U.S. Potato Board tours British potato industry
U.S. Potato Board tours British potato industry
A party of eight representatives of the U.S. Potato Board returned Dec. 3 from a weeklong meeting in England with the British Potato Council.
One of those traveling from the United States was Larry Alsum, owner of Alsum Produce Inc. in Friesland, WI, who is on the U.S. Potato Board's executive committee and is chairman of the board's research committee. Mr. Alsum said that the board's executive committee leaders met with representatives of the British Potato Council to discuss common issues and to tour British potato operations and supermarkets.
While this was Mr. Alsum's first such business trip to the United Kingdom, he said that U.S. Potato Board Executive Director Tim O'Connor has now made five such visits to the British potato industry. In addition to Mr. O'Connor, on this trip with Mr. Alsum were executive committee members from Washington, Idaho, Colorado, New Jersey and North Carolina.
The U.S. potato leaders attended the annual meeting and show of the British Potato Council in addition to touring fields, packinghouses and retail operations, according to Mr. Alsum.
Mr. Alsum said that British retailers have relatively larger potato displays, but he added that British per- capita potato consumption is almost double that of the United States.
British consumers on average eat 104 kilograms, or about 220 pounds, of processed or fresh potatoes per year, while the number in the United States is around 130 pounds.
Mr. Alsum said that compared to U.S. counterparts, British retailers are offering more partially prepared fresh potato products in packaging that includes microwavable items that can be prepared in minutes. Mr. Alsum said that such products would require adaptations for the U.S. market, but have potential here.
Of the cooperation between the U.S. and British potato industries, he said, "This is just a level of working together that came about because of what we have in common. There are enough similarities between the two countries and markets to learn from each other." The executive director of the British Potato Council has been to the United States a couple of times "to learn from our model," Mr. Alsum said.
He said that British potato farming operations tend to be smaller than they are in the United States, but "they are going through massive consolidation - more at the grower than at the retail level now. But there is consolidation at the retail level, too."
In England, Wal-Mart operates as Asda, which was an existing company that Wal-Mart purchased. He said that Asda is "successful but not nearly as successful or as fast growing as Wal-Mart is in the U.S. But they're still a factor to be reckoned with." Among other retailers in England enjoying strong sales, "Tesco in particular is doing very well."
Generally speaking, British consumers tend to shop two to four times a week, and many of those consumers walk to their grocery stores. Thus, potato packaging tends to be smaller than what is made available in the United States. In kilos, the fresh potato packaging sizes Mr. Alsum saw in England were one, two, two-and-a-half and five. The five- kilo, or 11-pound bag, "predominantly is their biggest" potato package.
The British tour ran from Nov. 26 to Dec. 3.
Mr. Alsum said that the U.S. Potato Board executive committee will present a report on its findings to the full U.S. Potato Board in March and to the board's Administrative Committee in Las Vegas in January. The reports will be oriented so U.S. growers and packers may learn of potential opportunities from what is happening in the British potato industry.
One of those traveling from the United States was Larry Alsum, owner of Alsum Produce Inc. in Friesland, WI, who is on the U.S. Potato Board's executive committee and is chairman of the board's research committee. Mr. Alsum said that the board's executive committee leaders met with representatives of the British Potato Council to discuss common issues and to tour British potato operations and supermarkets.
While this was Mr. Alsum's first such business trip to the United Kingdom, he said that U.S. Potato Board Executive Director Tim O'Connor has now made five such visits to the British potato industry. In addition to Mr. O'Connor, on this trip with Mr. Alsum were executive committee members from Washington, Idaho, Colorado, New Jersey and North Carolina.
The U.S. potato leaders attended the annual meeting and show of the British Potato Council in addition to touring fields, packinghouses and retail operations, according to Mr. Alsum.
Mr. Alsum said that British retailers have relatively larger potato displays, but he added that British per- capita potato consumption is almost double that of the United States.
British consumers on average eat 104 kilograms, or about 220 pounds, of processed or fresh potatoes per year, while the number in the United States is around 130 pounds.
Mr. Alsum said that compared to U.S. counterparts, British retailers are offering more partially prepared fresh potato products in packaging that includes microwavable items that can be prepared in minutes. Mr. Alsum said that such products would require adaptations for the U.S. market, but have potential here.
Of the cooperation between the U.S. and British potato industries, he said, "This is just a level of working together that came about because of what we have in common. There are enough similarities between the two countries and markets to learn from each other." The executive director of the British Potato Council has been to the United States a couple of times "to learn from our model," Mr. Alsum said.
He said that British potato farming operations tend to be smaller than they are in the United States, but "they are going through massive consolidation - more at the grower than at the retail level now. But there is consolidation at the retail level, too."
In England, Wal-Mart operates as Asda, which was an existing company that Wal-Mart purchased. He said that Asda is "successful but not nearly as successful or as fast growing as Wal-Mart is in the U.S. But they're still a factor to be reckoned with." Among other retailers in England enjoying strong sales, "Tesco in particular is doing very well."
Generally speaking, British consumers tend to shop two to four times a week, and many of those consumers walk to their grocery stores. Thus, potato packaging tends to be smaller than what is made available in the United States. In kilos, the fresh potato packaging sizes Mr. Alsum saw in England were one, two, two-and-a-half and five. The five- kilo, or 11-pound bag, "predominantly is their biggest" potato package.
The British tour ran from Nov. 26 to Dec. 3.
Mr. Alsum said that the U.S. Potato Board executive committee will present a report on its findings to the full U.S. Potato Board in March and to the board's Administrative Committee in Las Vegas in January. The reports will be oriented so U.S. growers and packers may learn of potential opportunities from what is happening in the British potato industry.
