Nash Produce introduce two new potato varieties

With sweet potatoes making a shift from being an item being featured solely in dishes around the holidays, Nash Produce is trying to tap into this increasing interest with two new varieties of the potato: purple Murasaki potatoes and white Bonitas.

“We have increased acreage of interesting varietals in the sweet potatoes,” says Laura Hearn of Nashville, NC-based Nash Produce. “So the Murasaki have a dark purple on the outside, and cream colored on the inside. They’re sweet with just a hint of chestnut flavor and the texture is a bit fluffy and a little less moist than traditional sweet potatoes.” Meanwhile, Bonitas have both white skin and flesh. “And some people say these are the ‘sweeter’ sweet potato,” says Hearn. “They have similar texture to the Murasaki, so a bit fluffy, and are delicious as a swap for regular sweet potatoes.”

And not only are regular sweet potatoes and varieties appearing on dinner tables more often, they’re rapidly becoming a steady, year-round grocery item says Nash. “Consumers are particularly interested in eating healthier and fresh, so January and February have become heavy months for sweet potatoes with New Year’s Resolutions and diets,” she says.

The potatoes are grown by some of the 45 farmers who farm throughout the eastern part of North Carolina for Nash. And following the fall harvest in North Carolina, Hearn says that the total acreage harvested is similar in volume to what they saw for the 2015 crop. “And we’ve seen good quality in this crop and supply is steady,” she adds.

Laura Hearn
Nash Produce
Tel : +252 443 6011
laurahearn@nashproduce.com
www.nashproduce.com