News On French Fries and Potato Specialties from Europe

The extreme heat and drought is a disaster for the upcoming potato harvest. And for processors too: in Belgium, potato chips manufacturer Roger&Roger (Croky) temporarily halts production of some its flavours to manage the lack of potato supply.

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 German Association of Fruit, Vegetables and Potato Processing Industry (BOGK) expects that the potato harvest in Germany and Europe will be significantly reduced in quantity, as well as quality compared to the previous year due to the long ongoing drought and heat wave.

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.

The INTERPOM PRIMEURS, a trade show entirely focused on the potato industry held November 25 - 27 2018 in Kortrijk Xpo (Belgium), has already sold out all stand space.

Ibersnacks merged with the Europe Snacks group, thus consolidating its dominance over the European snack market with 9 operational plants in 3 different countries.

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.

Belgapom, the Belgian potato trade and processing industry association, has appointed Marc Van Herreweghe as its new chairman.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Earlier this year, there was a change in the position of the President and CEO of Farm Frites Poland SA. Ernst Christoph Lehmann-Bärenklau was replaced by Adam Klasa.

The Irish Potato Federation – with the support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Bord Bia, Failte Ireland and Teagasc – has won its bid to host the World Potato Congress (WPC) in 2021 in Dublin.

The record year of 2016 for the Belgian potato processing industry continued into 2017, according to Belgapom, the Belgian potato trade and processing industry association.