Specialty Potato Alliance to offer premium fingerling potatoes year round

Richard Leibowitz is looking to reinvent the specialty potato market.

Mr. Leibowitz, managing director of the newly formed Specialty Potato Alliance, told The Produce News during an interview at his office, here in north-central New Jersey that the organization is comprised of North America's premier growers and distributors of specialty potatoes, and its initial focus will be on fingerling potato varieties from heirloom and new varietal stock.

"The name Specialty Potato Alliance really represents our group because that is truly what we are,"Mr. Leibowitz said. "We are devoted to the development of the market and are working together to provide a year-round, price- stable family of products for foodservice and retail on a daily basis so there will be no gaps in the fingerling market and product will always be available."

The Specialty Potato Alliance will initially offer four varieties of fingerings -- French Fingerling, Purple Peruvian, Russian Banana and Ruby Crescent -- that will be packed under the "Specialty Potato Alliance,""Les Bons Petits"and "Culinary Harvest"labels.