I.T’s a Knockout! Meijer attends FRY IT 2022
By Terry Jones
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eijer Potato UK recently made their first appearance (next to Chippy Chat) at one of the biggest annual shows for the fish and chip shop trade – FRY IT 2022 in Malvern, Worcestershire. A prime opportunity for us to engage with the vital link in the food industry chain, the end producers. For all the time spent on variety development, and our dedicated growers producing seed and ware potatoes, if the crop we produce doesn’t work in the fryer – it’s just not worth it! Armed with a stack of free samples to give away – tasty part-cooked chips produced for us by the talented team at www.cheshirefarmchips.co.uk – we awaited the arrival of shop owners and staff from all over the UK……..and what a day it was! Firstly, the knowledge shared with us from the 1400+ show visitors is vital to our process, as we strive to bring the best varieties to the market. It was amazing to already hear so much positivity for our late season potato Lady Anna. Great feedback on fry quality, combined with a superb texture and taste, were consistent comments throughout the day – the only complaint was that you couldn’t get enough of them! Secondly was the enthusiasm to learn more about our newer products. Lady Terra crops earlier in the growing season, with a lighter yellow flesh and good dry matter for the time of the year. Its efficiency for both growers and end users mean it’s potential is clear to use both straight from the field and throughout the winter.
Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • April 2022
Finally, it was great to hear the reception for our brand new maincrop variety, Lady Jane. It’s bred from premium chipper Agria and was developed with Meijer’s core values of robustness and sustainability firmly in mind. It needs 25-30% less seed than similar varieties, is strong growing so uses less water and fertiliser, and has strong resistance to potato blight - reducing chemical use. Positive for farmers, but also you, as these lower growing costs will help massively with pricing in these difficult times. It's been a pleasure to hear this week from those who have offered feedback on our sample bags. Heather at Mistley Fisheries in Essex tried both Lady Anna and Lady Jane – she commented ‘both potatoes are great for frying! Personally, I like the Lady Anna, it contains more moisture inside but is still very crispy outside’. We hope everyone enjoyed the taste of the Meijer Potato range, and we look forward to seeing you all again at FRY IT 2023!
Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • April 2022
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