A slice of the spud market
18 September 1999
A slice of the spud market
What do buyers want? Lucy Stephenson finds out which varieties are currently in flavour with the buyers, and which have been given the sack.
WHOLL be eating your potatoes? The experts agree that your choice of varieties should be as much about your end market as how well they will suit your farm. The multiples are gaining an increasing share of the retail market. Overall demand for particular varieties is changing as some fall out of favour while new ones make their debut. But theres no simple formula for variety choice: both supply and demand for particular varieties varies from region to region.
Multiples bag most
Supermarkets, of course, take the biggest mouthful of the potato market. Five years ago supermarkets took 40% of retail potato sales; now they take 68%, according to the British Potato Council.
Fresh potatoes make up the bulk of potatoes for human consumption, but processed potatoes arent far behind (see pie chart).
The supermarkets supremacy stretches across not only the fresh market but also processed sectors: frozen products, crisps and convenience products (see pie chart).
Home grown
Supermarkets are sourcing more of their potatoes from Britain. "British potatoes are the top priority, accounting for 70-80% of sales. We imported less this year than last – only new potatoes out of the UK season," says Sainsburys potato buyer Martin Dunford.
Waitrose bought 95% of its main crop potatoes from Britain last season. "We have a very strong policy to support home produce. The volumes we require arent as great as the Big Four and that works to our advantage: big isnt always beautiful," comments Waitroses potato buyer Peter Cooke.
Tesco is leading a trend towards sourcing not just British, but locally grown produce. "Weve had outstanding feedback from this local theme; sales have gone up this year. Consumers started buying earlier in the year and came back for repeat purchases. They recognise locally grown potatoes as good and fresh and they want to support growers where they live," explains Tescos potato buyer Roy Maynard. "If an area isnt traditionally a potato area, such as Lancashire, Shropshire and Yorkshire, we have asked our packers to find growers there."
Multiple tactics
Its in supermarkets that the biggest battle for consumers takes place as potatoes jostle with alternatives such as pasta and rice. Different outlets attract consumers by offering different varieties and new ways of presenting them; these often have specific variety requirements.
One rapidly expanding sector is fresh prepared potatoes – starting from a small base but growing at 30% a year according to Sainsburys Fraser Ewart-White. Parcooked baby potatoes in herb butter or garlic have to be waxy varieties to hold together when the busy consumer tosses them into the pan or microwave – Maris Peer or Charlotte for example, he says.
ASDAs latest range sells potatoes pre-packed and labelled for baking, mashing or roasting (pictured). "We have a wide specification for the saver bags, offering value to customers for what is often a stomach filler. However, the packs are marked with variety so that customers know that the eating quality will be good," says ASDAs potato buyer Naomi Hansell. Baking bags contain either Cara, Marfona or Estima; Maris Piper for roasting; and King Edwards and Desiree for mashing.
Roll out new varieties
New varieties tend to roll gently on to the market rather than tumble; old varieties hold their own well. The packers are the linchpin in the system; with close links to breeders, they run trials and choose new varieties to offer their buyers.
"Latterly there has been more regard for what will drive sales," says Stuart Edwards of Fenmark. "We have to be driven by the consumer who dictates what is picked up and what isnt. Theres an awful lot of listening work with consumer groups so what is available is a reflection of what is sought."
Mash the opposition
Supermarket chains often negotiate buyer exclusivity on new varieties. This year Sainsbury is introducing a new salad variety, Juliet, which will be grown just for it. "Its not dynamically different to Charlotte, but it is the next step. It has Charlottes smooth creamy texture but it has a melt in the mouth flavour to match," says Mr Dunford. Juliet will be sold alongside Charlotte to begin with but could replace it in a few years, he adds.
Tesco is currently negotiating exclusivity for a new ware variety. Tescos technical manager Adrian Smith wouldnt be drawn on the name of the variety. However, he claims that it not only has an exceptional skin finish and flavour, but is also agronomically very versatile – suitable for all land types.
New interest – old varieties
Meanwhile Waitrose hopes to generate consumer interest with its vintage varieties. Its reintroducing Mr Bresee, Fortyfold and Shetland Black for their flavour and skin attributes.
Sacked
Some varieties are falling out of favour – with growers, buyers and consumers. Varieties proving difficult to grow or to store lose money for growers and processors, and create supply problems that supermarkets are keen to avoid, says David Hudson of Sutton Bridge.
Despite good flavour and cooking qualities, growers have given Saxon the sack. The variety has proved susceptible to bruising, particularly on heavier soils, says Stuart Edwards of Fenmark. Fianna is losing popularity because of rotting problems, and fewer grow Minerva because it picks up moisture easily and shatters, then rots, says Paul Bibby of Branston potatoes. Adora has lost support because of its tendency to produce misshapes.
Rockets name reflects its popularity: with earlier harvesting and higher yields than its contemporaries it shot up like a rocket, reached the peak of its popularity about five years ago, and since then has fallen down like one, says Mr Edwards. "The more it became available the more its weakness was seen – poor eating quality." ASDA samples Rocket by load but isnt keen. "It tends to have a short shelf life as well," adds Ms Hansell.
Consumers have rejected Romano because of its bland flavour and its poor cooking quality – it goes crumbly on the outside, says Mr Hudson. Sainsbury has phased the variety out. "Its part of the downward trend of the reds," says Mr Dunford.
Varieties for different markets
Different markets have different requirements for appearance, cooking quality, and taste. Varieties that suit several markets are the exception; Maris Piper is one. It sits as happily as a fresh pack potato as a french fry or a jacket, says Fenmarks Mr Edwards.
Flavour doesnt necessarily come first: the flavour of a potato in a salad will come from the dressing so the buyer is looking for texture: a smooth, waxy, firm potato, he says.
Some buyers have colour preferences; many of the new varieties of the last decade are Dutch bred with yellow flesh, such as Colmo and Minerva. Visual appearance is important; under-skin bruising is not always visible and is a major challenge to the industry as a whole, he comments.
Bruising was a problem this year in the early summer dry spell. "We had major problems with mechanical damage and bruising and rejected one in ten samples," says Tescos Mr Smith.
Processors and packers are often involved with most aspects of the market and cater for markets with a range of quality requirements. But finding a market for potatoes that dont make the grade isnt always easy.
Even chip shops are picky. They need chips that dont go brown on the outside before theyre properly cooked. "A lot of chip shops ask for Maris Piper, and during the early season want Maris Bard. Maris Piper makes more money than Estima and Marfona because it fries well, and they like white chips. Estima and Marfona are yellow-fleshed, and the dry matter content is wrong for frying sometimes," says John Risedale of Louth Potatoes.
Heres what the buyers are looking for at the moment. But which do your local buyer need?
Bags more of that one…
Because outlets arent evenly distributed and dont all want the same varieties, demand for particular varieties varies locally. So does supply: the local balance of varieties also depends on agronomy; some varieties grow better in certain areas.
For example, the proportion of King Edwards grown in Lincoln-shires full bodied soils is higher than in Somersets silty soils where Estima grows particularly well, explains Paul Bibby of Branston Potatoes.
No couch potatoes
"The question growers need to ask their local buyer is not which varieties do you want us to grow? but which varieties do you want us to grow more of?" says Mr Bibby. "Growers should be pro-active."
Being associated with a grower group gives you a closer feel of market demand even if you dont commit all your produce to it, says Sutton Bridges Mr Hudson. "Theres a drift towards orderly marketing. If you are prepared to put yourself out and tell the buyer what youve got and when it will be ready then marketing the whole lot will be easier," he says.
Margin management
The spot market is the last resort for many buyers. Supermarkets and packers prefer to source potatoes grown by arrangement, to standards that their processors and packers can verify.
Market priority at Branston Potatoes goes to growers who subscribe to their producer group, which also provides technical support, agronomy, and storage facilities.
The simplest crop agreements lay down variety, tonnage, time of year and quality requirements. ASDA has taken this one step further by offering a cost-plus scheme for main crop pre-pack potatoes. The price reflects the true costs of growing the crop – including an allowance for land rent, plus a return.
Growers can put 30-60% of their crop area into the scheme, which evens out the peaks and troughs over several years for both grower and buyer. "Its designed as an incentive to produce the right quality at maximum volume; efficiency that ensures ASDA gets more of what its customers want," says Ms Hansell.
First/second earlies (new): Anya, Carlingford, Charlotte, Colmo, Javelin, Juliet, Maris Bard, Maris Peer, Minerva, Nicola, Premiere
Main crop (pre-pack/ wholesale ware): Cara, Claret, Desiree,Estima, Fianna, King Edward, Marfona, Maris Piper, Nadine, Pentland Squire, Red Duke of York, Sante, Saxon, Shannon, Wilja
Salad: Anya, Belle de Fontenay, Carlingford, Charlotte, Francine, Jersey Royals, La Ratte, Red Duke of York, Rosevale, Vivaldi
Punnet: Carlingford, Charlotte, Elivira, Francine, Jersey Royal, La Ratte, Maris Bard, Maris Peer, Nicola, Rosevale
Baking: Cara, Estima, Marfona
Fresh prepared: Cara, Charlotte, Estima, Maris Piper, Marfona, Maris Bard, Maris Peer, Nadine
Organic new: Jersey Royal, Maris Bard, Nicola
Organic main: Claret, Remarka, Sante, Symphonia
Greengrocers: Desiree, Estima, Marfona, Romano
Crisping: Atlantic, Hermes, Lady Rosetta, Saturna
French fries: Estima, Maris Piper, Russet Burbank
Chip shop: Fianna, Maris Bard, Maris Piper, Premiere