Good results continue from international Frozen Product program

Farm and Ranch Report July 21, 2010 One of the longest running international market development programs of the U.S. Potato Board is its Frozen Product program.

Susan Weller is the manager of the program, which includes establishing U.S. fries as the standard in developing and emerging markets. That work is accomplished through the staff of overseas representatives.

Weller: “They talk to the trade and get them excited about U.S. products. They tell them the benefits of using U.S. products. We also have food engineers who are in the market who help train people who are willing to switch to U.S. or upgrade the specs they are using.”

Weller says a selling point for U.S. frozen potatoes is high solids.

Weller: “Though U.S may be more expensive they are actually saving on oil because when you have a higher solid product the oil doesn‘t penetrate into the product and you use less oil. And actually, oil is more expensive than potatoes.”

Weller puts increasing demand for frozen product overseas in perspective.

Weller: “Over I believe it is 50% of our U.S. potatoes that are being exported are frozen products.”

In fiscal 2009 forty-eight restaurants in the target markets added, upgraded or switched to U.S. products from competitors, and in the first nine months of fiscal 2010 thirty-eight restaurants did so.

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.