Stratospheric Success

Stratospheric

Babylon tried by Top Shop

Isle of Ely Produce have been promoting a new Chip Ambassador role to promote the great British Chip in association with Agrico. The aim will be to carry on the good work promoting chipping potatoes at their hugely successful open days, and through the ‘Field to Frier’ award.

The Chip Ambassadors will become part of an UK wide group of shop owners and fryers who will promote best practice for potato buying, storing, and of course frying. The chain will also include key growers too like PJ Lee & Sons, and A. L. Lee Farming Company, as IOE looks to nurture the relationships they have grown across the whole supply chain during the last twenty years. Agrico have partnered with Isle of

Ely Produce to bring two new varieties into the trade initially via our Chip Ambassadors. The two varieties Babylon and Lugano will be sampled at some of these ambassadors to back up the results of early trial successes.

This month I visited Eric’s at Thornham. I met with owner Eric Snaith and manager Craig Blythe ahead of a busy Friday shift. It was a bit different to my previous visit. Eric’s is very much a destination shop, and somewhere to sit and dine not far from the North Norfolk Coast. In covid times, the large sit in area is redundant, with the team very much reliant on incoming

Success

orders on their new(ish) click and collect service.

Armed with some pre-cut Babylon I gave them to Craig to fry alongside some Sagitta. Their KFE range, is one of the longest in Europe, and is ready for the expectant deluge of customers once restrictions are lifted and the stay cation culture of 2020 resumes.

Once cooked and plated, both Eric and Craig tucked into some Babylon chips. Eric was impressed by the fry colour, crispy outside and size of the sample. Craig said Babylon compared well to the well proven Sagitta, and tasted great. Both said they would be happy to add it to the list of varieties that their three shops order in the near future.

Afterwards we had a walk around the outside. I was impressed that even during a pandemic, Eric had still been working on the site, using any downtime to make it even better for customers when things start to take a turn for the better.

Oliver Boutwood Isle of Ely Director says. “It;s good to hear Eric’s like the allround good characteristics of Babylon. We are pleased with this partnership between Agrico IOE and chip shop owners.”

Alex Moore, Agrico UK Sales Manager said: “We are thrilled to be working closely with Isle of Ely Produce & the Chip Ambassadors to launch two exciting new varieties. As a business we are always trying to breed better tasting and more sustainable potato varieties.”

Chip shop owners already signed as Chip Ambassadors for Isle of Ely Produce include Colin Cromer – The Fish Hoose, Kerry Brennan – Golden Union, David Henley – Henley’s, Richard Ord Jr – Colmans, Eric Snaith – Eric’s, Kelly & Tim Barnes – Krispies, Lauren Kellaway – Kellaways, Charlie Collins – Frydales, Fred Capel- Chez Fred, Matt & Ashley Phillips – Shap Chippy, Malachy Mallon The Dolphin Takeaway, Richard Foster – Fish and Chips at Weston Grove, Emir Hikary – Hiks, Alan Shillingford – Shillingfords, Gregg Howard The Chip Shed, Ian Wallis Henry’s Hunstanton, John Hudgell Pimp my Fish, The Petrou Brothers and Sarah Heward – The Real Food Café.

We will be featuring Babylon and Lugano reviews in the coming months. Email austen@chippychat.co.uk if you would like to try them for yourselves.