Success for the Potato Industry is a Long Game

From the Desk of Chairman Steve Elfering

Last month, we heard from Blair Richardson about the future opportunities he sees for our industry. I appreciated his future-focused perspective because, especially as I’ve gotten more closely involved with the programs Potatoes USA conducts, I know that success for the industry is a long game.

The Potatoes USA board and staff have a singular function: to strengthen the demand for potatoes. Not for just one year at a time; not for just one crop; not dependent on what the market looks like at any point in time. It means consistently educating people and changing perceptions to strengthen demand over the long term.

And a lot of the most impactful programming that achieves this takes time. Things like:

• Working with international companies to invest in processing plants in the U.S. It can take two to three years to find the right company, and another three to five years for them to build. We commit to it because we believe the end result will make a positive impact on the industry, not only for us but for future generations.
• Collaborating with chefs at restaurant chains to help them come up with innovative potato menu items. It can take up to a couple of years from the time Potatoes USA’s chefs work with restaurant leaders to the day a customer can order the new offering. We know that patience is worth it. For example, we first worked in Twin Peaks in 2019, which led to four limited-time offer (LTO) menu items launched in 2021. Based on the success of those LTOs, demonstrating the power of potatoes on their menu, last year – over five years after the first meeting – they launched two new baked potato dishes, resulting in 1.7 million more pounds of potatoes sold annually.
• Investing in potato nutrition research. APRE (the Alliance for Potato Research and Education) was established in 2011, and its first study was published in 2013. Now we have 48 published manuscripts, with 23 additional studies underway. This process takes time, but it provides scientific evidence supporting the nutritional benefits of potatoes, strengthening our messaging across programs.
• Changing the conversation about potato nutrition among different audiences. Under the umbrella of Culinary Medicine, Potatoes USA is focused on educating healthcare professionals in the medical community, ensuring they understand how potatoes can fit in their recommendations to patients. On the consumer side, general understanding about potato nutrition continues to strengthen over time as people think more favorably about potatoes.
• Merchandising best practices to sell more potatoes in retail settings. Potatoes USA shares with retail leaders proven tactics to sell more potatoes, and gives them the reason why they should care: sales data shows that shoppers with potatoes in their grocery carts spend more money overall.

These are just a few examples of the impactful programs Potatoes USA executes on our behalf, working hard year after year. If you want to be closer to the work, I encourage you to become a board member if you’re not already. And, more immediately, be sure to fill out the annual Grower Survey. This helps Potatoes USA determine what’s most important to the industry and helps the board and staff focus on the most impactful priorities for ongoing success in strengthening demand.

Take the survey here.

I wish you a great holiday season, and I hope to see many of you at Potato Expo in January.