Finding Nemo just got easier as potato producer Branston ups production of this hybrid variety
British potato grower-supplier Branston has doubled production of hybrid potato variety Nemo this year.
The producer-packer-processor said this season’s increased Nemo yields will allow it to exclusively supply Tesco stores for seven months.
Nemo is a fast-roasting potato that cuts cooking time by 25 per cent compared to a standard white potato.
Developed by Branston over the last nine years, it is a cross between fast-cooking Peruvian variety Inca Bella and red-skinned salad potato Franceline.
The pink and yellow-skinned variety is named after the stripy cartoon fish from the 2003 Disney Pixar film Finding Nemo due to its distinctive markings.
Branston’s Nemo announcement last week (1 November) comes as retailers and consumers gear up for the festive period, when roasting potatoes are in high demand.
Lucia Washbrook, Branston sales and marketing director, said: “Demand for roasting potatoes rockets by around 500 per cent in the run-up to Christmas compared to a standard shopping week.
“Nemo is a fantastic roaster, which has scored higher than traditional roasting favourites Maris Piper and King Edward in taste tests. It also performs brilliantly mashed or baked.”
Nemo will be exclusively available in selected Tesco stores as part of its Finest range throughout the winter months. Previously the potatoes were only available during limited trials at Tesco stores.
Lucy Moss, potatoes buying manager at Tesco, said: “Nemo is an exciting product for customers with great roasting performance and flavour paired with an eye-catching skin finish. The speed of roast versus other varieties is a key highlight for Nemo, especially helpful when planning alongside your Christmas meal.”
Moss added that Nemo is now well on its way to becoming a modern British classic potato, and is already being talked about by those who have tried it as the ultimate roasting spud.
“The potato is considered a game-changer, not only because it can slash cooking time compared with the average roasting spud, but also because of its wonderful creamy taste, rich fluffy texture, crisp outer skin and distinct golden colour,” she said.
Branston, whose largest packing site is based near Lincoln, has plans to further increase availability of Nemo over the next few years as seed volumes expand.
Mark Willcox, director of agronomy at Branston said: “Establishing a new potato takes many years as we need to understand how and where it grows best while testing it in the market.
“At the same time, potato seed multiplication takes four to five years to build up to full commercial volumes so this gives us time to fully understand its strengths and weaknesses.
“We are very pleased with how well Nemo has performed in Tesco’ Finest range over the over recent Christmas periods’. Based on this success, this year we planted enough to maintain it in store for up to seven months, based on previous sale rates.”
He added: “We carefully select the best growers on the best land to grow this premium potato. The environmental credentials of Nemo are strong too – it requires relatively small amounts of fertilisers and much of this nutrition can be organically-derived.
“It has strong disease resistance and uses water efficiently, especially where applied by drip irrigation. Many of the Nemo fields have benefitted local biodiversity through the planting of flower rich grass field margins.”
The Tesco Finest Nemo Potatoes cost £2.30 for a 2kg bag and will be available in more than 400 stores.
