New Foodservice Opportunities for Mashed Potatoes
Well, around many American dining room tables tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner, mashed potatoes will play an important and traditional role. Many cultures, however, are not as familiar with mashed potatoes so providing new and exciting ways of introducing U.S. mashed potatoes in the instant form are important to the United States Potato Board's marketing efforts across the globe.USPB International Marketing Manager TK Kuwahara says
Kuwahara: "They are introducing mashed potatoes just as mashed potatoes, because a lot of these foreign markets aren't as familiar with them. So they are a great side-dish to some of their with meat dishes like a steak and potato which is very westernized and they are familiar with westernized menus. But then the chefs are also taking U.S. mashed potatoes to a new level. They are making things like croquettes or the Bob Bistro restaurant in Indonesia made kombalies. And the Four Seasons Hotel in Indonesia made a breakfast casserole with the U.S. mashed potatoes. The excitement for U.S. mashed potatoes in new applications is seen throughout all of our target markets."
Other uses include as noodle broth thickener as well as an ingredient in bread.