Potato processor to expand chilled and convenience packs
Wilson's Country, the leading Northern Irish potato processor, is set to expand its successful portfolio of 'You Say Potato' chilled and convenience products as part of a strategy to grow exports.
The company, based at Portadown in county Armagh, already sells around a third of its products, especially chilled and convenience meals, to retailers outside Northern Ireland. While most of the growth in sales has been in the Republic of Ireland, the company has received interest from buyers in Britain, a market it is keen to develop and is seeking to build on existing contacts.
Wilson's will shortly announce new additions to its existing four-strong range of convenience products for time pressed consumers seeking new taste experiences. The company has a successful track record in supplying a range of packed potatoes and convenience meals to major retailers including Tesco, Asda, The Co-Op and Dunnes Stores, now the Republic's biggest retailer.
Wilson's Country is one of Northern Ireland's best known food brands and has a longstanding commitment to new product development for key customers. It employs around 30 people.
The new convenience dishes use only Irish potatoes from the company's network of 25 farmers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and are steam cooked in the Armagh plant before processing and packaging on-site.
The existing range comprises two oven products and two that can be microwaved. They are - diced potatoes in a 360g foil tray which can be oven cooked in 15 minutes and is available in a garlic and herb flavour; and spicy wedges also in a 360g foil tray for cooking in an oven for 15 minutes.
The products are steamed before processing. All four existing products were launched last year and are gluten free and ideal for vegans. They are also free from additives.
Lewis Cunningham, managing director of Wilson's Country, commenting on the plans to expand the range, says demand for convenience and chilled potato product, such as chilled wedges, diced, peeled potatoes and mash had expanded over the past year.
"In our own case we have entered this segment of the market with our 'You Say Potato' range. We are intending to offer both convenience and taste across the range of potato options.
"All of these come in pack sizes suited to the needs of consumers who do not want to boil potatoes in the traditional manner and who do not want the hassle of dealing with waste potatoes that arises on the back of pack sizes that are too large for their needs.
"The new approach has entailed a major change in the strategy followed by the company up to this point. However, it is an approach that is working. The convenience products are unique," he adds.
According to the company, the area of potatoes grown in Northern Ireland increased by four per cent this year to 3,700 hectares, a slight recovery from the previous 12 months.