TRADE AND MARKET I NG Successful Finnish market introduction of potato strips forces to develop a technical application to process potatoes into the new product. To be able to cut strips out of a potato, we developed a unique peeling, cutting, washing and blanching process. It’s important that the potato strips retain their crispiness’, explains Eric van Oorschot, innovation manager at Kiremko. ’Basically, these are steps in the process that we’re already familiar with, but we can now combine them in a new way. We can do this because we have the knowledge and experience to supply complete processing lines for both crisps and chips.’ The technical collaboration resulted in 2016 in the application for a patent in 58 countries to produce this type of potato product at HZPC. ‘It’s a broad and strong patent, because it protects the production method for fresh, frozen, pickled and freeze-dried products’, Feddes says. ‘In addition, as the basis for the potato strips, we use table potatoes grown under controlled conditions. The quality of the potatoes is monitored in our laboratories. Among other things, we check flavour and colour retention. That way we can deliver perfect strips all year round’, adds Feddes. Locally-cultivated potatoes Because neither Kiremko nor HZPC have plans to start their own processing line for the new product, they will work together to market their product under licence to customers worldwide. ‘This means that we’re moving far out of our comfort zone. We’ve done this, because we have a lot of confidence in the new product. After all, it consists of 100 percent potato. The strips are also gluten free, low in carbohydrates compared to rice, suitable for the fast-growing vegan market, and don’t require any additives such as sulphite. This product can give new inspiration to the table potato market, where consumption is under pressure’, explains Feddes. Together with the company Pohjolan Peruna Oy, the first market introduction was at the end of 2019. Pekka Sarlund, CEO of the Finnish company, explains that his company has been active in supplying potato products to the Finnish supermarket chains since 1962. Since 1985, the company has car‘With the new product, we not only give a lot of added value to the potato, we also offer Finnish consumers a unique product’, says Pekka Sarlund. ried the Mummon brand, which includes products ‘like grandma would make’. In addition to these traditional values, the local production of potatoes is also important. To achieve this, HZPC and Kiremko have done a lot of research to find suitable varieties. Feddes has discovered that, currently about four to five varieties are suitable. This year, Sarlund has processed the locally-grown Annabelle variety. Can be eaten both hot and cold Sarlund discovered the new concept at HZPC during the 2018 variety presentation days. After studying the patent, this summer he had Kiremko make a processing line in his factory that could produce the potato strips. ‘With the WOKSI® product, we not only give a lot of added value to the potato, we also offer Finnish consumers a unique product. So it’s nice to hear that the first reactions in the market are very positive. The broad application potential of the strips contributes to this. You can eat them both cold in a salad and hot in a dish. This is possible because the potato strips are blanched during the production process in the factory. So the consumer can choose from a wide range of products, using only a single package, which can be kept in the freezer for a long time. Because we freeze the strips separately, you can easily take any small quantity you need out of the package and leave the rest in the bag and put it back in the freezer’, explains the CEO. Van Oorschot adds that it is also possible to offer the strips as a ready-made fresh product in the refrigerated shelf. Roll out in other countries After its successful market introduction in Finland, HZPC and Kiremko want to roll out the product in other countries as well. ‘Besides explaining the concept, we also do a lot of consumer research in the markets of the companies we want to work with. This is important, because you can only introduce a new product successfully into a market once. And to do that, knowledge of the market is very important’, Feddes explains the market approach. He says that there are already many interested producers at the moment, so that consumers in other countries will soon be able to enjoy new potato inspiration as well. ● Jaap Delleman Potato World 2020 • number 1 45 Pagina 44
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