To meet increasing demand, RPE Inc. is expanding its organic potato production and adding more growers. The Bancroft, Wis.-based grower-shipper is also growing sweet potatoes.
Chad Malek, a longtime RPE grower from Rosholt, Wis., started growing organic potatoes in 2011. Late last year, a fire destroyed his farm warehouse. During the rebuilding process, Malek expanded his organic program and now provides other organic potato growers space and capacity to wash, cool and store their organic potatoes. The new production and storage facility can handle more varieties and sizes as well as provide higher and more consistent quality organic products.
RPE grows organic potatoes in six states and has expanded its organic production in Colorado and the Pacific Northwest. Through a partnership with Mississippi growers, it is also growing organic sweet potatoes, according to a press release.
RPE began packing organics in 2009 and has increased its land base by more than 6,000 percent, according to the release.
“Having seen a rise in the popularity of organic potatoes, we hope that our partnerships and expanded organic capabilities will provide our customers with more organic options that their consumers demand,” Russell Wysocki, RPE president and CEO, said in the release.
According to recent studies, more households are buying organic produce than ever before. The category raked in more than $11 billion in 2015 sales, according to the release.
Source: The Packer