As consumers selectively splurge on premium items like Champagne for New Year’s celebrations, Side Delights says it is helping retailers build bigger baskets by pairing those purchases with high-value, versatile potatoes.
Potatoes are increasingly featured as an elegant foundation for New Year’s menus, from homemade potato chips and smashed potatoes to shareable roasted appetizers designed to complement sparkling or still wines, like the “Today” show’s potato filling with crème fraîche, parsley and trout caviar in a crispy potato skin. Potatoes’ accessibility and versatility make them a natural companion to Champagne, allowing retailers to balance premium purchases with everyday staples.
“New Year’s is a prime opportunity to merchandise potatoes beyond the produce aisle,” says Kathleen Triou, president and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. “When paired with Champagne, for example, potatoes help retailers inspire celebration, expand the basket and drive incremental sales across departments.”
Side Delights encourages cross-merchandising potatoes near Champagne or sparkling wine displays, creating holiday endcaps, and using simple pairing messaging to turn New Year’s entertaining into a profitable, multi-department retail moment.
The Side Delights recipe site provides elevated recipes and new ways to enjoy the full portfolio of potato products during this celebratory season and the rest of the year, the company says.
