Sustainable integrated cultivation yields top quality potato products.

Five years ago, when free market prices for potatoes and other food commodities as well as finished products in Europe were relatively depressed, bankers were not sure about the wisdom of spud and vegetable processors who continued to invest in hard assets by adding plant capacity and acquiring land. Now their thinking has changed completely, as investment fund managers and privately-held concerns plow billions of euros, dollars and yen into booming food production sectors. Indeed, farmland is currently among the hottest real estate on the market in many countries.

"Access to raw material is more important than ever, which means that we are in a very good position," said Manfred Wulf, managing director of Agrarfrost GmbH & Co. KG, Germany's leading producer of value-added potato products. "For us, it is important not only to cultivate and take care of the land today, but to continue doing so for the next 50 years and more."

With deep roots in the fertile fields of Germany, firmly entrenched midway across the European potato belt extending from Britain and northern France at the western extreme to Poland in the east, Agrarfrost is a powerhouse among potato processors in the EU. From frozen french fries and spud specialties, to flakes and crisps, it produces upwards of 250,000 tons' worth of value-added products per year.

Often without knowing the origin of the tasty tuber treats they eat, consumers in Germany have long savored the flavor of the company's pommes frites at the nation's leading QSR restaurants and other foodservice outlets. Both domestically and across much of the continent, shoppers have purchased branded Agrarfrost spuds at retail stores. Further afield, from the Middle East to Asia, and from Australia to South America, folks have enjoyed the golden fruit of Agrarfrost's labor under its brand name as well as via private labels.

Managing Director Wulf, anticipating higher growth rates ahead for branded retail frozen food products in general, commented: "I am absolutely sure that people will be willing to spend more to assure tasty, wholesome, nutritious and safe food from names they trust. And such a name is Agrarfrost. Our focus is exclusively on potatoes, and on further enhancing the category and the integrated system which brings solutions to at-home meal planners and foodservice operators."

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He continued: "Consistently being a reliable supplier to our customers is very important. This means guaranteeing that the quality of products we deliver next month and next year will be of the same high standard that is delivered today."

It all starts with the good earth, where top shelf tubers are sourced for processing at the company's state-of-the-art plants in Aldrup and Oschersleben. Zorba, a variety developed by Agrarfrost agronomists, is harvested early in the season and ideal for making french fries. Agria and Russet Burbank are among the other kinds of spuds produced, with the latter variety grown mainly in the area of Hanover and points further east.

Approximately 7,000 hectares are cultivated by more than 400 contract farmers, all of whom are carefully guided by Agrarfrost's agriculture engineers and expert consultants. They supervise every step of the growth cycle, and then some--from farm site selection, planting, fertilization and crop rotation, to assuring the judicious use of pesticides and proper harvesting techniques, as well as specification of machinery. They also set parameters for the transport of pulled potatoes to processing plants.

The contracted growers, who supply well over 80% of Agrarfrost's processing requirements, till the soils of the rich farmland areas of Aldrup (Wildeshauser Geest), Oschersleben and Westeregeln (Magdeburg Borde), Schellerten and Benningsen (near Hanover), Rheinland, Pfalz and Breisgau. Every farmer works according to independently certified EurepGap/Global-Gap standards, which are highly regarded.

Seed potatoes are raised in northern latitudes along the North Sea and Baltic coastal regions of Carolinensiel, Semlow and Gagelow, where the climate is best for growing them. All potatoes utilized by the company are produced according to the common codex for integrated farming of the European Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (EISA).

With a commanding 55% share of the domestic frozen potato market, Agrarfrost handles every second spud processed in Germany at either its 186,000-square-meter flagship plant in Aldrup (near Bremen) or at a 297,700-square-meter facility at Oschersleben (near Magdeburg) in the former GDR. The second plant, built in 1992 after the political reunification of Germany, is dedicated to making frozen french fries and potato crisps, while the Aldrup factory turns out refined specialty products as well as fries and flakes. Because of its geographic location, the Oschersleben facility is well positioned to supply markets in Eastern Europe.

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Thomas Modigell, who manages the Aldrup factory operations, said: "During peak periods, raw material is coming in daily from the field. In the winter and spring, prior to the new crop, we draw from a climate controlled warehouse that is just 50 meters from the plant."

A new hall for production of specialties, needed to keep up with rising demand, is scheduled to come on line at the Aldrup facility in the autumn of 2008.

From start to finish, Agrarfrost takes its environmental stewardship responsibility seriously. All organic and inorganic waste materials are recycled. Furthermore, waste water is purified at each plant with a three-step system that includes a denitrification process.

By JOHN M. SAULNIER

QFFI Chief Editor & Publisher