In the United Kingdom the countdown to Chip Week has begun! Running from 18 to 24 February 2013, the annual campaign to promote chips (=french fries) is a fantastic opportunity for growers, merchants and everyone involved in supplying chips to boost business.
Activity is ramping up for chip shops, pubs and restaurants to ensure that the Week –now celebrating a staggering 22 years – is as prominent and profitable as possible.
Potato Council is urging the industry to get behind its efforts to drive awareness for the campaign and get customers signed up to participate.
Marketing manager for Potato Council, Kate Cox, said: “Chips account for such a large proportion of the national crop and this makes Chip Week an important – and not to mention – popular platform.
“For chips shops, which use around 13% of all potatoes grown in GB, the campaign generates publicity at a relatively quiet time of year. Chip Week 2013 will also be supported by our own research, which highlights that fish and chip shops are under increasing pressure from competing takeaways as well as the growing trend for promotional deals across the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector. We are in the process of sharing our findings with chips shops and trialling incentives that can be used to help drive sales throughout the year, not just during Chip Week.”
As well as publicising the research findings, Potato Council is currently developing a high profile publicity campaign to get as many people talking about Chip Week and enjoying a portion of chips as possible. Supporting material will be available for chip shops and independent pubs and restaurants, plus when registered they will automatically be entered into the prestigious ‘Choice Chip Awards’, helping to put businesses and quality firmly chips in the spotlight.
French fries are called chips in the United Kingdom
If you supply potatoes for the chipping trade, encourage them to register for Chip Week and the ‘Choice Chip Awards’ and enjoy the buzz and publicity that comes with being part of the quality chip supply chain. Registration literature is available for industry to send out and can be requested by emailing Carrie.Maggs@potato.ahdb.org.uk or calling +44 2476 478 789.
For processors and retailers, raising awareness of the Week in-store and promoting varieties that are suitable for chipping will add to the campaign’s continued success.
Keep up to date with more Chip Week news at www.potato.org.uk/chipshops
Source: Potato Council
