11 October 2022
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Increasing energy and transport costs makes geographical position a key advantage, says supplier.
POTATO supplier EarthFresh, which is based in North America, believes proximity to its food service customers is what is helping it overcome some of the current challenges facing those in the potato supply chain.
The company supplies different ranges including organic, Green Giant, Steam and Go, speciality and conventional.
Senior Director of Sales Andrew George said in a recent interview: “Our strategy has always been to be positioned as close to our customers as possible and we’re seeing the importance of that during these times.”
He said its partners in the food service segment have recovered from the Covid impact and business has returned to normal, but he's found that new challenges from rising costs mean it's a definite advantage to be positioned closer to them.
He said the company saw a strong demand for all types of potatoes during the Covid-19 pandemic is 2020 and 2021, as it became a staple item when people cooked more at home.
Currently, the company is seeing strong demand for organic potatoes and yellow potatoes from health-conscious consumers and people continuing to cook at home, but there is also a move back to commodity offerings as a national recession takes hold.
“As we are entering a more turbulent economy, consumers are becoming more conscious of how they spend their dollars,” George said.
Source: Earthfreshfoods
