UK: Tesco Cypriot potatoes get star treatment

Tesco has teamed up with Michelin starred chef Mark Sargeant and top food blogger Miss Marmite Lover, aka Kerstin Rodgers, to support its range of Cypriot new potatoes which will be available in store from December sold as loose and then under the Tesco Finest brand from January through to April.

The retailer is working with the chefs to highlight the superior fresh creamy taste and firm texture of the potatoes as well as their provenance, being hand harvested on family run farms to ensure each potato is blemish free and of the highest quality.

This has been brought to life in a video of Mark visiting a farm in Cyprus and then cooking up a recipe on the beach in front of iconic Cypriot landmark, Aphrodite’s Rock. Consumers will be able to view the video via an on pack QR code and on the Tesco Real Food Website, which will be cross promoted via Tesco Real Food Magazine using an AR code.

Mark Sargeant comments: “Cyprus potatoes are a really beautiful product with exceptional flavour, a lovely soft, yellow flesh and a wonderful texture. They are very versatile and a top quality product.”

There will be a strong media relations campaign targeting the consumer press with recipes from the two chefs as well as radio and online competitions to win places at an exclusive Cyprus Potato themed supper club hosted by Ms Marmite Lover.

Tesco Potato Buyer Andy Blackett said: “We are aiming to help Cypriot potatoes regain some of their former glory as the crème de la crème of the potato world. Research shows that consumers are interested in taste and provenance and so this is what we are majoring on with this campaign.”

Tesco is sourcing their Cyprus Potatoes from Greenvale AP, the UK’s leading potato supplier which handles 600,000 tonnes of potatoes every year.

For more information:
Sophie Peel
Mustard Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 8892 5665
sophie.peel@mustardcommunications.co.uk