b'Pandemic has had Profound Impact on howAmerica Consumes their Favorite Vegetableby Ted Kreis, NPPGA Marketing and Communications DirectorRetail market potatoes grown in the Red AsofOctober1,over110,000restau-River Valley are almost exclusively reds rants had closed since the start of theand yellows, so lets take a look at how pandemic,roughly25%ofallrestau-they are doing.On the national retail rants.Thatnumberhasundoubtedlymarket,redandyellowpotatoeseach increased with the worsening pandemichave a 12% share of the market with rus- numbers this winter.sets at 65% and white potatoes at 6%.Volumeincreasesforredsandyellows Often overlooked is the portion of food-both outpaced russet growth compared servicebusinessthatdoesnotgototo2019.Russetvolumewasup6.8% restaurants.This would include schools,while reds increased 8% and yellows a institutionsandentertainmentvenuesremarkable14.9%!RedRiverValley for example. This portion of the foodser-shippers have seen similar increases this vice market has been hit the hardest fol-year but yellow movement will curtail lowed by casual dining restaurants.the rest of the shipping season as sup-plies in the Red River Valley dwindle. Restaurants that adapted to drive-thru,Aswehavepreviouslyreported,retail pick-up and delivery have fared better.sales of potatoes (those sold at grocery The pandemic has also seen people try Thisofcourseincludesquick-servestores) have increased dramatically since to stretch their grocery dollars further. chainslikeMcDonalds,BurgerKing,thepandemicbeganasmorepeople Thiswasevidentinthemovementto KFC and many others.French fry saleschoose to eat at home.Potatoes USA larger pack sizes, but is also evident with at quick serves has returned to near pre-recentlyreleasednumbersforthelast conventionalpotatogrowthoutpacing pandemic levels.quarterof2020(October-December). organicpotatosalesgrowth.OrganicThese numbers show a continuation of sales only made up 2.9% of all potato Making plans for the 2021 crop will be afive-yearrecordhighsinbothretail sales in the October to December report- challengenotknowingthepaceofpotato dollar sales and volume.In fact, ing period.recovery from the pandemic.We are allpotatoeshavehadthelargestpercent readyforareturntonormalandthisincrease in sales of any vegetable sold in Unfortunately,thenewsforpotatoes would include the growers in the potatothe produce section during the pandem- soldthroughthefoodservicesectoris industry.ic. polar opposite.In 2018, potatoes soldthroughfoodser-Compared to the last quarter of 2019, vice in the Unitedthe pounds of potatoes sold at retail has Statessurpassedincreased8.2%whiledollarsincreased retailsalesand12%.Five-pound bags continue to be climbedto58%the most popular size making up 46% of ofallpotatoesthe volume for all potatoes sold.Very consumed.Post-notably however, large bags, those eight pandemic,thepounds and larger, are making a bit of a numbershavecome-back making up 31% of the vol- flippedbackinume of all potatoes sold at retail.favor of retail.Photo: National Restaurant Association6 POTATO GROWER FEBRUARY 2021'