Sweet potato market has grown 300% in the last 10 years

Although the sweet potato is a small product category, the last 10 years has seen a rise in popularity. Sweet potatoes are imported into Europe with the USA as the largest exporter with an estimated total market of 80,000 tons. Over the last 10 years the segment has grown by at least 300%. Almost half of all imports come from the USA. In second place, by quite a margin, is Israel with 18% of the import. Experts anticipate that the market will continue to grow strongly over the next five years.

Import of sweet potato to Europe

Cultivation centralised in the Southern USA
Most sweet potatoes come from the Southern USA, with North Carolina being the most important producer. ASPMI will begin their promotion campaign on 1^st July 2014 and promotional activities will also begin in other markets such as Canada and Mexico.

Sweet potato promotion in North & West Europe
The American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute (ASPMI) was only recently established. The task of this institute is to support the growing sweet potato export from the USA. Europe is the main market for sweet potato from the US with a 50% market share.

European Representation
Phaff Export Marketing have been chosen for the job of marketing and promoting exports into Europe. In the USA the sweet potato is a standard part of the shopping list. In Europe only trend-setters and luxury restaurants are familiar with sweet potatoes along with the immigrant population, therefore good information about sweet potatoes will be essential when the ASPMI promotional campaign starts.

Next to culinary aspects, information on the health aspects of the sweet potato and the different varieties will be provided and the promotion will focus on using both fresh sweet potato and its by-products.

For more information:
Phaff Export Marketing bv
Postbus 281
8250 AG Dronten
Tel: +31(0)321-387933
pem@phaff.com