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EXPORTING? INTERESTED IN EXPORTING? MARK YOUR CALENDARS! 2011 International Seed Symposium This is an opportunity for US seed growers to meet foreign importers and growers in Denver, CO for a day of information exchange and relationship building. Purpose:
How: Who May Participate? Registration Deadline: Costs Covered: Contact: 2011 Seed Symposium Announcement Registration Form
USPB PROVIDES SEED GROWERS WITH ANNUAL EXPORT PROGRAM SUMMARY The FY2007-2011 Long Range Plan for the USPB Seed Export Program is aimed at increasing the demand for US seed potatoes in foreign markets. To see how this goal is achieved, please see the attached summary that was recently sent out to all US seed growers. FY11 USPB Seed Export Program Summary.pdf
Table-Stock/Retail/International BAGGED US TABLE-STOCK POTATOES PROVING TO BE A HIT IN MEXICO Importadora y Exportadora de Frutas y Verduras, located in Tijuana, thanks to the shippers’ list the USPB provided them with, was able to directly contact a shipper and import US potatoes in bags that are highly demanded by the Comercial Mexicana retail chain. According to Importadora y Exportadora, last year Comercial Mexicana bought 20% of its potato supplies in bags, and now they are requesting 100% 10 lb. bags. Additionally, as a result of the technical materials the USPB engineer provided them, Importadora y Exportadora reduced their shrinkage by 2%.
Table-Stock/Foodservice/International US TABLE-STOCK POTATOES ON THE MENU IN MALAYSIA The Bubba Gump restaurant chain in Malaysia recently added mashed potatoes and fried potato sticks made from US fresh Russet potatoes as part of three of their entrées. Their chef had attended the USPB Chef Workshop in the fall of 2010 and took the opportunity, when they recently changed their menu, to introduce some new items using US fresh potatoes. Previously, they were only serving frozen potatoes as their side dish. According to the chef, they have received very good feedback on these new side dishes and their customers are asking they include these sides with more entrées. The chef also shared with us he is now using US fresh Russet potatoes in their New England clam chowder soup.
Frozen/Foodservice/International MORE CHAINS IN MALAYSIA SWITCHING TO US FRIES After learning about the quality of US frozen potatoes from the USPB representative’s merchandising visits and conducting taste tests, three foodservice chains in Malaysia either switched to US frozen potatoes in their stores or added a specialty cut to their menus in April:
Frozen/Foodservice/International KOREAN RESTAURANTS KEEP ADDING NEW US FROZEN POTATO PRODUCTS! Chicken Star recently launched four new US potato menu items:
The USPB supported these new US frozen potato menu items with a launch promotion at 10 Chicken Star stores, April 25-May 25.
Likewise, the USPB arranged a launch promotion at 30 Beer Factory stores, April 20-May 20.
FROZEN FOOD IMPORTER/DISTRIBUTOR IN GUATEMALA STARTS BRINGING IN US FROZEN POTATO PRODUCTS The General Manager of Laden Distributor participated in the USPB’s 2010 Importer/Distributor RTM and was very impressed with all the different varieties and quality of the US frozen potatoes. As a direct result of that USPB RTM participation, in March 2011, they imported one container of straight cut 5/16 US frozen potatoes, and in April, they imported other varieties: straight cut 5/16, 3/8 Grade A, twisters, wedges and hash browns. Laden Distributor is projecting to import one to two containers per month.
DEHYDRATED POTATO FLAKES INCLUDED AS APPROVED “FOOD FOR EDUCATION PROGRAM” ALLOCATIONS On May 17, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will award more than $346 million in international assistance grants, which includes transportation and freight costs, under the “Food for Progress” and “McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition” programs in fiscal year 2011, benefiting more than 5.2 million people. Out of the newly approved fiscal year 2011 allocations, two McGovern-Dole Food for Education (FFE) applications, awarded to International Partnership for Human Development (IPHD), included US dehydrated potato flakes (dehy). These programs are for school feeding programs in the Congo and Guinea-Bissau. IPHD has been programming dehydrated potato flakes in their Guinea Bissau school feeding program since last year, utilizing approximately 480 MT (approximately 69,000 cwt fresh weight equivalent) per year. The inclusion of dehy in the Guinea Bissau school feeding program is a direct result of the April and October 2009 USPB trainings for private voluntary organizations (PVOs), where staff members were convinced dehydrated potatoes would work well in their school feeding programs in Africa. The USPB helped make the necessary changes to the McGovern-Dole Food for Education applications to include US dehydrated potatoes. About 3 million metric tons of food products, valued at more than $1 billion, are procured each year to distribute throughout the world. If even ½ of 1% were to go to purchase of dehy, it would represent more than $10 million each year.
Dehy/Foodservice/International POPULAR MALAYSIAN WESTERN STYLE RESTAURANT LAUNCHED MASHED POTATO WITH US DEHY! The Ship, a popular local western restaurant chain, recently switched to using US dehydrated potatoes in making their mashed potatoes. Presently, The Ship has seven restaurants located in the Klang Valley, and they are well known for their western food. The USPB Malaysia office staff introduced the convenience and quality of US dehydrated potatoes to the Executive Chef of this restaurant chain during a merchandising visit. Subsequently, dehydrated potato samples were provided for the restaurant to trial. The Executive Chef liked the quality of the products, but it took some time to make the changes in the menu. According to the Executive Chef, he has received very positive feedback from the operation teams in the various outlets now that they are using US dehydrated potatoes for their mashed potatoes. They have found it is very quick and convenient to make the mashed potatoes using dehy and commented that portion control is so much easier. The Chef has also received very positive feedback from their customers on the taste and quality of their mashed potatoes. This new launch represents net new business in a new sector. Increasing demand for US dehy by introducing new products to the foreign markets and facilitating their inclusion in new products and channels is a growth strategy under the USPB dehy program long range plan. Exports to Malaysia in the current fiscal year through March (July 2010 – March 2011) represent 1,463 metric tons, up 10% over the last complete fiscal year (July 2009 – June 2010), which represented 1,330 metric tons.
Dehy/Foodservice/International ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL SEMINARS BUILDING THE FOUNDATION IN VIETNAM
Vietnam is still a relatively poor country, with GDP per capita of only $1,024 in 2008. However, the tremendous economic growth of the past 10 years has created a vibrant and growing middle class that is demanding more and more imported products. The affinity to US products is very positive. The demographics of the Vietnamese population are enticing, with 60% of the population younger than twenty-five years old. These young customers are brand-conscious, watch TV, are internet savvy and have begun demanding larger quantities of US food products. This offers excellent potential for growth in the US dehydrated potato market.
CALENDAR YEAR POTATO EXPORT STATISTICS AVAILABLE Potato and potato product trade statistics for the US and competitors are available on the USPB International Marketing Global Review Database. To access the database go to uspotatoes.com and click on Global Database under Industry Resources. You will need to log onto the database. If you do not have a User ID already established, please contact Sarah Mahler sarah@uspotatoes.com for the initial login password. Please note this database is available only to US growers and processors and is not available to the press or others. Once in the database, choose trade statistics for monthly and annual reports for the US and competitors, including the just updated calendar year reports. Calendar Year Instructions for Trade Stats.pdf
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… 6.8.11—U.S. Dehydrated Potatoes and Food Aid, “Like Manna from Heaven”.mp3 6.15.11—Alliance Getting Organized to Address Domestic French Fry Demand.mp3
LEARN WHITE MOLD MANAGEMENT TACTICS THROUGH LATEST FOCUS ON POTATO WEBCAST Focus on Potato, a nonprofit publication of the Plant Management Network (PMN), announces the launch of its latest webcast: “White Mold of Potato: Epidemiology and Management”, by Dennis Johnson, Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist at Washington State University. In addition to an overview of White Mold, this presentation will help consultants, growers and other practitioners in the potato industry understand how white mold can be better managed by modifying the canopy environment and by timing control tactics based on the disease cycle. The presentation also explains White Mold's cause and defines environmental and plant developmental factors that lead to White Mold's development. Finally, this presentation includes representative color images of the disease to help viewers with diagnosis. Other presentations are available on the Focus on Potato website. To get the maximum benefit of the Plant Management Network’s full line of resources, please sign up for its free online PMN Update newsletter.
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Following the first-ever US dehydrated (dehy) potato seminar in Vietnam in April, local importers and distributors (I/Ds) wanted to learn more! The USPB Vietnam office organized one-on-one technical seminars with large, key foodservice and ingredient I/Ds to provide more in depth information and a hands-on training. Key staff from the research and development departments and marketing joined these meetings to learn information on the various dehy products, such as water absorption indexes to potential end uses. 
