Potato News from Europe

Lamb Weston's European joint venture, Lamb Weston / Meijer has published its sustainability report for 2015-2016. Compared to the reference year 2008, energy consumption per tonne of product has reduced by more than 21% and potato utilisation has improved by 4.5%.

The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged almost 172 points in December 2016, unchanged from November. For 2016 as a whole, the index averaged 161.6 points, down 1.5 percent from 2015, representing the fifth consecutive annual decline.

Fabcon Food Systems (FFS) has been appointed sole distributor of the Definitive Innovation range in the UK and Ireland.

Lamb Weston / Meijer invested in four new FAM Tridis 240P cutters for the production of its wavy fries in Bergen op Zoom

Weighing solutions specifically developed for the special characteristics of fresh produce, and cost-effective entry-level tray sealing and X-ray machines will be demonstrated by Ishida Europe at Fruit Logistica 2017.

Potato supplier Preva Produce, located in Norfolk, United Kingdom, is up for sale after 20 jobs were lost when cash pressures led to suspension of packing operation

After three years in office, Fiona Fell has announced she will stand down as an AHDB Board Member and Chair of the AHDB Potato Sector Board at the end of her term in office.

Earlier in December Agrico held its central general members’ meeting, during which the Annual Report 2015/2016 was discussed and Jan Wolthuis stepped down as chairman of Agrico.

Potato Company Branston in the United Kingdom says it will see demand for potatoes double from 150 to 300 tonnes in the week before Christmas.

Potato Starch Cooperative AVEBE yesterday appointed Martin Möllering, Huub van Rozendaal and Marijke Folkers-In ’t Hout as a member of the Supervisory Board.

Jan van Luchene of Bruwier Potatoes, a Belgian company specialized in acquiring and delivering the potatoes you need offers his view of the current potato market in Belgium and Europe.

On the January 1, 2017 the RUCIP European Committee secretariat will be effectively transferred from Paris to Brussels. From the same date a new set of Rules and Practices of the Inter-European Trade in Potatoes (RUCIP) will also start to apply.

Farm Frites, a Dutch family business specializing in fries and potato products, has been presented with a charity voucher worth €2,000 after winning The Golden Fry competition, held by TOMRA Sorting Food, a leading provider of sensor-based food sorting machines.

Italian snack manufacturer Preziosi Food (Mitica) integrated new frying, seasoning and packaging systems from leading processing and packaging solutions provider, tna, to launch a new line of batch-fried potato chips.

Belgian pre-fried and frozen potato products manufacturer Agristo is teaming up with Egemin Automation for the third time in a row for the construction of a new, fully automated high-bay deepfreeze warehouse.

The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 171.3 points in November 2016, only 0.4 percent below its October level, but still 10.4 percent higher than in November 2015.

TOMRA Sorting Food has launched a new way of naming its food sorting machines to bring clarity and simplicity to the way its next generation of sorters can be identified and specified by customers.

Avebe takes an active role in the development of appealing, nutritional and healthy food products with potato based solutions.