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ATTENTION US SEED POTATO EXPORTERS Please see the attached announcement and registration form for a United States Potato Board (USPB) organized market visit to Brazil. The visit will be March 19-26, 2011. The tentative schedule for this trip includes visiting three growing areas and meeting producers and importers. A limited number of USPB grants are available that will cover up to 50% of the cost of this trip. Please contact Sarah Mahler, USPB International Marketing Manager – Seed at sarah@uspotatoes.com or 303-369-7783 if you have any questions. Brazil Market Visit Announcement.pdf
Frozen/Foodservice/International BURGER KING PHILIPPINES SWITCHES TO ALL US FROZEN POTATO PRODUCTS Burger King, with 23 stores in Manila, began using US basket weave fries in 2009, but utilized shoestring and other cuts from other suppliers. In the middle of 2010, the company switched to 100% US fries for all of their cuts.
Frozen/Foodservice/International US FROZEN POTATO PRODUCTS INTRODUCED AT PIZZA CHAIN IN THE PHILIPPINES In October 2010, Yellow Cab, a high end pizza chain, started using US frozen flavored wedges. This marks the chain’s first ever potato menu item! US frozen wedges are made available through two menu items: Fleet Starters is a combination of Baked Potato Wedges, Hot Wings and Tortilla Chips with Salsa, and Baked Potato Wedges with Garlic Ranch Dip features the potato as a stand-alone menu item. Yellow Cab management was introduced to US frozen potato products by attending a seminar held by the USPB representative office there.
US FROZEN POTATO PRESENCE EXPANDING AT RETAIL IN MALAYSIA Mercato supermarkets, with two outlets in Kuala Lumpur, recently introduced Roasted (Original) frozen potato from Ore-Ida, retailing at RM19.99 or US$6.35 per pack. Cold Storage supermarket in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia also introduced Roasted (Original) frozen potato from Ore-Ida at 20 of their outlets. They are retailing it for RM18.99 or US$6.03 per pack.
ADDITIONAL US FROZEN POTATO PRODUCTS FEATURED AT RETAIL IN THAILAND After learning about US frozen potato products from the USPB booth at Food and Hotel Thailand trade show in September 2010, two large supermarket chains have added three new US frozen potato products to their shelves. The two chains are Central Food Retail Company Limited (CFR), the largest supermarket chain in Thailand with 125 stores and TOPS with 40 outlets in the Bangkok area. The new frozen potato items launched in November 2010 as:
CONSUMERS IN MALAYSIA LEARN TO COOK WITH US FROZEN POTATOES
Forty people took part in the all day workshop. In addition to learning about the quality and versatility of US frozen potatoes, as well as watching cooking demonstrations by Chef Amer, the participants also had a chance to prepare their own dishes. The dishes prepared included US potato croquette, US potato fritters, grilled chicken breast & US frozen potatoes, fried “Sambal” with US potatoes, US potatoes “Talam” and US potatoes rice. The workshop was enhanced with a competition for the best food decoration using US frozen potatoes.
USPB CHIP PROGRAM ISSUES CO95051-7W PROCESS REPORT One load of CO95051-7W was shipped from CSS Farms, LLC in Dalhart, Texas to Snyders/Lance Foods on January 24, 2011 and processed on January 25, 2011. This load of potatoes was grown, harvested and stored under normal operating conditions with no special considerations for varietal differences. This report is the result of the processing of CO95051-7W. The USPB Chip Program would like to extend a thank you to all those individuals at Snyders/Lance Foods and CSS Farms that made this report possible. Without the cooperation of industry partners, this program and these results would not be possible. A special thank you to Teresa Sutton from Snyders/Lance Foods for providing all of the information and photographs contained within this report. Raw Grade Observations
Process Observations
Consumer Tests Next Process Runs For more information on this process report, or the USPB Chip Program, please contact USPB Chip Program Manager David Parish at 214-674-8567 or david.l.parish@gmail.com.
Consumer Nutrition Public Relations/Issues Management/Domestic PASS THE POTATOES! NEW 2010 DIETARY GUIDELINES SUPPORT THE ROLE OF POTATOES IN A HEALTHY DIET Potato lovers, rejoice! The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. A strong emphasis is made on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity. Additionally, the other two areas of strong focus are consuming more “healthy foods” like fruits and vegetables, as well as consuming less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars and refined grains. Potatoes fit squarely among all the recommendations. Overweight and obesity in the US exceeds two-thirds of the population1, so it’s no surprise the 2010 Dietary Guidelines highlight the importance of weight management. A recent study scientifically demonstrated people can include potatoes in their weight loss regimen. This research, completed by the University of California, Davis and the National Center for Food Safety and Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology, demonstrated it’s not the elimination of certain foods or food groups that matter in weight loss and management—it’s the calories that count.2 Not only can “America’s Favorite Vegetable” be part of a healthy weight loss program, potatoes also provide two of the key “shortfall” nutrients identified by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee — potassium and fiber — which are nutrients currently consumed in inadequate amounts by Americans. The #1 food source of potassium listed is potatoes, with 738 mg for a standard portion. The guidelines go on to list potential strategies for managing sodium consumption, and one of those is: "Get more potassium in your diet. Food sources of potassium include potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas, beans and yogurt.” Dietary potassium can lower blood pressure by blunting the adverse effects of sodium. Other possible benefits of potassium include a decreased risk of developing kidney stones and decreased bone loss. The US potato industry has more good news to share as it relates to potatoes and potassium. Recently completed research using data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) shows potatoes provide the largest and most affordable source of potassium of any vegetable or fruit. “It is crucial Americans increase their intake of potassium,” said lead NHANES researcher Adam Drenowski, PhD, “and potatoes not only provide one of the most significant, but also the most affordable source of potassium for any vegetable or fruit.” In addition to potassium, one medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol. The USPB commends the USDA for recognizing the need for change in the overall food environment. The potato industry is proud to be a part of the effort to help Americans make healthier choices and looks forward to the opportunities to promote the availability of a wide range of healthy and affordable potato products. To get started, please visit potatogoodness.com for potato nutrition information, how-to cooking videos and a database of healthy potato recipes. 1. Center for Disease Control
Consumer Nutrition Public Relations/Domestic JUST IN TIME FOR THE SUPER BOWL...
The USPB public relations team visited with editors at FIRST just five months ago. This placement is a direct result of that meeting, as they reached out asking for the featured recipe and image as seen in the USPB Potato Nutrition Handbook. The USPB public relations team has been coordinating with their editors ever since.
Consumer Nutrition Public Relations/Domestic “TWICE BAKED, TWICE AS SMART” GENERATES HIGH INTEREST IN CONSUMER AND ON-LINE MEDIA The focus of the USPB's third quarter media push is dubbed: "Twice Baked, Twice as Smart". There may be no cure for the flu or common cold, but there are positive links between strong immune systems and healthy eating. Potatoes are a good choice this winter because they are “twice” as smart – just like our friends the Nutrition Twins (nutritiontwins.com)! That’s why the USPB is partnering with Lyssie and Tammy Lakatos this season to let consumers know the potato is packed with both vitamin C and potassium. You’ll find five new Twice Baked Potato recipes (Quick & Healthy Twice Baked Potatoes), a how to video on baking potatoes in the microwave to speed up cook time, important information on the significance of potassium and vitamin C this season, and a quote from the Nutrition Twins. Potatoes and our “Twice Baked, Twice as Smart” messages are prominently featured in a Ladies Home Journal.com article “10 Healthy Pantry Must-Haves.” The Twins are quoted in the article as follows: "Potatoes provide long-lasting energy from their healthy carbohydrates and fiber combination," they say. "Plus, they will help to fend off colds and flus, since one potato has 45 percent of the daily value of vitamin C." They also recommend a baked potato bar with healthy toppings for a family dinner idea. Ladies Home Journal.com reaches 378,327 unique visitors per month.
Consumer Nutrition Advertising/Domestic SNEAK PEEK: “THE MANY SIDES OF POTATOES” CONSUMER PRINT ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN The USPB’s “Peel Back the Truth” campaign was launched in magazines in 2008 to debunk the negative nutrition myths about potatoes. Over the last three years, the campaign successfully improved consumers’ perceptions of potatoes (positive potato perceptions increased by 4%, while net negative perceptions decreased by 11%).
Now, the campaign message will evolve to focus on the key opportunity areas to increase “Linda’s” consumption of potatoes as identified in the Consumer Segmentation Study. The evolved print advertising campaign launches this month and will prompt Linda to serve potatoes more often by enticing her with new usage ideas for potatoes that can be made in under 30 minutes. These flavorful recipe ideas will highlight the fresh and natural equities of potatoes. Here is the first glimpse of the ads that will break in February 2011: The new ads will reach Linda when she is seeking family dinner ideas in cooking, parenting and women’s lifestyle magazines. The refined advertising plan will reach 75% of Lindas with the potato usage idea message at least 5.5 times during the balance of this fiscal year (FY11). For more information on this campaign, please contact USPB Domestic Marketing Vice President, Kathleen Triou, at 303-873-2312 (direct) / 303-369-7783 (main) / 720-225-0931 (efax) or ktriou@uspotatoes.com.
Consumer Nutrition Advertising/Domestic WOMAN’S DAY INTERACTIVE ISSUE CONTEST A SUCCESS! The USPB was given the opportunity, as part of added value, to further engage consumers with the “Peel Back the Truth” Russet ad. Users snapped a photo of the ad with their mobile phone and were driven to a custom-created USPB mobile site featuring the Quick and Healthy Recipes. The results were very strong with a 25% increase of entries received over last year with a total of 2,407. Additionally, 586 people opted in for further communications, up from 304 in 2009 (93% increase). This program offered an effective and innovative way for Woman’s Day readers to engage with the USPB brand and build awareness for the Quick and Healthy recipes. For further information on this promotion, please contact USPB Domestic Marketing Vice President, Kathleen Triou, at 303-873-2312 (direct) / 303-369-7783 (main) / 720-225-0931 (efax) or ktriou@uspotatoes.com.
NEW TECHNOLOGY MAKES PROFILE UPDATE EASIER Just a reminder: Beginning last week, US potato growers will be able to more easily verify or update their USPB profile information through the use of new technology. The new technology makes the process easier because each grower’s information is presented securely to him either online or via an automated call, where he has the opportunity to verify or update it. Growers who have shared their email address or mobile phone number with the USPB are automatically contacted by an email or text message that contains a link to their profile. Growers who have shared their telephone number are contacted by an automated call. “The process is easiest for those who have an email address or mobile number because we simply email or text them a secure link to their online profile and they can verify their info at their earliest convenience,” said David Fraser, Vice President, Industry Communications & Policy, USPB. In years past, the USPB conducted a “Grower Census Update” that gave growers two options to participate. Either the grower could go online and enter his information in a blank census form, or he could speak to a USPB representative over the phone and manually verify or update the information. The automated portion began this month, and the manual calls will follow in early March.
ON THE RADIO, ON THE INTERNET: THE “US POTATO UPDATE”!! No matter where you live in the US, you can always hear the “US Potato Update” simply by visiting the “US Potato Update” Archives… 1.26.11—African Group Hears About U.S. Seed Potatoes.mp3 2.2.11—Text Messaging Being Used by Potato Board in Grower Survey.mp3 2.9.11--Chipping Away at Overseas Snack Manufacturers.mp3
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Berita Publishing, in conjunction with the USPB representative in Malaysia, organized a “Let’s Cook Along with Chef Amer, brought to you by the US Potato” workshop at the Saloma Bistro Theater Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. The objective of the workshop was to introduce consumers to the quality of US frozen potatoes and the various ways they can be used in local dishes.
Potato Skins with Sundried Tomatoes landed in a full page article featuring potatoes, nutrition messages, and credit to the USPB and the PotatoGoodness.com URL. The magazine was none other than the January 31, 2011 issue of FIRST for Women magazine--one of the most highly distributed national magazines out there, with an estimated circulation of 1,251,821. Its audience is primarily "Linda" who is looking for new and creative ways to prepare potatoes for her and her family. 
More High Praise for Potatoes in the Media
