On May 6, 2025, a major project for the European potato industry was inaugurated in Rosche (Lower Saxony): the new test station for potato storage and sprout inhibition, realized by TASC International (Germany) GmbH in cooperation with its British partner DormFresh Ltd. In front of around 100 guests from agriculture, science, politics, and trade, Lars Willem Köpp (TASC) and John Forsythe (One Four Group) ceremoniously cut the red ribbon. The test station offers state-of-the-art technical equipment for analyzing and controlling storage conditions, including six gas-tight boxes with automated control of temperature, humidity, CO₂ content, and more.
© TASC International (Germany) GmbH
Group photo of the guests in attendance
The focus is particularly on practical research into innovative methods of sprout inhibition. The aim is to set new standards for quality assurance and sustainability at a time when classic sprout inhibitors such as CIPC are no longer permitted. For DormFresh, the facility is a decisive step toward EU approval of new sprout inhibitors. For TASC, as an internationally active potato trader, it means, above all, more expertise, fewer losses, and better control of the supply chain.
© TASC International (Germany) GmbH
Left: Tasc Germany CEO Lars Willem Köpp and John Forsythe from the One Four Group cut the red ribbon to officially open the test station. Right: Mr. Köpp in conversation with District Administrator Dr. Heiko Blume:
The total investment amounts to around EUR 600,000. The new test station comprises a total of 310 square meters of test space, 36 tons of storage capacity, six gas-tight boxes, temperature control from -1 to +25 degrees Celsius, and fully automatic control and recording of temperature, ventilation, humidity, CO₂ content, and energy consumption. "We will start the first series of trials this month with potatoes from the 2024 harvest. As soon as the station is accredited to GEP and ISO standards, DormFresh will have a test environment here to carry out trials for EU approval of sprout inhibitors. In other words, this is where product development and commercial reality come together. And that was precisely our goal," says Lars Willem Köpp, Managing Director of TASC International GmbH, Germany.
© TASC International (Germany) GmbH
Insights into the brand-new storage rooms.
For more information:
Lars Willem Köpp
TASC International GmbH
Office: Bevensener Straße 10
29571 Rosche
Station: Deponiestraße 3
29571 Rosche
T: +49 5803 969 496 0
[email protected]
www.tasc-int.com
Dormfresh Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0)1738 633 859
Email: [email protected]
www.dormfresh.co.uk
