Latest News From Sweet Potatoes

Bako Sweet celebrates National Heart Month, National Sweet Potato Month
Bako Sweet celebrates National Heart Month, National Sweet Potato Month

Bakersfield, Calif.-based Bako Sweet touts the health benefits of sweet potatoes during National Sweet Potato Month and National Heart Month.

Bako Sweet champions sweetpotatoes for holiday promotions
Bako Sweet champions sweetpotatoes for holiday promotions

Bako Sweet is offering tips for and partnering with retailers to transform holiday produce displays.

Research Field Day highlights sweetpotato commission's upcoming events
Research Field Day highlights sweetpotato commission's upcoming events

An annual Research Field Day is among the activities the Benson-based North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission has scheduled for sweetpotato growers during the fall/winter season.

Promising start to San Joaquin sweetpotato harvest, grower says
Promising start to San Joaquin sweetpotato harvest, grower says

California-based grower-packer-shipper Bako Sweet has reported a promising start to its sweetpotato season and anticipates a slightly higher yield than 2022.

Sweetpotato supplies tighten in North Carolina
Sweetpotato supplies tighten in North Carolina

North Carolina sweetpotato growers are hopeful that a continuing drop in acreage will lead to tighter supplies and stronger markets, as well as help them cope with inflation and skyrocketing costs.

Sweetpotato commission celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with e-cookbook, influencer campaign
Sweetpotato commission celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with e-cookbook, influencer campaign

The North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission, made up of 400 sweetpotato growers along with packers, processors and business associates, has launched a new e-cookbook titled, "Sweet Celebrations: Hispanic Heritage Month."

State sweetpotato organizations share plans and initiatives
State sweetpotato organizations share plans and initiatives

The Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission, Mississippi Sweet Potato Council and North Carolina SweetPotato Commission share updates on upcoming initiatives and events.

Yam equals sweetpotato, new campaign tells consumers
Yam equals sweetpotato, new campaign tells consumers

California sweetpotato farmers are on a mission to end consumer confusion, entice younger buyers and increase retail sales of this superfood.

Southern growers gear up for sweet potato harvest
Southern growers gear up for sweet potato harvest

Fall is just around the corner, and growers in the Southern U.S. say they expect good quality when the sweet potato harvest gets underway.

Bako Sweet names director of sales
Bako Sweet names director of sales

The California-based sweet potato brand has hired fresh produce industry veteran Susan Noritake to grow the brand.

Bako Sweet's redesigned website has new features for shoppers
Bako Sweet's redesigned website has new features for shoppers

The brand says the revamped website features an enhanced experience for shoppers while serving as a resource to highlight sweet potatoes from the southern San Joaquin Valley of California.

Sweet potatoes lead the 2022 list of top-value crops in the Carolinas
Sweet potatoes lead the 2022 list of top-value crops in the Carolinas

Sweet potatoes lead the list of top-dollar fruit and vegetable commodities in North Carolina and South Carolina, according to USDA agricultural statistics for 2022.

Strong demand noted for organic sweet potatoes
Strong demand noted for organic sweet potatoes

Demand for organic sweet potatoes continues to be strong, says Kristi Hocutt, director of sales and marketing for Sims, N.C.-based Triple J Produce Inc.

Matthews Ridgeview Farms offers options for sweet potato buyers
Matthews Ridgeview Farms offers options for sweet potato buyers

Wayne, Ark.-based Matthews Ridgeview Farms offers both bulk and value-added packaging for its considerable sweet potato volume, says Autumn Campbell, sales manager for the company.

Bako Sweet features redesigned packaging
Bako Sweet features redesigned packaging

Bakersfield, Calif.-based Country Sweet Produce’s Bako Sweet label has redesigned its conventional and organic mesh bags as well as its Single Sweet stickers. 

North Carolina sweet potatoes are an ideal fresh option for consumers, says commission director
North Carolina sweet potatoes are an ideal fresh option for consumers, says commission director

North Carolina sweet potatoes check all the boxes for today’s consumers, says Michelle Grainger, executive director of the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission.

Consumer education a major part of Happy Dirt marketing
Consumer education a major part of Happy Dirt marketing

The biggest highlight of the marketing campaign for Durham, N.C.-based Happy Dirt sweet potatoes this spring is education around the product and the growers, said Taylor Meadows, marketing coordinator.

Easter promotions should spark sweet potato demand
Easter promotions should spark sweet potato demand

Robin Narron, marketing director and sales support for Nash Produce, says that sweet potato movement can increase up to 20% during the Easter sales period.

Bako Sweet elevates heart-healthy sweet potatoes in February
Bako Sweet elevates heart-healthy sweet potatoes in February

Bakersfield, Calif.-based Country Sweet Produce’s Bako Sweet is celebrating American Heart Month, National Sweet Potato Month, Valentine’s Day and Cook a Sweet Potato Day in February.

California winter produce business updates
California winter produce business updates

Ocean Mist Farms is making a major effort to increase its value-added line, and Progressive Produce LLC has had a busy year.

Bako Sweet debuts redesigned sweet potato bags
Bako Sweet debuts redesigned sweet potato bags

The conventional and organic mesh sweet potato bag designs are being unveiled at The Global Produce & Floral Show in Orlando, Fla.

Wada Farms touting quality North Carolina sweet potatoes
Wada Farms touting quality North Carolina sweet potatoes

North Carolina sweet potato acreage is down but the quality is very good, reports Norman Brown, director of sweet potato sales for Wada Farms Marketing Group, Raleigh, N.C.

Corey Produce expects an improved sweet potato crop
Corey Produce expects an improved sweet potato crop

With better moisture this year, Bethel, N.C.-based Corey Produce expects a slightly bigger sweet potato crop in 2022, says spokesman Lee Corey.

Sweet potato pricing up from a year ago
Sweet potato pricing up from a year ago

North Carolina’s sweet potato harvest season is starting with fresh pricing up substantially compared with a year ago.

Nature’s Way Farms looks for strong, quality crop
Nature’s Way Farms looks for strong, quality crop

Faison, N.C.-based Nature’s Way Farms is a year-round grower, packer, and shipper of North Carolina conventional and organic sweet potatoes.

Lancaster Farms builds on long legacy with sweet potatoes
Lancaster Farms builds on long legacy with sweet potatoes

Wilson, N.C.-based Lancaster Farms has a strong quality sweet potato harvest coming on, says Derek Lancaster, grower with the company.

Sand Candy Produce to feature new packaging options this fall
Sand Candy Produce to feature new packaging options this fall

Sand Candy Produce LLC will feature good volume of sweet potatoes during the 2022-2023 marketing season, says Delbert Bland, Sand Candy partner and owner of Glennville, Ga.-based Bland Farms owner.

Nash Produce expects strong sweet potato supply
Nash Produce expects strong sweet potato supply

Nashville, N.C.-based Nash Produce expects to have a strong sweet potato supply this year, says Thomas Joyner, president.

Older consumers show sweet potato love, Fresh Trends data shows
Older consumers show sweet potato love, Fresh Trends data shows

About one in three consumers say they have purchased sweet potatoes in the last year, The Packer's 2022 Fresh Trends survey reveals.

North Carolina suppliers continue sweet potato dominance
North Carolina suppliers continue sweet potato dominance

North Carolina was by far and away the no. 1 state in fresh sweet potato shipments in 2021, according to USDA data.

Smooth transition expected for Mississippi sweet potatoes
Smooth transition expected for Mississippi sweet potatoes

Mississippi’s biggest sweet potato grower expects a smooth transition between old crop and new crop supplies this year.

Vick Family Farms expects strong sweet potato harvest
Vick Family Farms expects strong sweet potato harvest

MONTEREY, Calif. — Despite very dry conditions, the North Carolina sweet potato crop for Vick Family Farms is looking good, says Charlotte Vick, partner and sales manager for the Wilson, N.C. produce marketer.

Bako Sweet sets sweet potato category for summer promotions
Bako Sweet sets sweet potato category for summer promotions

Bakersfield, Calif.-based Country Sweet Produce’s Bako Sweet brand will offer retailers plenty of merchandising efforts in the historically quiet season for the sweet potato category.

North Carolina sweet potatoes dominate with year-round supply
North Carolina sweet potatoes dominate with year-round supply

To put the magnitude of North Carolina’s sweet potato crop in context, picture more than 13,000 refrigerated truckloads lining up to distribute the crop all across the U.S.

Matthews Ridgeview Farms continues to grow
Matthews Ridgeview Farms continues to grow

Wynne, Ark.-based Matthews Ridgeview Farms is the state’s largest grower/shipper of sweet potatoes, and the firm is expanding acreage again this year, says sales manager Autumn Campbell.

Higher costs, late start accompany start of season for Arkansas organic growers
Higher costs, late start accompany start of season for Arkansas organic growers

Peebles Organic, Augusta, Ark., is a USDA-certified organic vegetable operation that farms about 2,000 acres, said Shawn Peebles, owner and general manager.

North Carolina growers account for almost 70% of U.S. sweet potato crop
North Carolina growers account for almost 70% of U.S. sweet potato crop

Part of that hard-won dominance is due to the state’s perfect combination of soils and temperatures that sweet potatoes need, says the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

USDA announces planned sweet potato purchase
USDA announces planned sweet potato purchase

The USDA on May 16 announced plans to purchase sweet potatoes for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. 

Bako Sweet offers colorful Easter sweet potato displays
Bako Sweet offers colorful Easter sweet potato displays

Bakersfield, Calif.-based Country Sweet Produce’s Bako Sweet consumer brand is giving shoppers brightly colored, triple-washed and consistently sized sweet potatoes for Easter sales.

U.S. sweet potato acreage and production down in 2021, but value up
U.S. sweet potato acreage and production down in 2021, but value up

U.S. sweet potato area harvested in 2021 totaled 152,700 acres (data collected only in California, Mississippi and North Carolina), off just 2% from 155,300 acres in 2020 and 4% higher than 146,700 acres in 2019.

Sweet potato growth continues for Matthews Ridgeview Farms
Sweet potato growth continues for Matthews Ridgeview Farms

Wynne, Ark.-based Matthews Ridgeview Farms is growing and has no plans to slow down, said Autumn Campbell, sales manager, speaking at the SEPC Southern Exposure expo in early March.

Plenty of room for growth in sweet potato demand
Plenty of room for growth in sweet potato demand

One in three people surveyed in The Packer's 2022 Fresh Trends report said they purchased fresh sweet potatoes in the past 12 months.

Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission celebrates 70 years
Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission celebrates 70 years

The Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission is celebrating its 70-year anniversary in 2022, a milestone that doesn’t even tell the complete story of the roots of sweet potatoes in the state.

North Carolina SweetPotato Commission basks in celebration of 60 years
North Carolina SweetPotato Commission basks in celebration of 60 years

The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission is celebrating 60 years and a big part of that celebration has come from RFD TV’s Chip Carter’s new TV series called “Where the Food Comes From.”

Bako Sweet celebrates heart-healthy sweet potatoes
Bako Sweet celebrates heart-healthy sweet potatoes

Country Sweet Produce’s Bako Sweet sweet potatoes are now certified by the American Heart Association just in time to celebrate American Heart Month and National Sweet Potato Month..

NC SweetPotato Commission Eat Sweet Restaurant Week a success
NC SweetPotato Commission Eat Sweet Restaurant Week a success

The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission (NCSPC) celebrated its long-awaited Eat Sweet Restaurant Week where they invited chefs across the state to “cook” up creative ways to elevate the State’s vegetable.

USDA seeks comment on draft pest risk assessment for imports of sweet potato from South Korea
USDA seeks comment on draft pest risk assessment for imports of sweet potato from South Korea

The Government of South Korea has requested the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to authorize the importation of Sweet Potato for consumption into the United States and Territories.

North Carolina SweetPotato Commission and Ripe Revival host first ever United Way/YMCA after-school program
North Carolina SweetPotato Commission and Ripe Revival host first ever United Way/YMCA after-school program

2021 has brought a year of celebration for the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission as they began celebrating their 60th anniversary milestone.

Amy Sowder
All the comforts of sweet potatoes

When I think of sweet potatoes, I think of calling my mom back in college, asking for her sweet potato biscuit recipe, which was my nana’s recipe written in her one-room-schoolhouse-neat teacherly cursive script.

Showcase Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes: the must-have item for every store this Thanksgiving
Showcase Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes: the must-have item for every store this Thanksgiving

Stokes Purple sweet potatoes are back in season, and it’s the ideal time to showcase these colorful tubers.