Three-pound bags and microwavable sweet potatoes have been flying off supermarket shelves since COVID-19 struck in March.
“Sweet potatoes were a popular item on most consumer’s lists as they are versatile, hearty, healthy and can be stored for several weeks,” said Rebecca Scott, marketing director for Nash Produce, Nashville, N.C.
“Our 3- and 5-pound mesh bags are a quick and convenient grab-and-go option, further reducing the amount of time a consumer needs to be in the produce section,” said Scott.
“The increase in demand for this packaging style has led us to add specialized machines in each of the past few years.”
She said Nash offers three varieties of sweet potatoes; the familiar orange-fleshed covington, white-fleshed bonita and the Japanese murasaki variety, with its white flesh and purple skin.
Matt Garber, partner at Garber Farms, Iota, La., said his retail customers still prefer bulk, followed by individual microwavable sweet potatoes, bags and a little bit of steamers.
“I think retailers should offer more varieties like white and purple sweet potatoes,” Garber said. “Studies show it improves overall sales.”
He also advises retailers to offer at least one packaged sweet potato item, whether it’s microwave, steamers or bags.
In Wynne, Ark., microwavable sweet potatoes and three-pound bags from Matthews Ridgeview Farms, sold under brands such as Fifth Generation and Hog Wild, are gaining momentum, said sales manager Autumn Campbell.
“We’re slowly rolling out a new four-count tray pack that we hope gains interest at retail,” Campbell said.
Tray packs are also on the radar at Topashaw Farms, Vardaman, Miss., where co-owner Joe Edmondson has decided to wrap his own rather than send them to another company.
“Surveys show that people don’t want to pick potatoes out of the bulk rack; they’d rather have them wrapped in plastic,” Edmondson said.
So far, his four-count tray of premium grade sweet potatoes, weighing 4.5 to 5 pounds, is doing well, he said, “but it’s a lot of extra labor.”
Topashaw’s microwave business is also growing.
“We started offering it as an option for our regular customers,” he said, “but it’s grown to the point where we’re turning down people and have to expand.”
Even with two lines and two people wrapping, “they can barely keep up.”
Bruce Sweet Potato Inc. in Bruce, Miss., which packs under its own and several private-label brands, has seen more demand in the steamer/microwave category, said partner Marshall Bailey.
“We have upgraded our existing value-added machinery in the past 12 to 18 months and we continue to move in the direction of automation in any way possible,” Bailey said.
“We will be introducing a medley bag in the coming months and different tray pack options consisting of different varieties.”
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