Beanstalk Global had the pleasure of attending this year’s British Potato Event in Harrogate, which was exceptionally well attended and full of energy despite a challenging year for the sector. Throughout the event, we met and interviewed a range of key individuals and companies shaping the future of the UK potato industry. To watch the interviews, simply click on the images below.
Our key takeaways from the event:
2025 has undoubtedly been a tough year for everyone involved in the sector, yet optimism was surprisingly high among attendees. As Rufus Pilgrim of Cockerill’s pointed out, the UK grows some of the best-quality potatoes in the world — we just need the consumer to buy more of them!
That message fed perfectly into a standout seminar hosted by GB Potatoes, featuring speakers Cedric Porter and Professor David Hughes.
Cedric highlighted two major points:
- The inbound risk of increased frozen potato imports from China and India.
- The significant health benefits of potatoes that remain under-communicated to consumers.
- A reduction in the planted area can be excepted. It will probably be no more than 5% equating to approx. 101,650ha with a predicted crop of 4.675 million tonnes, one of the smallest on record.
Professor Hughes built on this, noting how other fresh produce sectors have successfully promoted the health benefits of their products, driving rapid sales growth – something the potato sector has not yet capitalised on.
He also issued a notable warning: major retailers may reduce their fresh produce shelf space by more than a third, replacing it with faster-moving, higher-margin items. This presents a major challenge if the sector does not reinvent itself.
The message was clear:
If the UK potato industry wants a better year than 2025, it must become more attractive, more consumer-friendly, promote the value for money that potatoes offer, and do much more to champion the quality and health benefits of great British potatoes. Thank you to all who engaged with us at the event. Let’s keep the momentum going for a stronger year ahead.
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