United Kingdom: Is your Chip Shop ready for Chip Week?

Supporting the chipping sector is high on the agenda for Potato Council all year round, but with Chip Week (17 – 23 February) just around the corner, the team is more focused than ever on helping chips shops improve the quality of their chips and drive sales as a result.

Stu Baker, marketing and PR executive for Potato Council, said: “Our Chip Skills Programme can help chip shops address handling, storage and preparation issues as well as provide marketing advice, to help chip shop owners promote their own business. With planning for Chip Week underway in many chip shops across the country, we’re actively supporting the sector, encouraging businesses to maximise the opportunity that Chip Week presents.”

Potato Council is providing chip shops that register to take part in Chip Week with promotional kits which will not only support them during the Week, but year round. The branded ‘love chips’ material will help chip shops promote chip sales and boost their business. Suppliers to the chip trade can help by encouraging their customers to sign up to take part in Chip Week if they haven’t already done so.

Stu added: “It’s not too late to encourage customers to get involved; if you supply the chip shop trade or foodservice sector, make the most of this opportunity and highlight the quality of your potatoes and chips – so that you too could benefit from the positive PR!”

Registration literature is available for industry to send out and can be requested by emailing chipweek@potato.ahdb.org.uk

Potato growers, processors and packers can also help to make the campaign a real success. From sharing Chip Week recipe ideas (available to download from www.chips.lovepotatoes.co.uk), to supporting the campaign via social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and displaying the Chip Week 2014 logo on company websites – it’s easy to get involved.

Stu said: “By getting involved potato growers can help to drive potato consumption and ultimately increase chip sales, enabling chip shops and foodservice outlets to compete more effectively against increasing pressure from alternative takeaways.

“Chip Week is not only a fun event; it serves as an important platform for everyone involved in the supply chain to drive awareness and sales, whilst helping to deliver a strong and consistent message.”

For more information on Chip Week 2014 visit https://chips.lovepotatoes.co.uk