Potato Grower

July 2010 Potato Grower

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COMMISSION MISSION by Frank Muir, IPC President and CEO Gem State Fries Tailoring Idaho potatoes to foodservice operators THE IPC DEVELOPS AND IMPLEMENTS tailored marketing programs to reach four distinct audiences: consumers, retailers, international customers and foodservice operators and distributors. While each program uses different marketing tactics, the overarching goals are to remind all customers of the consistent quality they are buying when they select Idaho potatoes and to encourage them to increase potato usage. This is especially true for foodservice operators. One of the most important reasons chefs and foodservice operators use Idaho potatoes is their consistent, high-quality performance. For example, national chain restaurants that use primarily Idaho potatoes, such as Five Guys and Wingstop, rely on the potato’s unmatched consistency because their french fries are equally as important as their other main menu items: burgers and chicken wings. These chains serve thousands of orders of french fries each day, and they need assurance that every potato they use will deliver the perfect french fry their customers have come to expect. In addition to performance, Five Guys and Wingstop choose to use Idaho potatoes because they know Idaho is a superior brand their customers trust. In fact, these two chains are so committed to Idaho potatoes that they heavily promote the brand without receiving any incentive from the IPC. For example, each Five Guys restaurant showcases the towns in Idaho where the potatoes are grown and uses stacks of Idaho potato sacks as décor. Wingstop prominently mentions Idaho potatoes in its national television advertising campaign. It’s no surprise that these two chains purchase massive quantities of Idaho potatoes. There are many other foodservice operations across the country who prefer to serve Idaho potatoes above all other potatoes. A sampling of the restaurants and their Idaho potato usage include: n Varsity (Atlanta, Ga.): 35,000 pounds a week at one location n Lawry’s Prime Rib (Las Vegas, Nev.): 2,300 pounds per week n Cheeburger Cheeburger (30 units in the Southeast): one location purchases 30 cartons per week n Five Guys (over 500 units across the country): one Denver restaurant uses 3,600 pounds per week n Good Times Burgers (44 locations in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana): uses 63,000 pounds per week To help facilitate the needs of these chains and other foodservice establishments, both large and small, the IPC has a staff of three Foodservice Field Marketing Representatives who meet almost daily with foodservice distributors and produce specialists to help key decision makers understand why Idaho potatoes are the best choice for their operations. The IPC also proactively assists with menu ideation—helping restaurants develop new potato menu items that satisfy their customers’ tastes while generating revenue. Moving forward, the outlook for Idaho potatoes in foodservice establishments is very promising: n As the premium hamburger trend continues to grow, so will the demand for premium french fries and other potato side dish offerings; n Baked potatoes and baked potato bars are making a comeback as consumers continue to look for more healthy food options; n Mashed potatoes are featured on almost every menu; however, chefs are just now realizing the added benefit of offering a selection of creative flavored or spiced mashed potatoes that will increase potato consumption and revenue for their restaurants; n The country is slowly pulling out of the recession and restaurants are seeing business bounce back, especially during the weekdays. Foodservice is and has always been a very dynamic, exciting area of business for the IPC. We are continually identifying new opportunities that help increase usage and ultimately sales of Idaho potatoes. PG 34 Potato Grower | JULY 2010

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