If you are a supplier to the chip shop trade or foodservice sector with quality potatoes for chipping (making french fries), then it makes sense for you to get behind Chip Week 2015! The popular calendar event will run from 16-22 February to support consumption and sale of potatoes.
The annual campaign, now in its 24th year, provides growers, merchants, processors and packers with a fantastic opportunity to highlight quality potatoes and processes that go into producing the perfect chip, as well as benefitting from positive PR. Distributing the Potato Council recruitment leaflets, adding the Chip Week logo to your website or invoices, uploading promotional and marketing material on websites and sharing chip recipes (available to download from www.chips.lovepotatoes.co.uk), or simply tweeting about the week on Twitter, are just some of the many ways for industry to get involved and support this high-profile promotion.
Last year the popular event generated an incredible £5 million worth of press coverage and helped to increase sales of chips across all sectors. The Week reached over 163 million consumers and was highly visible across social media platforms, as well as extending to over 30 million consumers online during the seven day celebration itself.
Berenice Brown, Chip Week Campaign Manager for Potato Council, said: “Chip Week is an important marketing platform and much of its success comes as a result of the continued backing from industry, as well as retailers, chips shops, pubs and restaurants and other catering establishments. We are hoping 2015 will bring renewed enthusiasm for consumers seeking out quality chips and are encouraging the industry to get involved again this year.
“All sectors of the industry involved with chips; from fresh, frozen to foodservice can benefit from the impact of the Week. It provides an opportunity to reach customers and get them to enjoy a portion – whether at home or eating out, drive sales over the longer term. We have a wealth of imagery and material to share, so why not help us make Chip Week 2015 the best yet?”
Tomato Bean Stew with Chips
The Choice Chip Awards are at the heart of Chip Week; not only do they put the winning businesses in the spotlight but they provide a positive PR boost for suppliers and processors too!
The hotly contested awards recognises and rewards the best chips served across the country – based on customer votes. So, if you supply the chipping trade, why not encourage your pubs, restaurants and chip shops to enter? After all, you too could benefit from being part of the quality chip supply chain!
Your customers simply need to register for Chip Week 2015 to be in with a chance of winning. By doing so, they will receive a dedicated promotional pack including posters, bunting, voting cards and table talkers to inform customers of their participation and encourage them to vote.
Registration literature is available for (UK) industry to send out and can be requested by emailing chipweek@potato.ahdb.org.uk
Making Chip Week Work
- if you have a website, put any activity you may be taking part in (whether Chip Week or perhaps any charity fundraising events) and link through to www.chips.lovepotatoes.co.uk
- Use social media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter, to update customers on any activity and encourage them to vote in the Choice Chip Awards. You can even run exclusive follower special offers and promotions
- Send some of your 'Choice Chips' to local radio stations along with details of Chip Week and your events
- Invite a local celebrity to kick-start Chip Week in your shop or support competition winners
- Involve the communicty and support local charities by making a donation for chips sold during Chip Week
- Take on a world record! Why not try to create the largest chip supper or the world's biggest bag of chips?
Thai Turkey Burger with Chips
