Little potatoes create that shift without abandoning familiarity. Their naturally small size, skin-on preparation and flexibility allow new presentations while keeping potatoes recognizable. “The small size, skin on, means they’re visually different from standard potato options. And they’re so versatile, they can be used with almost any flavor profile, ingredient, dish that are already on the menu. Think of it as innovation with familiarity,” Sanford Gleddie, EVP of Sales, Marketing and Business Development at The Little Potato Company, said.
Operators can simply add another choice. “For example, you may be currently offering French fries and sweet potato fries as a side. You could add a third option, whole deep fried little potatoes. Take what’s familiar but put a little twist on it and offer it as an option,” Gleddie added.
They can also be prepared in volume and finished differently by daypart. “You can do a bunch of prep like boil or roast up 50 pounds of little potatoes in the morning, and you could use them in multiple dishes throughout the day. They hold so well. You could then do a smashed potato on the grill with those. You could mash those up and use them in a breakfast hash. It just becomes so easy to do bulk prep and then customize it from there,” Gleddie noted.
That also changes the cost conversation. “The real advantage is the true full cost of using little potatoes, including all the hidden expenses. Our potatoes are 100% usable, with no waste from cutting or peeling. Their consistent sizing also gives operators predictable portions, ease of prep, and more consistent cooking performance,” Gleddie continued.
Sous vide little potatoes can reduce preparation further, with whole and sliced potatoes serving as a base for multiple applications. “Our sous vide product comes in both whole and sliced versions. It takes our labor savings to another level. It’s ready in minutes, no specialized skills, and it’s there as a base. You just open up the bag of sous–vide little potatoes, dump that on the flat top and fry it up, and there’s your breakfast potato. It’s that fast,” Gleddie detailed.
The format also works with existing equipment. “That’s where the sous vide little potatoes really shine, because they’re fully pre-cooked. So, you’re just using your combi oven to put a crisp on it.” Gleddie outlined.
Color adds another menu tool. “Yellow, red and purple potatoes can really add interest and visual appeal to a dish. These are all our own varieties, so operators get that added color without sacrificing the same great taste profile,” Gleddie stated.
Purple adds another presentation option. “One thing that’s super unique, our Purely Purple potato maintains its beautiful rich color inside and out, even when you boil it. A lot of times a full-colored potato will completely leach all that color out when it’s boiled. Ours retains that color all the way through, right to the plate,” Gleddie explained.
Smashed little potatoes can then move into appetizers and shareables. “If you want to change it up every week, you can do a smashed potato as a base, and you can easily change your toppings from day to day, from night to night, or if you want to do something special. It’s a perfect base, you can have your smashed potato appetizer there all the time, but change it up daily, weekly, depending on what else you have kicking around in your kitchen.” Gleddie commented.
That also fits game-day menus. “Another great way to serve a smashed potato is to use it almost like a large, crispy cracker instead of simply adding a topping,” Gleddie observed.
Sauces and seasonings take the platform in new directions. “It holds extremely well and is such a flexible base ingredient. By adding different spice profiles or sauces, operators can easily introduce global flavors on an LTO limited-time basis,” Gleddie shared.
The versatility extends further. “Our potatoes are a perfect size to use in soups and curries and stews. It gives you that range of flexibility as well, not just as a roasted potato on the side of a plate of spices. You can incorporate it right into a regional dish, like a curry, and you’re good to go,” Gleddie emphasized.
For operators, the strategy is straightforward: start with a roasted or smashed application, establish a bulk-prep process, and move the same product across dayparts. Or use the sous-vide option to take the menu through the day. Distributors can help customers see the potato as more than a single-use side.
“With little potatoes, you have one item that can stretch across multiple dayparts, multiple menu items, and multiple cooking methods. You’ve got it covered with one product,” Gleddie indicated.
Operators and distributors can connect with The Little Potato Company at littlepotatoes.com/food-service/ for in-formation and samples.
