That philosophy has helped drive the expansion of The Little Potato Company’s commitment to foodservice. After decades of success building consumer demand throughout retail supermarkets across North America, the company has launched a dedicated Foodservice Solutions division designed specifically to meet the needs of restaurants, healthcare facilities, colleges and universities, hospitality operators, and institutional feeding programs. The initiative recognizes that today’s operators need products that reduce labor while maintaining premium presentation and taste.
Few executive teams understand that challenge better than Sanford “Sandy” Gleddie, Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for The Little Potato Company, who is leading the company’s expanded focus on the foodservice marketplace. Working with operators, distributors, and culinary professionals across North America, Gleddie has helped shape the company’s new Foodservice Solutions division, designed to deliver potatoes with uniform sizing, exceptional flavor, easy preparation, and versatility across multiple dayparts.
The Edmonton, Alberta company’s story actually began in foodservice nearly three decades ago. Founder Angela Santiago and her father, Jacob, introduced little potatoes after Jacob immigrated to Canada from Holland, where small potatoes were commonly served. Unable to find the same product in North America, they began growing their own Dutch yellow variety and marketed them to upscale hotels and restaurants whose European-trained chefs immediately understood their value. “Our first customers were actually in foodservice because chefs who had worked in Europe already knew and appreciated these potatoes,” Gleddie said. “From there the business expanded rapidly into retail, but we always recognized that there was tremendous opportunity within professional kitchens.”
Today’s foodservice environment presents even greater opportunities. Operators are increasingly searching for products that help simplify kitchen operations without sacrificing quality. Little Potatoes require no peeling, minimal cutting, and can often move directly from package to cooking, significantly reducing prep time and labor requirements. For operations struggling to hire experienced kitchen staff, products that can be successfully prepared by employees of varying skill levels create valuable operational consistency. “Our goal is to make operators feel confident that they can deliver great food every time through reliable quality and easy preparation that works for all skill levels,” Gleddie added. “When labor is difficult to find, consistency becomes incredibly valuable.”
Consistency extends beyond labor savings. One of the biggest frustrations chefs encounter with traditional potatoes is uneven cooking. Larger potatoes frequently vary in size, resulting in some portions being overcooked while others remain undercooked. The Little Potato Company’s breeding, growing and sorting program focuses on remarkably uniform sizing, allowing potatoes to cook evenly and predictably whether they are roasted, steamed, boiled, or prepared in a combi oven. “The focus we put on extremely consistent sizing and shape means operators get much more uniform cooking across every batch,” Gleddie noted. “When every potato is within just a few millimeters of the next, the entire cooking process becomes more dependable.”
That consistency also creates opportunities across multiple dayparts. Breakfast programs can feature healthier alternatives to heavily processed hash browns, while lunch and dinner menus benefit from attractive side dishes requiring only simple seasonings. Catering companies, buffet operations, and hot bars gain additional advantages because portion control becomes easier while presentation remains attractive throughout service. “We had conversations with caterers, buffet operators, and hospitality professionals who immediately recognized how little preparation these potatoes required,” Gleddie continued. “They looked great on the plate, tasted excellent even with just simple seasoning, and provided outstanding portion control.”
The company has also expanded its portfolio with sous vide offerings available exclusively through foodservice channels. Available whole or sliced, these fully cooked products require only finishing, allowing operators to produce fresh-tasting potatoes in minutes using flat tops, convection ovens, or combi ovens. The solution helps reduce labor while delivering consistency during busy service periods. “Our sous vide products offered operators a tremendous advantage because they arrived fully prepared and simply needed finishing to achieve the desired texture and presentation,” Gleddie detailed. “That created speed without compromising quality.”
Flavor remains the company’s highest priority. Rather than focusing exclusively on yield or production characteristics, The Little Potato Company has invested in proprietary breeding programs centered on what it calls “potato love”—the sensory characteristics that make consumers genuinely enjoy eating potatoes. Taste, texture, aroma, and mouthfeel are carefully evaluated before varieties are selected for commercial production. “Our breeding program has become so selective that it finds sensory traits above everything else because those characteristics drive what we call potato love,” Gleddie outlined. “If a variety doesn’t deliver the flavor and eating experience we expected, it simply did not make the cut regardless of its other characteristics.”
Sustainability further strengthens the value proposition for the operator and their distributor partners. The company works with family farms throughout North America and participates in industry sustainability initiatives emphasizing soil health, crop rotation, water conservation, and responsible growing practices. Investments in renewable energy and efficient operations demonstrate that environmental stewardship and operational excellence can work together while supporting long-term supply reliability for foodservice customers.
Perhaps the greatest opportunity lies in helping operators create menu consistency from dine-in service to takeout and delivery. Products that retain their texture and flavor after cooking—and even after reheating—provide guests with a high-quality experience regardless of where they enjoy their meal. Combined with simplified preparation, dependable portioning, and versatility across breakfast, lunch, dinner, catering, and grab-and-go programs, the humble little potato becomes a strategic ingredient for today’s commercial kitchen. “Our focus is on creating confidence for food operators by delivering reliable quality, uniform sizing, easy preparation, versatility across the menu, and year-round supply,” Gleddie concluded. “When operators can count on consistency, they can build better menus and better guest experiences.”
Restaurant and foodservice operators, chefs, and distributors interested in incorporating The Little Potato Company’s food service solutions into their menus can connect with the company on the web at littlepotatoes.com/food-service. Its dedicated foodservice team are ready to develop a customized potato program that delivers consistency, labor savings, and menu versatility across every daypart.
