Chips (French Fries) still dominant potato serving in UK Foodservice

According to the Potato Council report Behind the Menu - Potatoes in Foodservice, potatoes, in one form or other, are served with 45% of meals eaten out of home and sales are estimated to be worth £2.51b. It identifies chips (french fries) as the dominant potato serving across all channels, accounting for 85% of volume and 83% of value.

But what should caterers be offering on their menus to keep customers interested and boost sales?

Research carried out by Reed Business Insight for Aviko indicates that healthier potato offerings are still important to the marketplace, with nearly three-quarters of respondents saying they offer "healthier potato options"on their menus.

It also shows an increase in those using sunflower oil to prepare chips, leading Aviko to predict that while classic potato dishes such as mash, hash browns, chips and wedges still remain popular, operators will increasingly want to address the health issue with steps such as oven preparation and reduced salt and fat content.

Adrian Greaves, associate director, McCain Foodservice, agrees that chips continue to top the leaderboard but warns caterers not to overlook the quality issue when sourcing them.

Phil Cumming, UK sales and marketing director at Lamb Weston, stresses adding variety to the potato offering.

"Customers today expect a choice of at least three or four different potato accompaniments with their meal;offering chips alone is not enough and will leave customers disappointed,"he says.