Potato News from Europe

Today, TOMRA, announced the appointment of Felix Flemming to Head of Digital for TOMRA Sorting Solutions. His appointment and mandate highlights the growing importance of software in (food) processing equipment.

After supplying potatoes for processing for 20 years, Yiannis Stavrou said that his company started to think about entering into the table potato market. From this, a new fresh potato and onion brand was born: Fokeon Gaia

Paturpat, a Spanish company specialised in processing and marketing steamed potatoes, has opted for a TOMRA Food Orbit steam peeler.

Two potato packaging companies in Germany have been fined a total of ‎€ 13.2 million (USD 15.8 million) for price fixing related to their supplies to the Metro Supermarket group.

Ishida Europe has introduced an internal moisture sensor and monitoring system for its latest multihead weighers, which will enable fresh and frozen food producers to more easily control and prevent water ingress into their critical production equipment.

The European Potato Trade Association Europatat elected a new board yesterday. Gilles Fontaine was appointed President for the next three-years

The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 173.5 points in April 2018, nearly unchanged from March but up 2.7 percent from the corresponding period last year.

Exclusively for PotatoPro readers we can now show you a video of the industrial application of a Pulsemaster Conditioner Pulsed Electric Field system at industrial scale, treating the full line load of potatoes (60 tons/hour) for a large French Fry line.

This spring Kettle Foods launches in the United Kingdom a new range of price marked packs (£1 per bag) to target the growing sharing snacks market.

Google research, developed on behalf of McCain, showed how ‘Micro Moments’ in consumer search habits are impacting eating out.

Merger talks between British supermarket chains Sainsbury's and Asda are at an "advanced" stage, Sainsbury's has confirmed.

The European Commission decided on Friday April, 27 2018 to impose a complete ban on neonicotinoids, referring to the risk they pose to wild bees and honeybees.

Following a case of poisoning caused by a potato dish, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is reminding people about the correct handling of potatoes.

Today, the first Russian large-scale French fries production facility - built in Lipetsk by a Joint Venture of the Russian Belaya Dacha Group and Lamb Weston / Meijer - was officially opened

The weather has not been kind to potato growers in the United Kingdom. AHDB potatoes offers some helpful tips and guidance to make it a successful potato growing season nevertheless.

Industry association Starch Europe announced earlier this month that Andreas Delvaux joined the organisation as Communication Manager.

Dutch Potato Packer and Processor Quik's recently completed its new building. The company offers fresh potatoes (Quik's Fresh Potatoes) and chilled potato products and specialities (Quik's Potato Products). Both building and products were on display earlier this month.

Potato Processor Lamb Weston / Meijer and Wiskerke Onions are working hard on the construction of a residual heat connection between the two adjacent companies - a unique way to save energy.