Potato Grower

38 POTATO GROWER | SEPTEMBER 2020 FINDING A WAY Potatoes USA By Kendra Keenan Global Marketing Manager for Foodservice Many restaurants have tailored their operations through creative menu development and serving concepts to help keep the lights on this year. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the foodservice industry was approaching an all- time high with steady growth and constant menu innovation. For the U.S. potato industry, this meant an increase of 7.3 percent in domestic potato volume sales over five years, with 58 percent of the U.S. potato market allocated to foodservice, and 85 percent of frozen potatoes going to restaurants and other foodservice channels. Due to in-person restaurant dining closures, the National Restaurant Association reported that the U.S. foodservice industry lost $120 billion in sales from March to May and is predicted to lose $240 billion in sales by the end of 2020. As of June 12, 75 percent of operators say it is unlikely their respective restaurants will be profitable within the next six months. Although restaurants are currently re-opening their indoor and outdoor dining rooms, many operators are not expecting "business as usual" or even full recovery until two to five years, according to Technomic, a leading foodservice industry research firm. Despite the devastating impact on the foodservice industry, many restaurants have tailored their operations through creative menu development and serving concepts to help keep the lights on. Operators are focusing on foods that deliver well, family bundle meals, and immunity-boosting foods. Potatoes are positioned well in all of these categories. Delivery Foods traditionally perceived as easy to deliver, such as pizza, wings, and hamburgers, have driven sales over the past few months. These trends present an excellent opportunity for potatoes, as they pair nicely with pizza, hamburgers, wings and much more. One area of untapped potential is the combination of potatoes on pizza. This flavor and texture combination is wildly successful in Asia- Pacific countries but has not reached its peak in the U.S. From the Northeast classic mashed potato pizza to a breakfast hash brown pizza, potatoes can play a significant role in pizza enhancement. On the other hand, if a potato dish, like delicious fries, accompanies these popular items and is not delivered to crispy perfection, the soggy experience could discourage a repeat purchase, which is crucial to a restaurant's success. To prevent this soft spud misfortune, the potato industry should continue to provide simple solutions for restaurants, such as packaging tips, recipe ideas and basic SKU education. Family Bundle Meals Dining room closures forced operators to quickly pivot their attention—and menus—to off-premise offerings. More than ever, consumers have been purchasing an increased amount of food for consumption at home. Because of these quickly evolving dining preferences, operators had to adapt by optimizing menus and service options. For example, as consumers looked to feed their households, the importance of family bundles and value meals grew. After cooking for days on end or experiencing homemade meal fatigue, consumers would look to restaurants for meals they couldn't make themselves. In response, operators from Buffalo Wild Wings to Panera Bread added non-standard family bundles at value prices. For smaller households, buy-one- take-one meals became popular as a way of reducing public outings. According to leading research firm Datassential, offerings like these have a higher purchase intent than other concepts, such as meal/baking kits or operator grocery services. Potatoes fare exceptionally well with bundled offerings, as they are affordable and familiar. Immunity-Boosting Foods Health has become more important to consumers, and building immunity is a top priority because it will help prevent illness. According to Datassential, some of the top 10 foods and nutrients believed to help boost immunity are root vegetables and vitamin C. Potatoes are a nutrient-dense vegetable, an excellent source of vitamin C, and a smart ingredient addition for operators looking for ways to improve their healthy offerings. As America's favorite vegetable and the No. 1 side dish on menus, it is important that the potato industry remind operators that potatoes are versatile, affordable and nutritious. If your business needs resources and recipes to supply to foodservice operators, please email kendra@potatoesusa.com. Foodservice innovation with potatoes in turbulent times

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