Key Highlights

• Butter Potatoes are now available across Canada
• Three types launched: Butter Golds, Reds and Russets
• No added butter needed due to natural taste
• Strong buying interest shown by Canadian shoppers

Canada now has its first Butter Potato range on store shelves. The new product comes from EarthFresh, a fresh produce supplier based in North America. The launch follows years of testing and comes after early sales success in the United States. The potatoes are now being sold nationwide in Canada in three main types.

What Makes Butter Potatoes Different

Butter Potatoes are grown to have a rich, creamy taste without the need for added butter. The range includes Butter Golds, Butter Reds and Butter Russets. Each type is meant for a different use in the kitchen.

Butter Golds work well for mashing. Butter Reds are suited for roasting. Butter Russets are best for baking. All three types share a smooth texture and even cooking results. According to the company, the potatoes keep their soft feel no matter how they are prepared.

Each batch is graded to keep size, taste and texture consistent. A taste and texture test was carried out by trained reviewers. The potatoes were scored out of 100, with results shared to help buyers choose the right type for their needs.

Also read: Top 10 Potato Producing Countries in the World

Years of Work Behind the Launch

Jessica Anderson (Hughes), Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at EarthFresh, said the launch follows more than ten years of research and testing. She said the goal was to offer something clearly different from regular potatoes found in stores.

The Canada-wide rollout is a major step for the company. EarthFresh says the product is aimed at both home cooks and professional kitchens that want consistent quality and simple prep.

Chef Support and Recipe Use

To show how the potatoes can be used, EarthFresh worked with chef Yann Nury on recipe development. He said the potatoes cook evenly and work well across many dishes, from simple meals at home to restaurant plates.

The company believes this ease of use will help the potatoes fit into daily cooking without extra steps.

Strong Interest From Shoppers

Before the launch, a shopper study was carried out to test interest in new produce items. The research, done by IMI International, found that 83 percent of Canadian shoppers showed interest in buying Butter Potatoes. The result was higher than normal results for new produce items.

Butter Potatoes had earlier sold in selected U.S. stores, where early stocks ran out quickly. The product has since returned to the U.S. market with new packaging and wider reach.

Butter Potatoes are now available across Canada in 5 lb bags. With strong shopper interest and steady supply, the new range is set to test whether Canadians are ready for a different kind of potato on a regular basis.

Image credit: Earth Fresh Foods
News source: Perishable News

Potato items move through many hands before they reach a home kitchen. Farmers sort them, plants clean and cut them and retailers store them in racks or cold rooms. At each point, the product can lose freshness if it is not packed well.

This is why better packaging has turned into one of the strongest tools for anyone working with fresh, frozen or ready-to-cook potato items.

Many food brands want longer shelf life without changing the taste or feel of the food. They also want fewer returns from stores and fewer losses during travel. Good packaging helps with all of these. In this post, we look at how simple but smart steps in packaging can keep potato items safe for longer. The focus is on clear, real-world points that any food plant, trader or retailer can understand and apply.

Why Shelf Life Drops in Potato Products

Potatoes may look strong, but they react fast to air, heat, moisture and microbes. When sliced or peeled, the speed of change becomes even faster.

Here are the most common reasons why shelf life drops:

1. Air contact

When sliced potatoes touch air, the surface starts to turn brown. Oxygen feeds microbes and speeds up spoilage. Even whole potatoes soften sooner if the skin stays open to air for long.

2. Moisture loss or moisture gain

Too little moisture makes potatoes dry. Too much moisture allows microbes to grow. Both conditions change the look and taste of the final product.

3. Heat during storage or travel

Higher temperature pushes starch activity inside the potato. This changes the color during frying and may lead to waste for snack plants.

4. Microbial activity

Bacteria, yeast and molds grow fast when the product is not packed well. This is one of the main reasons fresh-cut potato items fail before the printed date.

5. Physical damage

During travel, open or thin packaging cannot protect potatoes from pressure. Cracks and bruises make decay faster.

Good packaging handles all five points at the same time. It keeps out air, keeps moisture at the right level, adds a small physical shield and slows microbial action.

RELATED: The Truth About Potato Peel Waste Around the World

How Better Packaging Helps

1. Slows Air Contact With Tight Seals

Vacuum packs and packs with low oxygen levels work well for cut potatoes. By pulling out air before sealing, the pack slows color change and lowers microbial growth.

A study from a food lab in Gujarat showed that fresh-cut potatoes lasted 6–8 days longer in low-oxygen packs compared to regular cling wrap packs. This difference alone reduced waste by 22% for that plant.

2. Controls Moisture With the Right Film

Films used for potato items need the right breathability. Too tight and moisture stays inside. Too loose and moisture escapes.

Common films used today include:

• LDPE film for frozen fries
• PP film for chips
• Multi-layer film for fresh-cut items

A snack plant in Maharashtra shifted from single-layer PP to a three-layer film. Their chips absorbed less moisture from humid air. The shelf life increased by 20–25 days and returns from shops dropped by 18%.

3. Adds Light Protection

Light affects the natural sugar levels in potatoes. When sugar rises, chips turn darker during frying. A matte or tinted outer layer blocks light and slows this shift.

One fryer line in Punjab reduced dark-spot batches by 30% after using tinted outer pouches for raw peeled potatoes delivered to the frying room.

4. Supports Temperature Control

Packaging cannot replace cold rooms, but it helps maintain the right temperature longer. Insulated pouches or box liners allow the product to stay within a safer range during travel.

Cold chain reports from South India show that insulated liners kept potato wedges within 1–4°C for almost 6 hours even when the outside temperature touched 32°C.

5. Protects Against Pressure and Handling Damage

Thick film with a strong seal reduces cracking and bruising. For chips, even small cracks in the raw slices cause broken finished pieces.

Switching to stronger side-seals helped one chips maker cut breakage during loading by almost 40%.

Packaging Formats That Work Well for Potato Products

Different potato products need different types of packs. Here are the most used formats and how they help.

1. Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)

Used for: Fresh-cut potatoes, peeled potatoes, wedges

This pack replaces normal air with a mix of gases like nitrogen and carbon dioxide. It slows microbial action and surface browning. Many retail brands use MAP to get 6–10 extra days of shelf life for fresh-cut potato packs.

2. Vacuum Bags

Used for: Peeled potatoes for bulk supply

Removing air keeps microbes low and slows color change. Vacuum packs often keep peeled potatoes stable for 8–14 days when stored cold.

3. Multi-Layer Pouches

Used for: Chips, namkeen, flavored snacks

Layers keep out air and moisture while holding the aroma inside. This is why most snack brands use 3- or 4-layer pouches. Tests from packaging suppliers show that moisture rise stays below 1–1.5% inside these packs during 60 days of storage.

4. Frozen-Grade Bags

Used for: Fries, hash browns, frozen wedges

These packs stay strong at low temperatures and stop freezer burn. If the seal is weak, ice forms inside the pouch and damages the texture. Good frozen bags maintain the product quality for up to 12 months when stored right.

5. Rigid Trays With Film Lids

Used for: Retail wedges, ready-to-cook potato dishes

Trays protect the shape of the product. A film lid keeps out air while still allowing the customer to see the food. Retail sales reports show that trays reduce physical damage by over 50% during store handling.

RELATED: Smart Packaging Trends Changing the Potato Chips and Snacks Marke

Simple Packaging Steps That Make a Big Difference

Below is a short table with steps used in many potato plants today:

Why Packaging Matters for Both Small and Large Plants

Potato plants come in all sizes. A small cutting unit may pack 200 kg a day, while a large snack brand may pack 20 tons. But both struggle with the same basic shelf-life problems.

Small Plants

• Often lose money due to early spoilage
• Face complaints when fresh-cut items turn dark
• Can improve results fast with simple MAP or stronger films

Large Plants

• Lose large amounts if one batch spoils
• Risk losing space on retail shelves if quality drops
• Use multi-layer films and strong QC checks to keep packs safe

Across both groups, better packaging removes a big part of daily stress. When packs stay strong and fresh, staff spend less time replacing loose seals, leaking pouches or discolored potatoes.

Case Study: Frozen Fries Maker in West India

A plant making frozen fries struggled with ice build-up inside pouches. This caused soft fries after frying. Their old film had low strength at cold temperatures.

They moved to a frozen-grade film with a better seal layer. They also changed the seal bar temperature and added a quick wipe step to remove moisture droplets before sealing.

Results in 3 months:

• Complaints from hotels dropped by 60%
• Ice inside pouches dropped by 70%
• Shelf life improved from 9 months to nearly 12 months
• Packing line stoppage reduced by 15%

The change was small but had a clear effect on both sales and waste.

Case Study: Fresh-Cut Potato Supplier in Delhi NCR

This unit supplies peeled and cut potatoes to cloud kitchens. Their biggest issue was browning within 48 hours. Restaurants complained often.

They tested a low-oxygen MAP setup. They also shifted to a two-layer breathable film. The result:

• Shelf life increased from 2 days to 5–6 days
• Rejections dropped from 30% to under 10%
• Daily output went up because fewer batches were thrown out
• Staff spent less time sorting spoiled items

This shows how better packaging helps the entire chain, from supplier to kitchen.

Conclusion

Good packaging does not fix every problem in potato handling, but it gives the product a strong shield from air, moisture, heat and microbes. Even small changes in film type, seal strength or pack design can add days or months to the shelf life. This leads to fewer returns, less waste and better trust from buyers.

As food plants grow and supply wider areas, shelf life will play a bigger part in their success. Better packaging is one of the simplest ways to move in that direction.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Image credit: Gabriel Dalton on Unsplash
Research Sources:

“Effect of Different Packaging Methods on Shelf Life of Potato Tuber” — a study comparing vacuum vs modified-atmosphere storage for potatoes.
“Post-harvest Operations for Potato” — a report from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) covering how post-harvest handling and storage (including packaging) can extend shelf life of potatoes.
“Towards Impact of Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) on Shelf-Life of Polymer-Film-Packed Food Products” — a recent review article describing how MAP and polymer-film packaging extend shelf life for many packed foods including tubers/vegetables.
“Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of fresh produce: review on its effect in extending shelf life” — broader review with principles and findings applicable to potatoes, cut produce, and packaging choices.
“Post-harvest management of potatoes” — article (2024) in an Indian farming journal covering storage, handling, and factors that influence potato shelf life for ware and processing potatoes.

Key Highlights

• Seabrook adds frozen fries and crinkles to its product range.
• The fries and crinkles come in well-known Seabrook flavours.
• The products will be sold only in 400 Morrisons stores.
• The firm continues to grow after major investment in Bradford.

Seabrook Crisps, a long-known Bradford snack maker, has rolled out two new items: frozen French fries and frozen potato crinkles. The launch adds a fresh line to a company best known for its crinkled crisps.

These new fries are not plain freezer snacks. Seabrook has added its own touch by using flavours people already know from its crisp packs. The frozen French fries come in cheese-and-onion and salt-and-vinegar. The potato crinkles arrive in beef flavour and the firm’s well-known sea salt option.

The company has been part of Bradford’s food scene for many decades. Seabrook started in 1945, founded by Charles Brook. Its name came from a simple slip when a photo lab worker wrote “Seabrook” instead of “C. Brook” on a film pack. That small mistake ended up naming a brand that people across the UK now recognize.

Also read: Japan’s Potato Chips Market Set to Reach $7B by 2035

Seabrook still keeps close ties to the region. Most of the potatoes used by the company are grown within about 50 miles of its Bradford base. The new frozen snacks will also connect back to the city through a deal with Morrisons, another Bradford-based name. For now, the frozen range will be sold only in 400 Morrisons stores across the UK.

The line follows another recent release. Last month Seabrook added “Waves,” a higher-priced potato snack, also sold in Morrisons. These moves show the brand’s aim to offer more choice while holding on to its crisp heritage.

Seabrook’s parent company, Calbee, took control in 2018. In the latest reports up to December 2023, Calbee UK showed a strong rise in both turnover and profit. Daniel Woodwards, group managing director for Calbee UK, said the growth shows that people still respond well to what the company makes.

He noted that Seabrook remains the top crinkle-cut crisp brand and the second-largest crisp brand in the UK by volume. He also said the firm is working on new snack types and new flavour ideas while keeping the Seabrook brand at the centre.

Even with its growth, the company has stayed in Bradford. It has spent large sums on a new production line, cooking and prep areas, storage and other upgrades to keep pace with demand.

Also read: Top 10 Potato Producing Countries in the World (2025)

Seabrook did not start in a large building. Its early days were spent in a small terraced house. Later it moved into the old Allerton Liberal Club in the 1950s. By the late 1970s, the company shifted to Duncombe Street, where it remains today.

With its new frozen line now reaching Morrisons stores, Seabrook is widening its range while keeping its strong ties with Bradford and staying close to the flavours that built its name.

Source: ilkleygazette
Image: by Newfoodsuk from Instagram

Key Highlights:

• Greenyard integrates Mettler-Toledo’s C33 PlusLine checkweighers.
• Overfill reduced from 40 grams to 10 grams per one-kilogram bag.
• Efficiency improved and manual adjustments largely removed.
• Savings achieved through better weight control and waste reduction.

Greenyard Frozen Belgium has improved packaging accuracy and reduced product waste at its Westrozebeke plant by using Mettler-Toledo’s advanced checkweighing technology. The move aims to tackle long-standing overfilling issues and cut unnecessary product losses in high-speed packaging lines.

The company, which produces and packages millions of frozen fruits and vegetables every year, had faced ongoing challenges with excess fill levels. To avoid underweight packages, Greenyard used to add around 40 extra grams to each one-kilogram bag. While this ensured compliance, it also led to large amounts of product being given away for free over time.

Manual adjustments failed to deliver consistent results. To solve this, Greenyard turned to Mettler-Toledo’s C33 PlusLine checkweigher, a system equipped with automatic fill level correction. The device continuously tracks each bag’s weight and adjusts filling in real time, keeping every package within the correct limit.

After full implementation, the company saw major improvement. Overfill dropped from 40 grams to just 10 grams per bag while maintaining accuracy and compliance. Technical Manager Dominiek Vierstraete said the results were better than expected. “We tested the smart fill feature on one line and the outcome convinced us to install it across all lines,” he said.

Each packaging line required separate calibration for different vegetables, such as peas and cauliflower. Mettler-Toledo’s team supported installation, setup and staff training. Once in place, the system worked automatically, reducing the need for manual checks.

Efficiency gains were clear. On one packaging line, overweight rates fell from 0.69% to 0.14% and from 0.30% to 0.11% on another. Though the numbers seem small, the savings add up quickly across Greenyard’s large production volume. “This saves product, prevents waste and makes the process smoother,” Vierstraete explained.

The company also benefited from less operator intervention, faster performance and more reliable data. “It’s an investment that pays back quickly,” Vierstraete added.

Mettler-Toledo representatives said such improvements are common when manufacturers use smart weighing systems. “Every gram matters when margins are tight. Many companies recover the investment within months,” said Mari Bögels, Account Manager at Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection.

Field service technician Janus Dumelie noted that collaboration was key to success. “We don’t just install the equipment. We work closely with customers to make sure they get the best performance every day,” he said.

Greenyard’s use of intelligent checkweighing shows how automation can improve precision and reduce waste in large-scale food processing. With tighter control over fill levels, the company cuts costs, saves raw material and strengthens its focus on efficiency and sustainability.

Source: Food Manufacturing