented HZPC in China for many years, visiting numerous potato growers and experiencing the challenges of strict coronavirus measures in the country recently. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic about the future and is looking forward with enthusiasm to 2023. “The demand for HZPC varieties in China is continuously growing,” Ton affirms.
In 2006, the United States opened the Japanese market for fresh U.S. chipping potatoes. For the first time since World War II, potatoes grown in the U.S. could be exported to Japan and processed into potato chips. The U.S. potato industry now wishes to turn its attention to the bigger goal of opening the Japanese market for fresh U.S. table-stock potatoes.
The processed potatoes market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% between 2022 and 2027, according to recently released report by Technavio. The size of the market is forecast to increase by USD 41.71 billion. The growth of the market is said to depend on several factors, including a growing focus on expanding production capabilities for potato processing, growth of organized retailing, and increasing prominence of private-label brands.
Queenslanders are being burnt by hot chip [fries] prices. They’re soaring to as much as $12 for a small serve in the wake of a sorry spud supply. As 7News Australia reports, some stores have had to go to drastic measures to keep their fryer full. Chip shops such as Good Lookin Rooster are now importing chips from countries such as the U.S. for twice the local price.
Kettle Brand, a pioneer and leader in premium kettle-cooked chips, has launched the first-ever kettle-cooked, air-fried potato chip. As the first-to-market air-fried snack, Kettle Brand developed patent-pending technology to kettle-cook and air-finish potato chips, delivering a light and crispy texture with 30% less fat than the original versions.
March 14 is National Potato Chip Day, and U of I makes a significant contribution toward filling bags with America’s No. 1 snack food. Frying snack foods for careful evaluation is a recurring chore among the scientists with the U of I and USDA-Agricultural Research Service collaborative potato breeding program based in Aberdeen. The team devotes the bulk of its time toward developing russet potatoes for making French fries, but the pipeline also includes a steady stream of spuds for chipping.
Have you ever wondered how a humble potato transforms into a mouthwatering french fry? Lamb Weston, one of the world’s largest producers of frozen french fries and potato products, provides an answer in a concise YouTube video that traces the journey from the field to your plate.
Dayton’s favorite potato chip company may be closing, but Mikesell’s brand snack foods will still fill store shelves in the region. Conn’s Potato Chip Co. announced Monday that its subsidiary obtained a license to the brand rights for Mikesell’s snack foods, which effective immediately will be made at its Zanesville facilities “to quickly restock retail shelf space, especially for potato chip and puffcorn items.” Conn’s has been serving the potato chip and snack foods markets for more than 85 years.
The UK government has begun work on a US$18.5 million production facility for Irish and sweet potato processing in Elgeyo Marakwet county in Kenya. The processing plant will have a 60,000-tonne capacity. The factory, according to Jane Marriot, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, will ensure stable farm prices for over 10,000 smallholder potato farmers in the county and region.
Mister Bee Potato Chips, the only potato chip maker in West Virginia, hosted Professor Kim Conrad, Ph.D., and 15 students in her West Virginia Wesleyan College MBA class at its production facility February 7 as part of a real-world business teaching experience. “They can see the process – from start to finish – and meet the people who make it all happen,” said Mary Anne Ketelsen, president of Mister Bee Potato Chips.
Zacks Investment Research calls Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. its “Bull of the Day” for today, February 9, 2023. Zacks author Ben Rains writes: “It is far from a flashy business, but Lamb Weston plays a crucial role in providing one of the most popular food items out there right now and for years to come. The company also has tons of pricing power, which we will see shortly.”
Mikesell’s, a historic Dayton, Ohio maker of potato chips and snack foods that has been operating since 1910, is going out of business. As Thomas Gnau reports for Dayton Daily News, the company announced last week that it hopes to sell its brand and intellectual property rights to another snack food manufacturer to potentially continue the Mikesell’s brand.
The North Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) organization says potato growers in its member countries face multiple risks and these risks seem to increase each season. Apart from uncertain and fluctuating production acreage and free-buy prices, farmers now have to include a series of “new” risks to manage. Recent developments, such as higher contract prices, could lead to profound imbalances throughout the whole of the potato sector, according to NEPG.
There’s no more denying it: plant-based foods are booming, and consumers are increasingly gravitating towards food that does not contain animal products, says Aviko Rixona on its website. Aware of this development, Aviko Rixona was eager to explore the potential of extracting even more added value from potatoes. The company is now the first in the market to launch Potato Cheezz: cheese made from potatoes.
The production of potato waffles led Birds Eye to contact LIMAB UK in 2021, wanting to source a moisture and fat analyzer. NDC product specialist at LIMAB UK, Kevin Goodison suggested they use the InfraLab Food Analyzer. “The potato waffles are now the crispiest that they have ever been and are now Birds Eye’s star product,” says Nigel Jackson, Process Technologist at Birds Eye.
Frito-Lay today announced the near completion of its Modesto, California, facility’s transformation into a first-of-its-kind showcase for sustainable manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution technologies. It is one of the largest Frito-Lay manufacturing facilities in the US, and is the first Frito-Lay facility to implement site-wide alternative fuel vehicles, on-site renewable energy generation, energy storage equipment and employee electric vehicle charging stations.
The local potato industry has assured South Africans that it would be able to meet local demand for French fries after heavy “anti-dumping” duties were imposed by the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) in July last year on Belgium, German and Dutch suppliers. Potatoes SA acting marketing manager, Jaco Koekemoer, said the country has a sufficient supply of fresh potatoes, with forecasts looking promising over the next 12 months.
Today Lamb Weston / Meijer released its Sustainability Report 2021-2022. The company says it made good progress on the three key challenges through which it believes it can make the greatest contribution, as it strives to achieve its sustainability agenda and create positive impact from potato to plate.
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