One of the UK’s largest suppliers of fresh potatoes, Greenvale AP, has taken on Tesco’s challenge as the retail giant looks to grow its potato market share.
Tesco believes there is significant growth potential in the potato category - a potential highlighted by the success of new varieties such as Vales Sovereign.
Greenvale has responded to the retailer's challenge to grow the category by creating a new in-house post, that of Tesco business unit manager and employed a former Tesco buying manager for the position.
Darren Huxtable will split his time between the Greenvale sites that supply Tesco, at Floods Ferry in Cambridgeshire and Duns on the Scottish Borders. He will be responsible for all the company's sales to the retailer and will help to develop Greenvale’s relationship with Tesco’s team in Scotland, bringing additional support to their initiatives in sales and marketing.
Huxtable was Tesco buying manager for mushrooms, herbs and chilled salads and previously has been with G's Marketing, responsible for procurement for the company's salad factory.
Huxtable said: "There are big opportunities to improve the customer offering. For example, Greenvale's new varieties, like Vales Sovereign and Sofia, deliver real benefits over traditional potato varieties in terms of flavour and versatility. They will play an important role in improving customer participation and perception to the potato category.
"Greenvale and Tesco already enjoy an excellent working partnership - in 2008 Vales Sovereign won Variety of the Year in the Tesco Fresh Produce Category Awards. My ultimate aim is to make Greenvale Tesco's first choice for fresh potatoes."
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