News on Food Trends from the Americas

EarthFresh launches new Biobased Mesh Packaging for Baby Potatoes and Baby Sweet Potatoes.

Scientists at the International Potato Center (CIP) are shifting their focus to the long-term effects of COVID-19 to anticipate and understand how food systems may be impacted in the coming years.

Retail potato sales soar, increasing 10.4% in dollar sales and 9.3% in volume sales between July 1, 2019, and May 19, 2020, according to IRI. All potato categories across the retail store, except deli-prepared sides, increased in dollar and volume sales, according to a report by Potatoes USA.

Romain Cools, President, and CEO of the World Potato Congress Inc. (WPC) announces the appointment of three new Directors to its Board effective July 1, 2020: Dr. Nigel Crump, Australia, and Mrs. Elven Huang, China, both former WPC International Advisors, and Mr. Bret Nedrow, USA.

Transaction Introduces Utz as Publicly Listed Company After Nearly 100 Years as Family-Owned Business

McCain Foods confirmed that layoffs have occurred at its Carberry potato processing plant in an email sent by the company to the Sun on Wednesday.

The National Potato Council has welcomed USDA’s announcement of a $50 million surplus potato purchase to support the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has shaken the whole world-impacting society and the global economy similar to the effect of a world war.

As consumers increasingly turn online for their food and beverage needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, PepsiCo, Inc. announced the launch of PantryShop.com and Snacks.com, two direct-to-consumer websites where shoppers can order an assortment of PepsiCo's brands.

This year, this is a season when dreams die. Due to an epic potato glut that imploded his market, he has decided to do what was once unthinkable — destroy part of his crop rather than sink more dollars into cultivation.

Potato chip-maker Utz Quality Foods is in talks to be acquired by Collier Creek Holdings, a company started by former Blackstone Group Inc. executives, according to people familiar with the matter.

'This will help to ensure no product is lost so that farmers are in a good position for the 2020 growing season'

The J.R. Simplot potato processing plant in Grand Forks has closed for two weeks, beginning on Thursday, April 23.

Total acres of Idaho’s iconic potato crop could decrease significantly this year as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Although there was a rush on potatoes at grocery stores early on.

Restaurant closures have slashed demand although ‘chip sales have been great,’. French fry sales are down across North America as tens of thousands of restaurants have closed during COVID-19, which means the potato industry has to adapt quickly.

Black Gold Farms, Grand Forks, N.D., will start the harvest of red potatoes in Texas soon. The company will be harvesting the potatoes for about a month, starting in early May in Pearsall, Texas, according to a news release.

Yara North America, a market leader in crop nutrition, has joined the Potato Sustainability Alliance. As a member, Yara will work with processors, packers, buyers, grower organizations, conservation groups, academia, and other stakeholders.

Studies show that 70-80% of people research a company online before making a purchase. Shoppers search to find information about their potential food purchases in addition to the companies that produce it and what they stand for.