Upon the success of the marketing campaign “Potatoes, prepare to be surprised – Europe’s favorite since 1536,” which began in 2020 and ended at the end of last year, Bord Bia, Europatat, and VLAM have agreed to extend the program’s operations for three more years.

The joint project, which is co-financed by the European Commission (EC) under the EU Promotion policy, will continue until December 2025 to urge millennials in Belgium, France, and Ireland to consume fresh potatoes.

Fresh potatoes continue to be Europe’s most popular main meal carbohydrate and are profoundly ingrained in the food habits of the European Union (EU), but they are currently facing two major challenges: a long-term decline in consumption and a stagnation of their image as a traditional food. This tendency has resulted in a decline in potato consumption across all age groups, particularly among individuals aged 18 to 34 living alone, cohabiting, or with young families. (the so-called millennials).

The new campaign will keep fresh potatoes in the minds and lives of millennials with the message that they fit in a modern, healthy, and sustainable lifestyle because they are tasty, versatile, high-quality food with good nutritional and health benefits. This will help slow down the consumption trend.

60 new surprising potato dishes will be added to the 300 already posted on the website www.preparetobesurprised.eu and social media accounts (primarily Instagram) for Belgium, France, and Ireland to encourage millennials to easily incorporate potatoes into their everyday lives. Additionally, over the next three years, a variety of activations with influencers will be held in the three nations under the subject “potato surprises” (e.g., mini-events, competitions, etc.). In addition, a set of “Did you know” animations featuring sustainability, potato storage, and culinary advice will be created in seven different languages to reach out to more youth in Europe.

With collaborators Europatat and Bord Bia, the initiative “Potatoes, prepare to be surprised – Europe’s favorite since 1536” is managed by VLAM. The program’s overall budget is EUR3,425m; however, a grant of EUR2,740m, or 80% of the total budget, has been sought.