Marketing Campaign in Japan Promotes U.S. Frozen Potatoes

The world’s largest market for U.S. potatoes is Japan. United States Potato Board International Marketing Manager for the Frozen program Susan Weller shares more about a new umbrella marketing campaign in Japan for U.S. frozen potatoes called SUMAPO.

Weller: “So we are trying to focus on the increase use of U.S. potatoes for food service and many other things. So SUMAPO means think smart, prepare smart, serve smart, and eat smart. Just trying to get the food service to launch frozen potato products, as well as dehy products in the market by promoting this Smart Potato concept of if you use U.S. potatoes then you are thinking smart because you are not having to extra preparation that it takes; you are going to be able to serve more conveniently; and people are going to be happy about eating nutritious potatoes.”

Although it was only launched a year ago, the program has produced some results, Weller says

Weller: “We have a company that is a Karoke that actually launched a new product, garlic fries.”