Matthews Ridgeview Farms ready to talk new crop sweet potatoes
Matthews Ridgeview Farms ready to talk new crop sweet potatoes
As a family business, now in its fifth generation, sweet potato grower-shipper Matthews Ridgeview Farms values being able to meet current and potential customers to touch base and spread the word about what it can deliver.
Building and maintaining strong customer relationships is at the heart of what the Wynne, AR-based Matthews Ridgeview Farms does, said Jaylie Lourens, who works in sales and marketing. Her parents, Terris and Kim Matthews, own the farming company.
The International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce & Floral Show gives Matthews Ridgeview Farms the ability to tell its story.
“It provides a setting where customers can see firsthand the quality of our produce, learn about our packaging options and engage directly with our team,” Lourens said. “Exhibiting underscores our commitment to transparency, reliability and service — values that have guided our family business for generations.
“This show allows us to personally connect with our longtime partners while introducing our farm and products to new customers,” Lourens said.
Beyond networking opportunities, the show gives the company’s representatives exposure to industry innovations, market insights and other vendors who share the same passion for fresh produce.
“Each year, it serves as an important platform for growth and collaboration,” she said.
Terris and Kim Matthews, Samantha Gilbert and Sarah Corn-Peevey will be at the Matthews Ridgeview Farms booth, No. 4575 on the expo floor at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The company plans to highlight its bulk sweet potatoes and specialty packaging options, including three-pound bags, individually wrapped microwaveable potatoes and tray packs of four potatoes. The company primarily grows and ships the Beauregard variety.
“These solutions reflect our ability to adapt to customer needs while ensuring consumers have convenient and attractive options at retail,” Lourens said.
Matthews Ridgeview Farms’ representatives plan to discuss the strong quality and consistency of this year’s crop with IFPA expo booth visitors, along with the reliability of the company’s supply as the largest grower-shipper of sweet potatoes in Arkansas.
“Just as important, we want to share how our team continues to invest in long-term growth — from adopting sustainable practices to expanding packaging capabilities,” she said. “For us, every customer conversation is an opportunity to reinforce that Matthews Ridgeview Farms is not just a supplier, but a trusted partner dedicated to their success.”
The company started harvesting this year’s crop in late August. Despite some weather that affected overall production in 2024, Matthews Ridgeview Farms managed inventories to continue shipping until cured new-crop sweet potatoes were ready by the end of September.
Lourens and other U.S. sweet potato shippers have reported high demand over the past season. North Carolina, the largest producer, saw a drop in production of up to a third after hurricane weather drenched fields during the 2024 growing period.
Lourens said she expects an active holiday season this fall as retailers near early November, when the highest sales period of the year starts the heavy shipments for Thanksgiving demand.
