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.”
A crop known for its robust taste and sustenance value, the humble potato’s profile continues to grow with new varieties, flavors, and culinary experimentation. With over 4,200 varieties and more developed each year, potatoes are the leading vegetable crop in the United States. Their destination after harvest is split 50-50 between going to processors for fries, chips, or dehydration, and those sold fresh.
Top Growing Regions The Western states account for two-thirds of the U.S.’s potato production, with Idaho and Washington contributing over half of the nation’s total. Other states adding to the tally include Wisconsin, Colorado, North Dakota, Minnesota, Oregon, Michigan, California, and Maine.
Paul Dolan, general manager for Associated Potato Growers, Inc. in Grand Forks, ND, describes the perfect weather conditions for growing potatoes as “low 80s during the day into low 60s or 50s at night, little wind, adequate rainfall or irrigation, and dry periods in between for disease [prevention] purposes.” Planting is ideal at the beginning of May to June, with harvesting occurring in September and October.
Transportation Challenges Transportation has been challenging for growers and shippers, with a lack of trucks as this biggest hurdle, though Dolan hopes the slowing oil boom in western North Dakota will make more trucks and drivers available again.
Peter Ewing, president of Ewing Farms, Inc. in Big Lake, MN, attributes the low volume of trucks to the ongoing dearth of drivers, and strict government regulations on trucking companies.
Dolan ships by both truck and rail, although rail has a few major disadvantages, such as buyers being unable to receive big rail cars because the tracks are too tight. In addition, restrictive timetables and maintaining quality during cross-country jaunts can be difficult.
Reinventing Mr. Potato Head Potatoes have received their share of bad breaks, and Chuck Curl, sales operations manager for RPE, Inc. in Bancroft, WI, is frustrated by “the common misconception consumers have about the nutrients in a potato. As consumers trend towards healthier eating habits, the potato is often misinterpreted as fattening starch with empty calories.”
Harris Cutler, president of Race-West Company in Clarks Summit, PA, believes grower-shippers need “to reinvent the potato industry in this country” by highlighting the nuances and explosive flavor in many different varieties, along with their substantial health benefits.
The potato industry continues to introduce new varieties and flavors, hoping to entice shoppers into experimenting with potatoes as major culinary choices, not just side dishes. Don Odiorne, vice president of foodservice for the Eagle Falls-based Idaho Potato Commission, sees a bright future for the potato industry. “People from the Generation X and millennials are just now starting to discover how many ways potatoes can be prepared. Our challenge is to show consumers, cooks, and chefs that potatoes can be both healthy and indulgent, comforting and eclectic. We can succeed in many more ways than just French fries, baked, mashed, and hash browns—and I think we’re making progress in those areas.”
Nutritional value and flavor may not have been focal points in years past, but the tide is starting to turn with new marketing campaigns. The Idaho Potato Commission is tackling the situation on multiple fronts, even working with food bloggers to “create approachable ways to prepare potatoes as one-dish meals and exciting variations of side dishes.” The Commission also relies on its Great Big Idaho Potato truck tours to build brand equity, along with the annual ‘Famous Idaho Potato Bowl’ postseason football matchup.
Race-West Company has a slightly different approach: Joseph Cutler, director of European operations, travels the world looking for new and interesting ways to market and prepare potatoes.
One example is following the British Potato Council’s outreach programs, which teaches kids to grow potatoes in school, fostering a favorable image of the spud’s nutritional value and methods of preparation from an early age.
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.”
Conclusion The potato industry is fighting its way back into the hearts and onto the menus of Americans—introducing new varieties that add depth to the plate and palette, and reversing stereotypes by highlighting the root vegetable’s nutrition and endless culinary possibilities. Despite growth in kale and other vegetable consumption, spuds are still one of the top four players in the produce section along with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.
The industry’s goals reflect famed Chef Rokusaburo Michiba’s adage of respecting the old, but seeking out the new. Potato grower-shippers will continue to stay true to their roots with hearty mainstays, but new options and culinary metamorphosis will have a great impact. “The opportunities ahead of us are tremendous,” says Cutler.
