Potato supplier Branston’s three factories are gearing up to produce over 520,000 bags a day as the nation makes preparations for next week’s Christmas dinner.
The company’s sites in Lincolnshire, Perth and Ilminster are preparing for its very own ’12 days of Christmas’ countdown, the company said, and in total production will jump from 650 to 1,300 tonnes a day
“From 13 December we really start to see uplift in demand for spuds as families across the country prepare for the festive season,” said Ian Wait, Branston operations director.
“During the lead up to Christmas our potato packing jumps from around 650 tonnes a day to over 1,300 for the peak days in the week before Christmas and our production facilities run around the clock to meet demand.
“Last year more than 16.2 million packs of potatoes were sold through UK retailers during the week up to Christmas; with every household in the UK purchasing an average of 1.6kg of potatoes for the holidays.”
Research shows that large family gatherings are the norm this festive season with 60 per cent of households intending to cook dinner for six or more people. Less than a third (28 per cent) of households will be eating alone or with just one other person.
Wait said potatoes are the “cornerstone” of festive dinners. “King Edward and Maris Piper are the best known varieties for roasties as they have a fluffy texture that crisps up really well, but all our potatoes will make a great addition to Christmas – whether that’s at the main meal or to feed the family throughout the holidays,' he said.'
Last year on 23 December, retailers saw a 1,000 per cent uplift compared to a normal day for purchases of white potatoes, with peak trading time at 10am, he said.
“This year we’re expecting the greatest demand for packs of potatoes to be this date again, but with Christmas day landing on a Sunday, there may also be quite a few shoppers braving the supermarkets on Saturday too,' said Wait.
Branston currently supplies over 20 per cent of the market through its share of unit trade to Tesco and Waitrose, the company said.
