Potato producer Albert Bartlett sees profits grow 67% after TV star's ads

A television campaign featuring Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross helped boost profits at Airdrie-based vegetable giant Albert Bartlett by 67.6% last year to £9.9 million. 

The company screened adverts for its red-skinned Rooster brand featuring flame-haired actress Marcia Cross, who plays Bree Van De Kamp in US TV series Desperate Housewives, during breaks in hit shows including The X Factor, I’m A Celebrity and Coronation Street. 

This helped double penetration of the brand to 16% of UK households, delivered value and volume growth of more than 100% and boosted its share to 5% of the UK potato market. 

A later tie-up with Disney saw the company produce packaging featuring Toy Story 3, 2010’s highest grossing film. 

This increased penetration of Rooster further to 29% of households. 

The company aired another set of Marcia Cross adverts in autumn 2010. 

The family-owned company, which caught the headlines with its indigo-coloured “Purple Majesty” potatoes last year, still suffered an 8.6% drop in turnover from £149.2m to £136.3m for the year ended May 31, 2010, according to accounts filed with Companies House. 

But a sharp fall in administrative expenses meant an increase in operating profit from £7.3m to £10.2m. Pre-tax profit was up from £5.9m to £9.9m. 

The profit leap was achieved despite Albert Bartlett writing £8.3m off the value of its operation in Boston, Lincolnshire.