Despite research showing red potatoes are in a sales slump, one variety is making the others look red-faced after sales rose 188 per cent in the week before Christmas.
A Potato Council report published last month showed volume and value sales of red potatoes fell by 26.5 per cent and 22.5 per cent respectively in the last quarter of 2011.
But the Rudolph potato has bucked the trend by recording a 57 per cent increase in sales for the season so far in comparison to last year.
Fenmarc’s Jo Giggs said: “It’s great news that Rudolph potatoes sales continue to grow, especially at a time when reds in general have shown a bit of a downturn. Rudolph has also been a variety we’ve believed in and invested in, so we’re delighted to see our work is paying off.”
That work includes a marketing campaign that is currently underway to promote the new brand strapline “all tastes catered for - created for Rudolph”.
Fenmarc has also launched a new website and twitter feed and is regularly delivering new season Rudolph to the media and chefs in a campaign that has been shortlisted for Trade Marketing Campaign of the Year at this month’s Grower of the Year awards.
All activity focuses on differentiating Rudolph potatoes from other varieties on the market. With its distinctive red skin, this premium red maincrop potato is extremely versatile and reliable, delivering equally good results across most cooking methods.
Jo Giggs added: “Rudolph’s quality has already been recognised by the industry, winning gold in the vegetable category at the True Taste of Food & Drink Wales Awards and being highly commended in the fresh produce category at the Quality food Awards. This sales increase shows that consumers have recognised the quality of Rudolph too.”
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