DENVER — On February 2, the United States Potato Board (USPB) joined forces with Darden’s potato suppliers to bring the latest in potato trends, tastes and nutritional information to Darden culinary, marketing, produce purchasing and distribution teams. Darden runs 1,900 restaurants and owns and operates some of the industry’s most successful brands, including: Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Long Horn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52. Annually, Darden purchases 60 million pounds of potatoes, and 40 million of those are fresh potatoes.
What’s especially noteworthy about this event is that it was the first time Darden’s produce team took the lead in hosting a culinary event—and fresh and frozen US potatoes were exclusive stars of the show. The USPB was asked to participate because an Olive Garden chef had attended its “Menu Innovations with Potatoes” seminar last October and shared his enthusiasm and experience with others at Darden.
The event included an overview of the USPB and potato nutrition, as well as a trends presentation focused on the many ways chefs can use potatoes to add more flavor, contemporary comfort, better-for-you options, more kid appeal and a real “wow” factor to menus. At the conclusion of the presentation, “Potato Palooza” participants had the opportunity to sample a wide variety of innovative potato dishes prepared by the potato suppliers.
“‘Potato Palooza’ was an extraordinary opportunity for the USPB to work closely with leading potato suppliers to bring creative ideas for menu innovation to Darden,” said USPB Domestic Marketing Vice President Kathleen Triou. “It was also a critical step in building long-term relationships with Darden’s culinary, marketing and produce teams.”
“Our team really enjoyed getting to spend time with the USPB,” added Susan Reimer-Sifford, Darden Director of Produce Purchasing and Distribution. “We look forward to future endeavors and expanding our menu ideas with potatoes.”
For more information, and to see the complete USPB Domestic Marketing Public Relations Long Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2012-2016, please visit http://www.uspotatoes.com/downloads/Public%20Relations_NEW.pdf.
For more information on the USPB as the nation’s potato marketing organization, positioned as the “catalyst for positive change,” and the central organizing force in implementing programs that will increase demand for potatoes, please visit www.uspotatoes.com.
David Fairbourn is Manager, Industry Communications & Policy, at the United States Potato Board in Denver. The mission of the USPB is to increase demand for potatoes and potato products through an integrated promotion program, thereby providing US producers with expanding markets for their production. David can be contacted at 303-369-7783 or david.fairbourn@uspotatoes.com. For complete information about the programs, ROI results, resources and tools available to all members of the industry through the USPB, please visit www.uspotatoes.com. The United States Potato Board—Maximizing Return on Grower Investment.
Source: United States Potato Board
