Revving up retail sales of fresh potatoes

Farm and Ranch Report July 14, 2010 The U.S. Potato Board has acquired a lot of knowledge about selling fresh potatoes at retail. One way it shares that information is through the Best Practice Partner program. Don Ladhoff, a consultant for the USPB, says the nine-month program focuses on six best practices; assortment, merchandising, promotion, pricing, handling and packaging.

Ladhoff: “And so with those six best practices, we work with different food retailers to help them understand and implement these practices in order to increase their fresh potato sales.”

Ladhoff says the Best Practice Partner program involves shippers with the USPB’s commitment to increase long term demand for potatoes.

Ladhoff: “And we urge shippers to nominate retailers that they think would benefit with involvement with best practices.”

By participating Ladhoff says retailers can see quick results that build over several months.

Ladhoff: “We have seen best practices generate sale increases from the low single digits to the single digits, eight, nine, sometimes even 10% increases in sales.”

Ladhoff says if you’re in the industry and know of a retailer who could benefit from the Best Practice Partner program, contact the U.S. Potato Board.

That’s the U.S. Potato Update. Brought to you by the United States Potato Board, maximizing return on grower investment. I’m Bob Hoff for Northwest Aginfo Net.