News on Food Trends from United Kingdom

Potato supplier Albert Bartlett (United Kingdom) has made its first entry into the sweet potato market with a listing at the British online retailer Ocado.

Scientists have identified a version of a single gene involved in the heat stress response that is more active in potato types that can tolerate high temperature, potentially providing potato breeders a tool to make potato varieties less vulnerable to increased temperature.

In the United Kingdom, farming minster George Eustice (DEFRA) has approved a four-year trial of genetically modified (GM) potatoes at The Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich.

Buntata is a collaborative effort between the University of St Andrews and the James Hutton Institute to enable open access to our information resources and put them at the fingertips of potato growers.

AHDB Potatoes has announced the appointment of a new chair and the addition of five new members to its board, replacing five members.

Potato Processing company M&F Ltd. - based in the United Kingdom - has closed after losing one of its main customers. M&F produced fresh cut and peeled potato products and supplied these to companies who further process these potatoes into ready meals for the UK’s major supermarkets.

McCain Foods announces an investment of £100m (USD 120m) in its Scarborough Potato Processing Plant (United Kingdom).

Time is rapidly running out to make sure potato stores in the United Kingdom comply with new rules on using chlorpropham (CIPC), which require the sprout suppressant to be applied using “active recirculation” at new lower rates.

UK retailer Morrisons has acquired the Carnoustie potato packing plant from Farmcare in a deal which will strengthen the supply of Scottish tubers to the supermarket chain.

Potato supplier Preva Produce, located in Norfolk, United Kingdom, is up for sale after 20 jobs were lost when cash pressures led to suspension of packing operation

After three years in office, Fiona Fell has announced she will stand down as an AHDB Board Member and Chair of the AHDB Potato Sector Board at the end of her term in office.

From TIMEOUT Blog London, PotatoPro learned that London now has its first 'Crisp Restaurant'. This paradise for potato (chips) lovers is located in Soho and is called Hipchips

AHDB Potatoes' first provisional estimate of total production in Great Britain for the 2016 crop year is 5.22 million tonnes, down 5% from 2015. Average yields for GB are estimated at just under 45 tonnes/ha, down 8% on last year.

AHDB Potatoes has pledged to work closely with the seed potato sector and Scottish Government to ensure that the industry maintains a low level of the bacterial disease blackleg.

Jim Cruickshank OBE, one of the most well respected seed producers in the UK, is this year’s winner of the British Potato Industry Award, organised by AHDB Potatoes.

Branston, one of the biggest potato suppliers in the United Kingdom, has officially opened its £5 million prepared potato factory extension in partnership with Tesco.

Europe Snacks and Kolak Food Snacks Ltd. announced that they have joined forces.

AHDB Potatoes will use this year’s Seed Industry Event on 3 November to review the industry’s current approach to controlling blackleg. The biennial conference, held this year in St Andrews, will also provide growers with an insight into the potential impact of Brexit, and scope out the potato market, both at home and abroad.