While it was already possible for consumers to find Delicatesse potatoes around Easter thanks to the greenhouse crops, HDC Lamotte began harvesting its field Delicatesse potatoes at the end of May. “We had a late start because of the drought and the lack of high temperatures, but we are still on volumes similar to last year. The difficulty we are facing today concerns the storms that have hit the region, bringing a lot of water in a short amount of time but otherwise, we are quite satisfied with the start of the campaign,” explains Lucas Lamotte.
A premium potato with strong local roots
The Delicatesse is a small early potato that is difficult to dissociate from the Drôme region. “This potato has strong local roots. It is characterized by its small size, firm flesh with extremely thin skin, and its oblong shape, thanks to the very soft soil in which it grows. The soil is made up of molasse and agglomerated sand deposited by the erosion of the hills.” Today, this niche product represents annual volumes of just over 5,000 tons, 1,600 of which are produced by HDC Lamotte.
A new segmentation for more service
Until now, the company has been selling the Delicatesse in bulk, in wooden crates of 5kg and in 100% cardboard trays of 750g, and in two distinct calibers: shot and grapeshot. But this year, HDC Lamotte has decided to create a new segmentation in order to make the Delicatesse accessible to a wider audience.
“This potato truly is one of those products with superior taste quality. It is a unique potato in terms of texture, nutty taste and visual quality. We wanted to make it accessible to a wider audience by offering a new packaging format: the 500g microwaveable bag, which will be on the market this week. The idea is to create a new segmentation to offer more service to the consumers, enabling them to enjoy a good product even when they do not have a lot of time on their hands. Since the end of the Covid pandemic, people have been looking again for practical, ready-to-eat products. Steam cooking, which the microwave can accomplish in about 10 minutes, is another way of introducing people to this lovely local potato.”
“Making a good product accessible to as many people as possible means more affordable prices, but also more convenience and a gain of time. Our job is to feed people, so we might as well do it the right way and with good products!”
For more information:
Lucas Lamotte
HDC Lamotte
Phone: 07 87 32 65 94
[email protected]