Tesco is to launch a branded sweet potato from the US as it looks to capitalise on the popularity that the vegetable has built up.

Carolina Sun-branded Covington sweet potatoes from the North Carolina Plains will be the first of a number of products that the retailer hopes to stock under the mark.

Maritime Food Group owns the brand and will be importing the product into the UK as a two-pack for baking, as opposed to the traditional loose format.

As well as Covington, other varieties are intended for release later in the year.

Maritime will provide online information on sweet potatoes and how to use them. Alongside information and recipes, its website will offer an insight into how traditional farming was carried out, with the creation of a virtual reality farmer in the guise of Aaron Sun.

Tesco potato buyer Jonathan Corbett told freshinfo that the brand would give the product extra impetus. He said: “We have had development brands before and they have worked really well and we see this partnership as very exciting, even though it isn’t a Tesco brand.

“We are going into the new season and we want to give people as much knowledge about the product as possible.

“It had a boom five or six years ago, but sales have fallen off a bit on sweet potatoes and we think Maritime can really boost awareness and be strong variety-wise.”

Carolina Sun sweet potatoes will hit Tesco stores in two weeks.

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