News on Potatoes in Retail from United Kingdom

Potato supplier Albert Bartlett (United Kingdom) has made its first entry into the sweet potato market with a listing at the British online retailer Ocado.

Potato Processing company M&F Ltd. - based in the United Kingdom - has closed after losing one of its main customers. M&F produced fresh cut and peeled potato products and supplied these to companies who further process these potatoes into ready meals for the UK’s major supermarkets.

UK retailer Morrisons has acquired the Carnoustie potato packing plant from Farmcare in a deal which will strengthen the supply of Scottish tubers to the supermarket chain.

Potato Company Branston in the United Kingdom says it will see demand for potatoes double from 150 to 300 tonnes in the week before Christmas.

Italian seasonal new potatoes will be launched into Tesco this autumn on the back of new research showing that consumers want freshly harvested new potatoes all year round.

Branston, one of the biggest potato suppliers in the United Kingdom, has officially opened its £5 million prepared potato factory extension in partnership with Tesco.

UK Supermarket chain Tesco has announced it will issue contracts worth £12 million over three years to help support British Agriculture, and become the first retailer in the UK to introduce new long term contracts for potato growers and packers.

“Harnessing the power of leading bloggers and vloggers, as well as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube channels will enable us [AHDB Potatoes] to reach more consumers and engage with them on a more regular and impactful basis. As research shows, this is clearly the way forward.”

Branston (Potatoes) Ltd, based near Lincoln in the United Kingdom, has submitted a planning application with North Kesteven District Council for an expansion which would create 19 new jobs.

The entire potato industry of Great Britain gathered at Harrogate International Centre, North Yorkshire 12 and 13 November for BP2015, the key industry event of the year.

With a major new campaign to promote fresh potatoes across Britain and Ireland about to break, AHDB Potatoes and Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) are calling on industry to get behind it and help change the way consumers think about potatoes.

Experts fear that in Scotland the combination of scaled back potato planting and a drop in yield due to wet weather could lead to a shortage of potatoes.

Northern Ireland Potato Packer Glens of Antrim Potatoes has expanded with a second factory and new packaging machinery in a £1.25 million investment with potential to create five more jobs.

In the latest Consumer Category Report of the Potato Council, one of the topics addressed is the online sales of fresh potatoes - including actual growth, comparison to competitive products and grocery in general as well as future opportunities

The company which owns the Albert Bartlett potato brand has increased its profits by more than 31 per cent in spite of small fall in turnover. The company shows remarkable growth in international sales and 40% growth in its Scotty Brand business.

Greenvale, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of fresh potatoes, offers a festive Christmas version of its 2kg bags of GreenVale All Rounder Potatoes.

The dates have been set for the famous UK Potato Week 2014; running from 6-12 October the campaign will celebrate the humble potato and encourage mums to ‘trade-up’ from generic whites to named varieties.

Tesco Northern Ireland’s commercial manager Cliff Kells has confirmed that sales of ‘Comber’ potatoes more than doubled, year-on-year, in local Tesco outlets during the months of July and August.