KLAMMOTH, OR - As one of the oldest crops cultivated across the world, potatoes are a fundamental life force that is essential to so much of what we consume. Maybe I’ve developed potato brain in anticipation of Thanksgiving, but I can’t seem to get the spuds off of my mind. I tapped Anthony Innocenti, Co-Founder of LIV Organic, to satisfy my curiosity about the category. He reported that the company is currently packing Oregon-grown organic russets, reds, and yellow potatoes, both in bulk and bagged, in anticipation of the potato-centric festivities.
“We are ready for the holiday season without a doubt,” Anthony told me. “We chose to postpone harvesting a few weeks to let the first fields that get harvested really cure to prevent any ‘skinning’ on all potatoes. Since then, we have been adding extra packing crews to meet the holiday demand and ship 7 days a week.”
Because LIV Organic’s supply is well-positioned for the holidays, the grower took extra care to meet increased demand with the highest quality possible.
“We’re seeing steady volumes, but with demand pretty high, we should expect to see prices rise after the holidays for excellent quality product,” said Anthony. “Quality has been really good this year, and we have monitored very closely with extra levels of added quality control.”
While the company has done just about all it can to prepare for another successful potato season, the factor of weather is always something to consider for farmers.
“We’re expecting volume that’s pretty close to the same volume as last year, maybe a little less with the weather issues we had in the beginning of the harvesting season,” Anthony said. “It was abnormally cold last month right before the harvest began.”
Despite the cold winter weather looming over LIV Organic’s potato crops, it is well positioned to fulfill its mission: to produce high-quality product with incrementable growth to ensure the longevity of farming for years to come.
To see how other category growers are faring in the face of a busy holiday season, keep checking back with us at ANUK.
