Potatoes Are Perfect for Summer

Retailers can perk up shoppers’ entertaining ideas and their own summer sales by offering new a new way to prepare potato salad. Available on WinWithWisconsinPotatoes.com/retail-support are free POP materials, including posters and recipe tearpads featuring “Potato Salad-Summer Style,” the winning entry in the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association’s (WPVGA) summer recipe contest.

“In summer, consumers want fast, light recipes that don’t require a lot of time in the kitchen or grill side,” notes Tim Feit, director of promotions and consumer education for the Antigo-based WPVGA. “Providing shoppers with new twists on summer favorites, as well as new recipe ideas, is a win-win for the grocer and shopper.”

The site enables produce managers to order tearpads with the recipe, which can be shipped to the store within days. Managers can additionally download and print a full-color POP poster showcasing the winning recipe, along with a “Pick the Perfect Wisconsin Potato” chart that shows consumers which potatoes are best for which dish. All materials are free.

The winning potato salad recipe was the creation Diana Chaginian of Watertown, Mass. “I love cooking with healthier ingredients without compromising the taste and flavor profile,” says Chaginian. “Very often, I cook with the ingredients I have at home, and will just come up with a recipe as I’m cooking. This recipe was one of those. Last summer, I had a bag of Wisconsin potatoes and a few other ingredients on hand. I wanted to make a light, healthy and delicious salad that my husband and I would enjoy.” As the winner of the contest, Chaginian received a $150 gift card to a grocer of her choice.

The other winning recipes are Roasted Potato & Summer Vegetable Mélange from Kathi Jones-DelMonte of Rochester, N.Y., and Potato Skins on the BBQ by Trisha Moore of Carmichael, Calif. All three winning recipes are available at www.WinWithWisconsinPotatoes.com.

Established in 1948, WPVGA provides grower education, government support, environmentally sound research and consumer education for 150 grower organizations across the state, and is responsible for expanding the Wisconsin potato markets via advertising, promotion and research.