Potatoes leaving Kiwi plates

CEO of Potato NZ Kate Truffit says consumer research found that perception and cultural shifts have changed consumption levels in New Zealand.  

“I mean, potatoes are the most loved vegetable of New Zealand and the most consumed, but we still wanted to sort of see what our modern consumers were really thinking. 

“We've had a change in cultures in New Zealand, you know, a lot of immigration, a change in the size of our families, a change in the way our families work together and eat together.” 

She says these changes have impacted what alternatives we are turning to.  

“Gone are the days of the 10kg bag, families would buy those big bags and work their way through them. 

“We now have rice, we have pasta, we have hummus, we have Bulgarian wheat, we have lots of different ways of eating now. 

“And I think that's impacted, but also people don't necessarily have the time to prepare food.  

“And so even though potatoes are fairly simple to prepare, they may be seen as a bit of hard work.  

“It's easier to grab one of those little convenient bags of rice.” 

Addington Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Accountant Nisar says culture does impact the vegetables people purchase.   

“I think potatoes are more regular, but ethnicity has a different type of vegetables they buy. 

“It's your upbringing from your parents, but potatoes always seem to be a staple food to most people in any society and it's more affordable compared to tomatoes in winter.  

“Tomatoes which are not affordable or grapes in New Zealand seem to not be affordable.” 

He says other vegetables that have been popular this winter were silver beans, beans, black beans like choy, cabbage, and cauliflower. 

Truffit wants to unlock Aotearoa’s potato potential. She says potatoes are nutrient rich and should remain one of the first reached-for vegetables.  

“It's about making people understand that potatoes are a whole food.  

“They come, yes, with carbs, but it's good carbs, you know, it's that high boost of energy.  

“It gives you a whole heap of other nutrition though, because it's got protein, vitamins, like a huge amount of vitamin C.”  

She says Potatoes NZ is working towards revolutionising New Zealand’s potato industry to keep up with this change. She says they will be looking at both immediate and long-term solutions.  

“Do we grow potatoes just to be potatoes, or do we grow them to be an ingredient like Fonterra does with milk?”  

While Kiwis love their potato chips and fries, she says more alternatives are on the horizon. 

“So there is a project at the moment looking at an alternate meat using potato proteins. There are people around the world, as you mentioned, potato milk, but we've just had some really cool people down in Central Otago making potato ice cream.” 

Other alternatives include ‘lotatoes’ (Potatoes with 40% less carbs) and potato skin cloths.