Bakersfield, Calif.— Since the brand’s launch in 2010, Tasteful Selections has reinvented the potato category by taking traditional comfort food and reimagining it. Tasteful Selections potatoes are evenly sized for consistent cook times, have unique flavor and create a superior culinary experience. Tasteful Selections potatoes are all highly desired by consumers, especially the signature variety Honey Gold and fan favorite Ruby Sensation. In just five years’ time, the specialty potato brand from RPE has grown so much that it needed to expand from its original location to a bigger facility, also in Bakersfield, California.
The new Tasteful Selections facility is expected to open around the end of November, just in time to handle the holiday rush and increased volume. The 200,000 square foot facility is completely dedicated to grading and packaging Tasteful Selections specialty potatoes. Not only will the new facility increase production capacity from eight packaging lines to 12, but it will double the capacity for washing potatoes. Additionally, the facility will have more shipping docks and improved refrigeration and storage using European-style storage bins. Sensitive to sustainability and water conservation, simply increasing the washing capacity wasn’t enough; water processes have been redesigned so that all water used in the facility is reused either for washing more potatoes or is applied to nearby farmland. Overall, the new fully automated Tasteful Selections facility will improve workflow, as well as the overall quality and shelf life of our potatoes for customers and ultimately create a better experience for consumers.
Through collaborations with young rising culinary stars Chef Joey Elenterio and Chef Jack Witherspoon, Tasteful Selections has been developing new recipes to help consumers and foodservice alike realize the hidden potential of potatoes. Although the traditional combination of meat and potatoes still make a great meal, consumers want more variety in their meals throughout the week. Tasteful Selections potatoes are the versatile answer to that need and have been embraced by consumers nationwide.
“The amount of success we have experienced with Tasteful Selections is unprecedented,” explained Russell Wysocki, president and CEO of RPE Inc. “Because of the constantly increasing consumer demand, the new expanded facility in Bakersfield was needed to help us meet the needs and fill the orders of all our customers. Tasteful Selections has provided 50 percent incremental growth for our customers and we are committed to meeting their needs.”
The tremendous growth in consumer demand for specialty potatoes has made Tasteful Selections one of the top selling brands in the country, which is the reason for opening the new facility. The continual increase in demand for our specialty potatoes and the ever-changing needs of today’s consumer have led to expansions of the Tasteful Selections line. In fall of 2012, microwavable bags of Tasteful Selections potatoes were introduced for busy, convenience-minded consumers.
The newest addition to the Tasteful Selections line, organic baby potatoes, addresses the needs of consumers in a segment of the category that has grown year after year, up 44.2 percent in dollars and 35.3 percent in volume. The line will be officially unveiled in the New Product Showcase at PMA Fresh Summit Oct. 17-19. The new Bakersfield facility is designed to fit the needs of packaging both organic and conventional specialty potatoes.
“The brand new facility will help us give our customers and consumers the best possible experience with our potatoes,” said Wysocki. “With the added production area, we’re ready to help customers meet whatever consumer demand for specialty potatoes there is.”
This text was copied verbatim from a press release.
