SAN FRANCISCO, CA - For Thanksgiving this year, I have been charged with the ever-daunting task of making the mashed potatoes, and trust me—if I mess this up, my family will not invite me back. Luckily, Side Delights® is here to make holiday prep easy enough that no consumer will have to be outcast from their family celebrations.

“What is a Thanksgiving dinner without mashed potatoes?” asks Kathleen Triou, President & CEO of Fresh Solutions Network, the parent company of Side Delights. “Our bag and bulk options are the best value for larger gatherings, but for a smaller, intimate gathering, I go for our Side Delights Gourmet Petite potatoes. These beautiful petite potatoes are colorful and their thin skin means no peeling!”

Triou tells me that Side Delights Steamables and Flavorables potatoes are a perfect way to make sure consumers aren’t in the kitchen for days ahead of the holiday feast. Both product lines come in microwaveable bags or trays, limiting the amount of work a cook must do in order to deliver delicious, satisfying potatoes that taste like they went an extra mile.

“Side Delights offers a range of popular potato types—russet, red, yellow, white—in bag options that perfectly fit your party size. Fresh Solutions Network’s farmers recommend at least ½ pound of raw potatoes per person,” Kathleen says. “For a large crowd of about 15 people, go for a 10 lb bag of potatoes. If you are hosting less than 10 people, a 5 pound bag should do the trick. But potatoes are a popular item, so you might be cutting it close!”

As far as recipes, Side Delights’ website has shoppers covered. Kathleen loves the Classic Thanksgiving Mashed Potato recipe, but for a twist, she suggests Cheesy Mashed Potato Puffs, Mashed Potato Casserole, or, for a spicy twist, the Tri-Colored Roasted Potatoes with Harissa Sauce.

But how can you as a retailer help make sure consumers are grabbing these value-added potato products and keeping average basket cost high? Kathleen explains: “Adding a secondary display of Side Delights potatoes goes a long way toward increased sales velocity during the holiday season. Featuring the quick to cook, higher margin items like Steamables, Flavorables, and Gourmet Petites deliver incremental sales in addition to the predictable bag purchases.”

And it’s not a bad time to get consumers familiar with the Side Delights brand, either. Kathleen says 2019 will be a great year for for the brand with new product launches sure to delight both retailers and shoppers alike—so be sure to stay tuned!

Fresh Solutions Network