Claris ten Napel, Leo de Kock:

"Red-skinned potato growth mostly in organic and culinary"

Dutch potato wholesaler Leo de Kock from Purmerend wouldn’t call itself an expert in red potatoes per se, but that doesn’t stop the business from putting in the odd segment or two. "We distinguish basic red, organic-red, culinary red and mini-red. Where the consumption market has been slightly down in recent months, we see the demand for red-skinned potato stabilizing, if not slightly increasing," says Claris ten Napel, employed at Leo de Kock. "Preferences differ per country of course. Portugal for instance, has a long-standing tradition with red potatoes."

Organic
Opportunities, according to the potato merchant, are most prevalent in the organic segment. "The same goes for more varied colored potatoes. The growth in sales of organic potatoes was somewhat muted by the crisis, but with organic red potatoes we foresee further growth, albeit a modest one. New organic-red varieties are being developed as we speak, such as the Allouette, which is completely resistant to Phytophthora. It’s partly because of this last characteristic that I see great possibilities with this breed."

Another striking organic potato marketed by Leo de Kock is the Carolus which, although yellow in color, is dotted with red spots. "Last year we had only a small amount to work with, but this year there are larger volumes available. Potatoes with different colors and shapes simply offer opportunities for marketing and this potato is a good example of that. "

Culinary
Another segment cherished by Leo de Kock is culinary-red. "We have been working with the Cerisa for three years now. Cerisa is an ideal oven potato and a customer favorite. Sales this year have gone up again," says Claris. "The culinary-red segment still has enough growth potential, if well promoted, and as long as it’s marketed the right way.”

More information:
Leo de Kock
Claris ten Napel
E: claris@leodekock.nl
W: www.leodekock.nl

Publication date: Mon 8 Dec 2014