Finding Nemo: Branston Launches Speedy Spud in Stores for Christmas
Leading potato supplier Branston has once again introduced its cutting-edge hybrid Nemo spud ahead of the holiday season to meet the need for volume and quicker cooking times during this time of year.
Over nine years, the roasting variety was developed by carefully crossing a red-skinned salad potato variety called Franceline with a fast-cooking Peruvian variety called Inca Bella. This resulted in a 25% reduction in cooking time when compared to a conventional white potato. Its unique skin markings, which resemble those of the well-known cartoon fish, give it the Nemo name.
“Demand for roasting potatoes rockets by around 500% in the run-up to Christmas compared to a standard shopping week. Nemo is a fantastic roaster, which has scored higher than traditional roasting favorites Maris Piper and King Edward in taste tests. It also performs brilliantly mashed or baked. We’ve doubled the quantity grown this year so that we will have plenty available throughout the season. Customers’ needs lead development at Branston, but sustainability is always at the forefront of our innovations and Nemo is no different. Growing Nemo requires less fertilizer and less water than comparable varieties, which aligns with our wider business goals to make the potato growing process as environmentally friendly as possible,” Lucia Washbrook, sales & marketing director, at Branston, said.
A hybrid phureja variety, Nemo blends the hardiness of contemporary European varieties from the Solanum tuberosum Solanaceae family with the strong, quick-growing characteristics of the original Peruvian potatoes. Along with the characteristic golden yellow meat of an Andean phureja, which has a more homogenous cell structure and cooks faster, it has a unique pink and yellow skin. Throughout the winter, Nemo will only be sold in a few Tesco locations as part of its Finest line, and the potatoes are anticipated to be well-liked.
“Nemo is an exciting product for customers with great roasting performance and flavor paired with an eye-catching skin finish. The speed of roast versus other varieties is a key highlight for Nemo, especially helpful when planning alongside your Christmas meal,” Lucy Moss, potatoes buying manager at Tesco, concluded.
