Howard’s Way! Chip Shed try Babylon Potatoes from Agrico!
By Austen Dack
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ambridgeshire potato merchant Isle of Ely Produce have launched a new platform to promote the great British Chip in association with Agrico. Its aim will be to carry on the good work it has been promoting via their hugely successful open days, and 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 cement the relationships they have grown across the whole supply chain over the last twenty years. An important area where these new ambassadors will be utilised is to sample any significant new varieties that come into the marketplace. With this in mind Agrico have partnered with Isle of Ely Produce to bring two such varieties into the trade initially via our Chip Ambassadors. The two varieties Babylon
Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • November 2020
and Lugano will be sampled at some of these ambassadors to back up the results of early trial successes. Recently I visited fish and chip gurus Gregg & Caroline Howard at their magnificent Chip Shed restaurant in Bourton on the Water. Gregg said “We have been associated with Isle of Ely Produce and their potatoes for many years and have them delivered to our shops via our wholesaler. When we were asked to try a new variety from Agrico, (Babylon) we were only too pleased to do it.” Oliver Boutwood Isle of Ely Director says. “We have met so many great chip shop owners over the years, all who have brilliant knowledge of what it takes to choose, store and of course fry a potato. We have supplied enough potatoes during that time to serve over 600 million portions of chips. This new scheme will give us even more information across the UK, that we can use to make sure we have the right variety in supply at all times.” It was great to visit the Chip Shed team
Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • November 2020
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