Break
The Rules

For donkey’s years, it’s been said (probably by your nan) that the best potato for cooking is Maris Piper, because, well… “them’s the rules”.

But what if we told you a secret?
Maris Piper, developed in the 60’s, is NOT all it’s cracked up to be – what was great then, isn’t quite so great now and Maris needs a tonne of TLC to survive.

DID YOU KNOW? The potential for newer varieties of potatoes, is to naturally produce around 37%* more yield than Maris Piper – typically without a greater requirement for additional water application and inputs.

 

Whilst many might struggle to identify different potatoes just by looking at them, it’s what’s on the inside that counts – and this goes far deeper than waxy vs starchy. Often a potato’s humble appearance masks just how much sweat and science it takes to keep this beloved crop on our plates, yet you’ll see the same old varieties in every recipe and on every plate in the country! Why? Because that’s what we know, what has been passed down through generations of home cooks, and even by some of the most influential chefs we love.

So we’re calling on chefs, recipe writers, foodie creators and home cooks to BREAK THE RULES.

IT’S TIME TO RETHINK POTATOES

As well as being beloved in our traditional, and global, cuisines, the potato sector has so much exciting work and innovation happening. We want to use the voice of Golden Kings and our partners at Great British Chefs and beyond to amplify the message about embracing newer, great tasting, high performing varieties to help shift consumer understanding and behaviour. 

Potatoes are an incredibly important crop for food security, but the land available to the industry has been shrinking over the last couple of decades, with around half of all potato growing land in Great Britain seeing the impact of pests such as PCN. Coupled with the facts that some older potato varieties have become increasingly difficult to grow, we’re seeing them require more inputs for less marketable yield. Getting the most crop out of every hectare is the key to unlocking not only more potatoes for our shelves, but also in reducing the carbon impact of potato production.

Newer varieties naturally present an opportunity to provide shoppers with delicious potatoes that are far more consistent and have naturally higher yields. A win for everyone.

“As an industry we understand the challenges posed by climate, pests such as PCN, growing conditions and impacts to yield, but consumers do not. It is vital we start the conversation so shoppers can recognise that behavioural change is needed to continue to meet potato demand in this country. We need the support of professionals and industry voices to do this, so we’re delighted to have Great British Chefs on board to spearhead this campaign.”

With Move Over Maris, we hope we can encourage savvy young foodies to embark on this educational journey with us, and try for themselves some newer varieties to see that they can be more environmentally conscious and just as tasty!

GOLDEN KINGS, with their golden yellow colour, consistent size, easy-to-peel shape and intensely buttery (read: utterly delicious) flavour, are just as (if not more) versatile in the kitchen as Maris Piper. The perfect potato for roasting, mashing, chipping, smashing, baking, boiling, slicing and air frying. BUT, they’re way more consistent, definitely tastier and are kinder to the planet too.

*SOURCE: Produce Solutions, 2017-2022 Pre-pack trials