During the pandemic, the has been a distinct growth in home cooking, in turn resulting in more families in Northern Ireland picking up packs of local potatoes for meals. Angus Wilson of Wilson’s Country in Craigavon, the region’s largest potato processor, has been working towards this end for many years.
Last week, novel potato products from this Northern Ireland company won acclaim for their quality and taste from retailers in Scotland. Angus, who founded the company in 1987, is delighted to have won the award from influential Scottish retailers. “It’s a tremendous endorsement of our You Say Potato fresh cut potato chips in an important market outside Northern Ireland,” he told newsletter.co.uk.
“Building business in Britain for our versatile and convenient potato products is a key business growth target for us. This award will help to increase awareness especially among retailers throughout Scotland. It was also great to see other local companies Thompson’s Family Teas, Hellbent and McColgan’s Foods being recognised in the awards.”
Wilson’s, which sources potatoes from farms in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland, has faced challenges from pasta and rice over many years and has sought to meet these by coming up with smart ideas that have made cooking and storing potatoes easier than ever before. They’ve also highlighted the great versatility and nutritional value of the ‘humble spud’.
Wilson: “The reality is that the potato is now no longer viewed as just the humble spud. Consumers realise that fresh potatoes can be at the centre of an exciting culinary experience and can be used in so many different ways – boiled, mashed, sliced, roasted, sauted, dices and of course chips