Potato peeling peaks at Parripak
 

Bedfordshire-based Parripak Foods, processors of fresh vegetables to chilled food manufacturers, have been peeling potatoes for 20 years. With capacity of 300 tonnes per week of peeled potatoes, they have recently seen a significant increase in the demand for chilled prepared potatoes. Some of this is due to increased demand and some due to industry consolidation.

According to the TNS Family Food Panel data from June 2004-May 2005, boiled and mash meal types accounted for 40% of in home meals, including packed lunch, with 17% accounting for fast foods and takeaways.

Parripak’s joint managing director, James Parrish said: " Innovations in new product development is a vital part of our process. There continues to be a move away from retail fresh product towards retail process products and high quality convenience food. This has led to greater specialisation and increased process retail sales reflect the lifestyle changes of today’s consumer. We are currently producing up to 7 tonnes an hour on potato alone and all our potato products end up in well-known brands and supermarket own brands of soups, fresh mash and ready to cook meals."

Food metres not miles
James Parrish and his team have for some time been working on reducing the food miles and carbon footprints of the products that they procure. This means local and UK grown products as opposed to imported. Where imported products are unavoidable in the closed season, it is trying to limit the environmental impact with land and sea freight as opposed to airfreight. One of the key areas of potato processing often underestimated is water and effluent costs and Parripak have their own water supply of treatment plant to cover this.

"There has been a substantial increase in imported processed products. However as a UK processor, we want to ensure top quality products and we only source from growers who have the necessary protocols. Assured produce and EUREGAP standards pre-requisites, but also LEAF standard, Nature’s Choice and Field to Fork are required by some customers" said James.

Parripak has made significant investment in their potato processing line, which incorporates sophisticated technology such as optical grading. This investment has doubled their capacity on peeled output and their 2 peeling lines give them huge flexibility in the type of finished product offered. They are now geared to high volume lines which can produce whole peeled, sliced, diced julienne to name but a few, and this flexibility has also proved attractive to customers with extremely tight JIT deadlines.