Bushman’s Inc. says its goal is to make consumers more familiar with the different varieties of potatoes.

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Diefenderfer

If Mike Carter has his way, the versatile potato will soon enjoy a renaissance akin to what the apple experienced about two decades ago. That’s when the apple took the marketing leap from “keeping the doctor away” to a staple among sophisticated foodies who could distinguish apple varieties on sight.

Through his company – Bushman’s Inc. – and his involvement in the potato growing industry, Carter is pushing the potato to a level where consumers would be able to name Russet, red, white and yellow potatoes just as easily as they can rattle off Macintosh, Fuji, Honeycrisp and Jonathan as types of apples.

“Consumers are very sophisticated in apple purchasing,” he says. “In the potato, we’re now just beginning that process. There are hundreds of different varieties out there, and we are constantly evaluating new varieties. We are very excited about a new yellow variety call Sierra Gold. It has an excellent flavor and we are convinced the consumers will love it.”

Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, Bushman’s Inc. is no stranger to changing with the times. Joseph L. Bushman began his business by planting his tubers in northwest Wisconsin. Once established, he utilized the latest technologies to improve the soils and his potatoes.

Today, the company remains in family hands with Chairman Mitchell Bushman at the helm. Bushman’s Inc. serves clients east of the Mississippi River through its line of potatoes as well as periphery items including onions, mixed vegetables, fruit and its proprietary product, Speedy Spud.

Eliminating Misconceptions
One of the most widespread knocks against potatoes is that they don’t lend themselves to convenience. Carter says many people believe cooking with potatoes requires preplanning, which is often a luxury in today’s lifestyle. “Statistics show that not many people know what to make for dinner until 15 minutes before they prepare it,” Carter states.

To overcome this stigma, Bushman’s Inc. developed Speedy Spud, which is a triple-washed, pre-wrapped potato that is ready to eat after just seven minutes in the microwave. The company also is heavily involved with the U.S. Potato Board – a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – to promote potato-based recipes that are convenient and nutritious.

“That, to me, is the perfect example of addressing that the situation in an effective way,” Carter says. “We have a baked potato that is very good in a few minutes. You can bake it or throw it in the microwave, you’re eating in a few minutes and it’s good, healthy food.”

The other myths about potatoes, according to Carter, are their nutritional value. With the onset of carbohydrate-free diet fads, the potato industry took a major hit. “We’re doing everything we can to let consumers know that stigma of potatoes as fattening food is an unfair label,” Carter says. “But there is zero fat in a potato and only about 9 percent carbohydrates.

“More importantly, the carbs in a potato are the ‘good’ carbs,” Carter adds. “That, plus the fact there’s a high percentage of vitamin C, more potassium than a banana and a lot of fiber in medium-sized potato, it really is a healthy food.”

Recession-Ready
With the recession in full swing, consumers are electing to eat at home more often these days. However, Carter says the potato industry hasn’t experienced the expected uptick in business that usually corresponds with such a trend.

To get the word out, Bushman’s Inc. is working with the Wisconsin Potato Growers Association to further promote the nutritional value as well as the economic bargain potatoes offer. The company also is a member of Healthy Grown, a co-op that sells potatoes from farms that only use sustainable and environmentally friendly farming techniques to cultivate their crops.

With the economy still under duress, value-added processes for the sake of convenience and a marketing message of nutritional value, Carter believes the potato will be a viable part of the American diet for years to come. He also expects Bushman’s to grow.

“In the future, we’ll have new developments in making potatoes more convenient, and we believe we have positioned ourselves to participate in that revolution,” he adds.