In this Key Business Outlooks 2026 interview, Eric Geling, Chief Sales Officer at TNA Solutions, examines how energy costs, labour constraints, and raw-material variability have shifted from short-term disruptions to structural realities for potato processors. He outlines how these pressures are reshaping investment priorities toward phased capacity expansion, integrated line performance, and measurable efficiency gains, while highlighting why flexibility, sustainability, and proof-backed returns are now central to technology decisions heading into 2026 and beyond.

Looking back at 2025, which customer pressures proved structural rather than temporary, and how did they reshape your commercial or product strategy?

In 2025, a few ‘temporary’ pressures turned out to be long-term commitments. First: energy and utilities. For potato processors, the cost of energy in the form of electricity and thermal heat, consumables such as frying oil and process water, as well as emissions and CO2 footprint considerations, are now central to competitiveness, and this has proven itself to be an enduring trend towards more sustainable and efficient processing methods. 

Second: labour availability and skills. The sector needs those ever more advanced and complex lines to be more intuitive to run, easier to maintain, and more automated by design. Third: raw material variability — potatoes are a natural product, and variability in size, dry matter, and quality puts a premium on process control and waste reduction.

Commercially, this has reinforced our focus on complete line solutions and a customer-centric partnership model: integrating processing, distribution, seasoning, and packaging so the whole line performs as one entity. It has also accelerated our emphasis on sustainability and digitalisation — from water and energy efficiency to smarter control and visibility across the line.

As you plan for 2026, which market assumptions are you revising, and where do you see the greatest hesitation or uncertainty among your customers?

For 2026, I think many processors are revising the assumption that input volatility will normalise quickly, whether that’s utilities or logistics. A second assumption being challenged is the pace and shape of demand: in many markets, french fries and potato snacks remain incredibly resilient, but customers are watching consumer affordability and channel mix closely. These trends include, particularly in snacks, moving from single flavour to multiple flavours produced at the same time, packed in ever smaller bags and the trend of moving into multi-bags.

Where we see hesitation is in greenfield capacity bets without flexibility. The projects moving fastest tend to be phased expansions, removal of bottlenecks, and upgrades that protect margins now while leaving a clear pathway to scale. That’s pushing the conversation toward modularity and proof-backed ROI.

How do you expect investment behaviour among processors to evolve in 2026, particularly regarding capacity expansion, efficiency upgrades, and automation?

In 2026, we expect a split approach. Capacity expansion will continue, particularly where french fries and potato snack demand is rising, but many investments will come in stages, with capacity added in steps rather than betting everything upfront. In parallel, we’re seeing a strong pull toward efficiency upgrades and automation: reducing energy and water use, improving yield, and simplifying operations where labour is constrained.

That plays directly into integrated, interoperable lines where equipment elements are synchronised with each other, reducing manual interventions and helping processors run more consistently at target. We’re also seeing more interest in retrofit-friendly upgrades, audits, and preventative maintenance — extending the life and performance of installed assets while improving total cost of ownership.

Where did your strongest growth opportunities come from recently, and what did those projects reveal about changing customer priorities?

Some of the strongest opportunities continue to come from processors who are under pressure to do more with the same footprint while keeping quality consistent. What these projects reveal is that priorities are shifting in favour of balanced performance: high output, with less waste, less rework, and clearer operational visibility.

A recurring theme is accountability. Customers increasingly want a single partner who can take responsibility across the entire line rather than simply supplying individual machines. They also want support that reflects the 24/7 reality they operate within — namely, local responsiveness backed by global capability, with parts and upgrades positioned regionally to minimise downtime.

How do you balance near-term customer demands with longer-term R&D investment, especially in a more cautious capital-spending environment?

Customers want improvements they can bank this year — better yield, lower energy and water use, more stable operation — but they also want confidence that today’s decisions won’t box them in.

So, our approach is to innovate in ways that are scalable: building platforms and options that can be adopted as upgrades, integrated into phased projects, and validated through testing and digital planning. That reduces risk for cautious capex decisions, without slowing innovation.

Which developments in 2025 most disrupted your planning or sales pipeline, and how did your organization adapt?

Two things stood out in 2025: the knock-on effects of supply chain uncertainty — especially around lead times and availability of components — and the continued pressure on operating costs. For potato processors, there’s also the reality that raw material variability can quickly cascade into yield and quality issues if process control isn’t robust.

We adapted by strengthening how we plan projects end-to-end, from design and commissioning through aftermarket, and leaning into global-local support so customers aren’t waiting on one distant hub for critical parts or expertise. We also continue to invest in digital tools that help reduce project risk, compress timelines, and improve readiness at start-up.

Which external drivers—energy, labour availability, regulation, digitalization, or sustainability requirements—are most influencing equipment purchasing decisions today?

All five matter and differ somewhat to the different markets we serve across the globe, but energy, labour and sustainability are the most immediate budget shapers, while regulation and digitalisation increasingly determine what good looks like.

Energy and water are obvious in potato processing because washing, peeling, drying, and frying are resource-intensive — so efficiency and recovery are part of the commercial case. Labour shortages are pushing customers toward sensor-based automation and simpler, standardised interfaces that reduce training time and human error.

Another important driver continues to be Capex. Standardised solutions help drive for greater operational efficiencies at TNA that translate directly into lower operating costs for our customers. The right solution isn’t always the most advanced solution.

From your perspective, which policy or regulatory developments would most support long-term technology investment in the potato processing sector?

The most helpful developments are the ones that reduce uncertainty and reward measurable improvements. That includes clear, stable frameworks around energy transition so processors can invest in efficiency and recovery with confidence, and practical guidance that supports water reuse and waste reduction without creating unworkable compliance burdens.

On food safety and quality, regulations like the EU’s acrylamide mitigation framework are most useful when they’re paired with realistic implementation pathways and harmonised expectations across markets. This enables global processors to standardise systems and procedures rather than reinventing compliance market by market.

How do you see the relationship between promised technological performance and real-world operational results evolving, and where do customers now demand clearer proof of value?

Customers are increasingly looking for proof in their environment, with their product, operators, utilities, and constraints. That means performance claims need to be backed by transparency: uptime, waste, yield, energy use, water use, changeover time, and maintainability.

For us, that reinforces the value of integration. When the line is engineered as a connected ecosystem, it becomes easier to stabilise flow, automate control, and measure outcomes.

What is your five-year vision for processing technology in the potato sector, and how does your company plan to remain relevant as customer expectations mature?

Our five-year view is that potato processing becomes more flexible, more data-driven, and more resource-efficient — because that’s what the market is demanding. Globally, processing intensity varies dramatically: in mature markets, most production is processed. For example, in the US, around 64% of 2023 production was processed, with frozen fries the largest share. Meanwhile, major producers like India still have relatively low processing ratios — a signal of long-run growth potential as capacity modernises.

To stay relevant, we will keep doing what we’ve always done best: partnering with customers on complete line solutions, partnering with technologies that complement our offering and with sustainability and digitalisation as core drivers of performance. That means technology that scales and can adapt to new product requirements, tighter resource constraints, and higher market expectations for measurable results.