UNITED STATES - With potatoes taking center stage at many family gatherings and winter celebrations this month, AndNowUKnow is venturing into the world of supply-side insights to help map out your seasonal retail strategies. Category aces from LIV Produce and Eagle Eye Produce recently shared some exclusive details regarding volume, pricing, and more.

Coleman Oswald, Director of Sales, Eagle Eye Produce

"November was our biggest month for potato shipments in terms of volume, and the market is much more stable compared to the peaks and valleys we have seen throughout the past few years. Red and yellow potatoes now make up nearly 40 percent of all potato industry sales. Yellow potatoes in particular have seen an increase in demand.

With prices lower than the peaks of 2022 and 2023, and with more people cooking at home, retailers have a great opportunity to highlight Russet potatoes as an affordable, wallet-friendly option. Encouraging just one additional purchase per year from half of current potato shoppers could generate over $200 million in sales, and we’re excited to work with our retail partners to make it happen.

We’re looking forward to a strong season ahead for the Eagle Eye potato program. With smarter technology like AI graders and robotic sorters in our Idaho warehouse, we’re delivering more consistent quality year-round. We’ve never been better equipped to meet the needs of both retail and foodservice partners."

Anthony Innocenti, Managing Partner, LIV Produce

"On the conventional side of potatoes—which includes reds, yellows, and Russets—the quality looks outstanding. Both conventional and organic yellows are somewhat tight in supply, so there seems to be an abundance of supply in reds versus yellows. Heading into springtime, I think we’ll see colored potatoes really tighten up in supply as we wait for California’s new crop to start in the springtime.

I see prices trending up on both conventional and organic, primarily due to the continuously rising cost for finished crops. To keep growers growing products, it's really important that these costs are supported.

The winter months heading into January are peak season for potato demand. It’s really a time when consumers put a focus on produce in general, so it’s best to have well-stocked displays of all potatoes throughout November, December, January, and February. This season, LIV Produce is poised better than ever to pack value-added bags for any retailer across the country with no gaps in supply."

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