March 2020 - 16

The rise
of specialty
potatoes
Colorful spuds offer all sorts
of marketing opportunities
By William Lamont Jr.
GUEST COLUMNIST
S
pecialty potatoes are distinctive from the standard
potato varieties commonly found in the marketplace.
They may have a unique skin color, such as deep purple
or apricot or mottled colors, and the flesh color may be white,
shades of red, purple or varying degrees of yellow or orange or
a swirl or mixture of colors.
An older yellow flesh variety, the Yukon Gold, is considered
a specialty potato in the U.S. because of its flesh color, but
is standard fare in European homes. Fingerlings and red
potatoes also classify as specialty. Examples include Red Pearl
and Villetta Rose from the University of Wisconsin potato
breeding program.
An important consideration in promoting any kind of
potato - especially specialties - is to include a statement
detailing the best uses for the potato being sold. This will
be a big help to the consumer and is indeed an area that
needs to be explored more fully if we are to maximize the
specialty market.
The consuming public has become more perceptive and
creative in how they choose their food. Consumers are
demanding more choices in size, color, taste and packaging of
fresh vegetables, potatoes included.
16
Spudman.com
New specialty potato varieties are currently in high demand
by restaurants and in an increasing number of large and small
retail markets; and it appears that relatively high returns are
possible with these varieties. Also, there have been many
articles appearing in popular gardening publications and food
sections in newspapers that have featured specialty potatoes,
which has increased interest.
Once considered food for the poor, potatoes are currently
quite fashionable and the fare of many an elegant dinner
party. The dinner guests may be treated to golden nuggets
of Yukon Gold surrounding a perfectly prepared entree or
steamed slices of pretty pink Adirondack Red.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
To develop greater consumer demand for these potatoes will
require the same approach as for any new vegetable. It will take
education of the consumer as to what the product is and how
it can be use by them in their cooking and meal preparation.
It is important to have informational material available to the
consumer near the display of specialty potatoes. I would suggest
to start with a limited number of specialty potatoes displayed in
the market. As the demand increases, one can then expand the
number of varieties offered and increase the size of the display.
In the Andes Mountains in South America, home to
the potato, one can find many hues of red, orange, brown,

http://www.Spudman.com

March 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2020

March 2020 - 1
March 2020 - 2
March 2020 - 3
March 2020 - 4
March 2020 - 5
March 2020 - 6
March 2020 - 7
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March 2020 - 12
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March 2020 - 20
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/basf-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com