Fingerling potatoes are playing an increasingly important role in the current and future offerings of Bancroft, WI-based RPE Produce, Inc.

Randy Shell, RPE’s vice president of marketing and new business development, detailed this in an interview with The Produce News.

“RPE began working with specialty potatoes in the 2000s after seeing the need for diversity in the potato category,” Shell said. “Our company has always prided itself on staying at the cutting edge of the industry, and saw the need for more varieties and smaller pack sizes that consumers were craving.”

Randy Shell in his office in Buffalo, MN. (Photo by Tad Thompson) Shell said growing fingerling potatoes “provides us with the opportunity to diversify our offerings to our customers, as well as provide new and exciting alternatives to consumers. 

“We are constantly seeking and trialing new varieties of potatoes. Our in-house agronomy department allows us to conduct on-site research during every stage of the potato’s lifecycle. Five years ago, RPE created a state-of-the-art research laboratory, as well as developed field research plots and storage facilities where we test more than 165 varieties of potatoes annually. Both current varieties and new varieties are rigorously analyzed in order to develop varieties that meet RPE’s strong standards for growing, storability, shelf life, flavor, appearance and, of course, consumer sensory analysis. This has allowed us to expand our varietal program, and has allowed us to introduce some new varieties of specialty potatoes and fingerling potatoes to the marketplace.

The Perishables Group and the United States Potato Board show that sales in the specialty segment of the category have shown significant growth compared to the traditional segment in both dollars and volume vs. this time last year, Shell said. “It’s no secret that consumers have gravitated toward smaller pack sizes and smaller potatoes over the past few years. Today’s consumer has moved beyond mashed potatoes and French fries — she is eager to try new recipes, new foods and branch out.  We like to say that specialty potatoes allow us to reimagine traditional comfort foods. Grandma’s potato salad recipe gets a brand new twist when made with fingerling potatoes!”

“One of the key components to creating demand with a product like this, is educating the consumer on how to better use the item,” Shell continued. “When most people think of fingerling potatoes, they know they can roast them, but they aren’t sure what else to do with them. We’ve been able to equip consumers with recipes and cooking tips so they understand that fingerlings are great for grilling, making colorful potato salads and even putting on homemade pizza.”

Over the past year, RPE launched the Old Oak Farms brand.  The product line consists of traditional, commodity potatoes and onions, along with specialty items such as fingerlings.  “Our Old Oak Farms fingerlings are available 24-ounce and 32-ounce package sizes (in both mesh and poly mesh bags), in gold, red, and medley variety packages.”

He added that RPE grows and packs a wide-range of fingerlings including but not limited to Purple Peruvian, Ruby Crescent, Russian Banana, Red Thumb and French Fingerlings.

To provide consumer information, RPE developed the website, OldOakFarms.com, “so consumers can meet the growers who grew their potatoes, as well as discover new ways to prepare their potatoes. We have more than 180 recipes on the website, including plenty of fingerling recipes to expand the way consumers think of using potatoes.”

For the trade, Shell noted, “Now is a great time for a display of fingerling potatoes — we have an ample supply shipping out of Wisconsin. Fingerling potatoes can be easily and effectively cross-merchandised with anything from brats and burgers to Grade A steak, expanding your customer’s meal options.  And, because fingerling potatoes are fast cooking and flavorful, the specialty potatoes are yet another great product for increasing sales in the potato category.”

Beyond packing fingerling potatoes in the Old Oak Farms label, Shell said RPE also offers a shipper label or most private label packs. RPE can also pack in mesh or poly-mesh bags.

“We have promotional opportunities from October through March most years, and work directly with our customers on promotions, depending on what they are requesting,” he added.

“Fingerling potatoes were the first true specialty item to hit the market, and it has led to the expansion of many other items including unique varieties and many other small round potatoes. The specialty category is going to continue to grow in volume and SKU count in upcoming years.”