Potato News from United Kingdom

Research at the James Hutton Institute has identified genetic variations which can help protect potato crop yields at high temperature, potentially providing potato breeders with a valuable tool in their quest to create varieties resilient to heat stress

The Potato Processing companies in the United Kingdom have released a statement through the Potato Processors’ Association Ltd (PPA), expressing their concern for the impact of current weather conditions on UK potato processing sector.

The total area in Great Britain planted with potatoes is estimated at 119,000 hectares(ha), a fall of three per cent on the previous year. This would represent the third-lowest planted area on record, with an agricultural drought likely to affect yields.

Earlier this month, KP Snacks, part of the Intersnack Group, announced it had reached an agreement to acquire Popchips Ltd, which owns and operates the Popchips brand for Europe.

McCain, the UK’s number one frozen potato brand, has announced that Nick Vermont will be retiring from the business after a 35-year career at McCain Foods. Howard Snape will replace Nick as regional president, McCain Foods GB and Ireland.

Heat and Control and Ishida have demonstrated their complete solutions in snacks food production Open House event at the Ishida factory facility in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Earlier this month Nomad Foods Limited announced that it had completed its previously announced acquisition of Aunt Bessie’s Limited from William Jackson & Son Limited for a purchase price of approximately €240 million.

Northern Ireland chips and snacks company Tayto has acquired meat snacks company The Real Pork Crackling, in what is already its fourth acquisition this year.

The latest data on in-store airflow, tuber respiration and sprout suppression is included in the 3rd edition of Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research’s (SBCSR) Potato Store Managers’ Guide.

AHDB secured nine emergency authorisations for potato, herb, celery, carrot, parsnip, cherry and plum for UK growers to protect their crops.

With a groundbreaking ceremony, construction has started on the new potato receiving area for the Kettle Foods in the United Kingdom

Albert Bartlett, leading supplier of fresh potatoes in the United Kingdom, is to launch chilled potato products with major UK retailers and food service customers.

McDonald’s restaurants in the UK and Ireland will complete transition to paper straws in 2019; In Belgium the QSR chain is testing alternatives to plastic straws and trials are planned in the United States, France, Sweden, Norway and Australia later this year.

AHDB Potatoes is encouraging seed potato producers to consider Cuba as an export destination after recent meetings with Government officials in the country.

Nomad Foods Limited announced earlier this week that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Aunt Bessie’s Limited from William Jackson & Son Limited for approximately €240 million.

Last month the Intersnack Group announced that it had reached agreement for its KP Snacks business to acquire Tyrrells, Inc. and its global portfolio of better-for-you, premium snack brands from The Hershey Company.

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.

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.