HZPC assigns Rungis as exclusive distributor for Perupas in the Netherlands

HZPC, a world leader in potato breeding, has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Rungis, a specialist supplier of vegetables to fine dining restaurants and foodservice. The agreement applies to the Netherlands and is limited to Perupas, HZPC's specialty category of colourful native potatoes.

HZPC's agreement with Rungis offers Dutch fine dining restaurants access to the Perupas. The expectation is that this will generate demand for Perupas in other market segments and Perupas will eventually find their way to the Top Chefs at home, through specialist retailers and supermarkets.

Perupas are potatoes, but not of the regular kind. Perupas are real native potatoes, because potato breeder HZPC had access to the diverse genetic resources of the farmers high in the Andes. In Peru HZPC therefore cooperates with the International Potato Center in a project with small farmers to preserve the native potato cultivars.

"Perupas are hard to overlook" according to HZPC marketing manager Annemarie Blitterswijk. "But you have to be familiar with them to want to use them. We follow a pull-marketing strategy. Because once you see them in fine dining restaurants, everyone wants to include them in their menu's, also the chefs at home. Top chefs are always looking for inspiration, variation and taste, to offer something unique on the menu. And Perupas can offer that. To highlight that, HZPC has also created a facebook page for Perupas."