News on Food Trends from the United States

Jay LaJoie of Van Buren, Maine and Jason Davenport of Arvin, California were appointed to the Potatoes USA Executive Committee on March 16, 2017 and will co-chair the Industry Outreach Committee.

The Potatoes USA international marketing committee met prior to the Annual Meeting in Denver March 15 & 16. The committee heard how U.S. potato exports have grown 183% in the past 20 years and now account for close to 20% of production.

QSRs, which represent 80 percent of total commercial foodservice visits, realized no traffic growth in 2016 and total foodservice traffic dipped slightly.

The Potatoes USA Board Members for 2017 were sworn in during its Annual Meeting in Denver Colorado.

The Big Idaho® Potato Truck is back on America's highways promoting Idaho's most famous agricultural product, the Idaho® potato.

TOMRA Sorting Food will showcase the TOMRA 5A, its newest state-of-the-art potato sorter, at the new biennial processing event ProFoodTech 2017. Potato Processors can find TOMRA at Booth #1721

Yesterday, Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire protein-based snacking businesses Thanasi Foods LLC (Thanasi), maker of Duke's® meat snacks and BIGS LLC (BIGS), maker of BIGS® seeds.

Potatoes USA has developed an updated new Nutrition Facts Label for fresh potatoes to meet updated FDA guidance.

Boulder Canyon™ Authentic Foods advances its line of kettle-cooked potato chips cooked in unique oils with the introduction of Rice Bran Oil Kettle Cooked Potato Chips

Restaurant Chain CaliBurger - a 21st-century revival of the classic California burger joint - is introducing robotics in its kitchens starting early 2018: an AI driven robot named 'Flippy', primarily tasked with flipping burgers.

The 2017 Potato Industry Leadership Institute (PILI) provided training to 22 US potato growers and industry representatives in leadership development, public policy, marketing, team building and public communication.

Richards Pavelski and Donald Hamerski entered the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Hall of Fame Hall. The WPVGA Hall of Fame honors lifetime achievement in the development of Wisconsin’s potato industry.

In the search for a third rotation crop for potatoes, trials at the Aroostook Research Farm in Presque Isle are showing some promise for field peas, a crop that once had a successful run in the region until the 1970s.

Schmieding Produce Launches New 100 Calorie - Skinny Potato: Potatoes are sorted in such a way, that each potato has roughly a calorie content of 100 Calories

Earlier this week, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ: BOBE) announced two transformational transactions, turning the company from predominantly a restaurant chain into a food manufacturer.

Pineland Farms Potato Company, Inc. (PFPC), located in Mars Hill, Maine confirmed the signing of a Stock Purchase Agreement with Bob Evans Foods (BEF)

The Pennsylvanian snack manufacturer Dieffenbach's Potato Chips Inc. has launched a new potato chip brand named 'Uglies'. The chips are produced from potatoes that farmers would likely be throwing away due to minor imperfections.

Following an online potato recipe contest ('Fully-Loaded Idaho Potato Cook-off'), Kenmore awarded Crystal Schlueter’s unique and easy-to-make recipe for Mashed-Up Kimchi Reuben Tater Bombs with Sweet Onion & Gochujang Aioli the grand prize.