Sweet potatoes in bags making inroads

Shippers say consumers like the convenience of picking up bagged sweet potatoes, and the 3-pound bag seems to be just the right size.

Sales of bagged sweet potatoes are picking up, said George Wooten, president and partner, Wayne E. Bailey Produce Co., Chadbourn, N.C.

The company packs 1.5-, 2-, 3-, and 5-pound bags. It also can pack 10-pound bags, but there isn’t enough demand for it to do so, Wooten said.

About 42% of Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Wada Farms Marketing Group’s sales of Dole Food Co.-brand sweet potatoes are to retail, and the majority is packed in 3-pound bags, said Shane Watt, director of sweet potatoes.

The increase in 3-pound bag sales is indicative of sweet potatoes’ growing popularity, said Mac Johnson, chief executive officer and president, Category Partners LLC.

Until recently, most sweets were loose at retail.