IDAHO FALLS, ID - The awesome potato has been a hotter category than usual as of late, with demand spiking through the spring months. As we get our foothold in June, the potato market is finding some stability for Eagle Eye Produce, though the consumer’s passion for the produce item is staying strong.
“For Eagle Eye Produce, the market as a whole has normalized and is steady after months of strong retail demand and elevated pricing. We are back to where we typically are for this time of year,” Dallin Klingler, Marketing and Communications, shares with me. “This year has been quite the anomaly for us and the industry as a whole. We are happy to see that foodservice is starting to come back online. We are in a great spot with our supply and expect a smooth transition from storage crop into the new crop as we have made big investments into storage technology over the past few years.”
These recent investments in storage technology are a big value-add for customers as they allow for Eagle Eye Produce to keep its storage crop for longer. As Dallin tells me, Eagle Eye Produce is able to stand out against other growers/shippers in the industry by continuing to supply premium Idaho-grown potatoes including reds and yellows while many others resort to sourcing from distant growing regions.
“The important thing is that we elevate the category as a whole during these uncertain times. We are hoping to see foodservice rebound now that restaurants are starting to reopen across the country,” Dallin expresses. “Foodservice demand is starting to increase as retail demand normalizes. We’re seeing good demand on all sizes, especially small-sized retail bags.”
The new crop harvest in Idaho will start at the end of July. Eagle Eye Produce will be growing several varieties of russet, red, and yellow potatoes for retail and foodservice partners.
With potatoes still riding the wave of high demand at the doors of foodservice beginning to further open, only time will tell where the market will jump to next. Then again, time in this industry passes in the blink of an eye.
