Harris Cutler also sees social media as an enormous opportunity. “It puts us at a level playing field. I can go head-to-head with companies who have huge marketing budgets and build a following.” In addition, “as an industry, we’re working towards a universal goal of spreading the message that potatoes still remain the best nutritional vegetable for the money,” he says.
Innovation & Consistency
Fingerlings, reds, and yellow potatoes have made an impressive ascent in recent years, showing up on menus and in households nationwide.
“New varieties of the smaller-sized potatoes such as fingerlings and mini round potatoes are long overdue in this industry, and several Idaho growers are doing these,” comments Odiorne. Even better, these potatoes “don’t have to be peeled, and smaller fingerlings are easy to portion.”
Both Odiorne and Cutler are excited about the new purple varieties, which retain their deep hues after preparation. The ‘Purple Majesty’ has a deep nutty flavor and its anthocyanins, pigments with disease-preventing properties, give this particular potato a nutritional kick similar to blueberries.
G & D Wallace Inc., in Burlington, WA is testing new varieties and converting more fields to organic potatoes, but consistency, according to Jack Wallace, company secretary, is key. “New initiatives are great because they generate new interest, but the mainstay of our farm is producing quality potatoes year after year.”
New Packaging
Successes in packaging range from color display, smaller bags, and ease of preparation. Curl observes that “younger generations are no longer purchasing a five-pound bag to feed their families on a regular basis,” but instead desire smaller bags due to an “eagerness to experiment with new varieties and reinvent traditional potato recipes by adding their own twists.”
Odiorne touts new packaging for fingerlings and ‘marble’ potatoes in an array of colors, and triple-washed spuds that can be microwaved for added convenience. Wallace sees continued interest in RPCs (reusable plastic containers), and the many ways they can streamline packing operations through automation.
From a sustainability standpoint, Cutler expects more biodegradable packaging, with potatoes once again winding up in paper bags. The industry had jettisoned paper due to visibility problems, since customers can clearly see potatoes in plastic bags. Unfortunately, the downside became substantial waste due to greening (when potatoes react to light that passes through poly and mesh bags). Although going back to paper would be a major change, Cutler says, “it would have a remarkable effect on the environment.”
