Greenvale AP is branching out into sweet potatoes after it won the contract to supply Tesco with the spuds, sourced in the US.
The sweet potatoes are grown in the US and shipped to Greenvale's Flood's Ferry site in Cambridgeshire, where they will be subjected to quality controls before packing.
Greenvale is working closely with Ontario International, the growers' group based near New York which deals with the product’s US business.
The sweet potatoes are orange-fleshed varieties, Beauregard and Covington, and are sourced from growers in North Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Paul Coleman, technical director at Greenvale, said: "We have worked for over 30 years with Tesco, supplying a variety of British-grown potatoes. This contract is an opportunity to diversify our operation without compromising our commitment to British growers. It's also both a reflection of the great business relationship we have with Tesco and a testament to the Flood's Ferry team's expertise in every aspect of handling and supplying fresh produce.
"Sweet potatoes are highly nutritious vegetables and, despite their name, they need different handling techniques compared to the standard potato. We have invested over £120,000 in purpose-built machines that handle the vegetables very gently, allowing us to check them for defects, then weigh and package them, without causing any damage."
Tim Pratt, Tesco produce technical manager, said: "We have a great partnership with Greenvale. They know how to match their products and processes to Tesco's requirements, for example in terms of packaging, quality controls and logistics."
The selections of both loose and pre-packed sweet potatoes are already in Tesco stores.
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