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48 POTATO GROWER | FEBRUARY 2018 48 POTATO GROWER | FEBRUARY 2018 TANTALIZING TASTE-SPUDS Study reveals U.S. potatoes are top-of-mind among America's culinary frontrunners Potatoes USA RJ Harvey Global Foodservice Marketing Manager Potatoes are the perfect canvas for global favorites and hometown heroes. operators plan to use potatoes in new dishes. This is a call to action for potato innovation. Delivering turnkey solutions to the foodservice industry provides speed of service, meaning dishes using U.S. potatoes will be in front of consumers sooner rather than later. Secondly, tapping into the different potato formats means that, regardless of an operation's labor constraints or food cost targets, potatoes are an essential solution to maximizing profitability. Lastly, it's critical to note that consumers keep taste and craveability at the peak of importance when it comes to food choices. Potatoes are the perfect canvas for global favorites and hometown heroes. Because of their familiarity with consumers, restaurants can menu them in a myriad of ways. Because they are a familiar vegetable, they resonate with varying fan bases without alienating even the pickiest of customers. Over the past two years, 93 percent of respondents reported that there were either new potato dishes added to their menus or the potato dishes they had stayed the same. Only 7 percent reported that they reduced the number of dishes. According to the study, the overarching win for the potato industry is that consumers' attitude toward potatoes is still extremely favorable. In fact, 75 percent of consumers agree that they prefer dishes with potatoes as opposed to those without. Categorically, potatoes make up 25 percent of foodservice menus, The foodservice industry is one of the largest and most prolific sectors in commerce, with sales estimates at just over $761 billion and climbing for 2017. Many influences can cause shifts within the foodservice arena, but the most seismic factors are generational population trends, increased consumer access, and a focus on flavor and authenticity. A recent Technomic study found that 94 percent of 170412AgVant13s.indd 1 12/4/17 9:25 AM