Latest News from the IPC

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) steps up its game this fall with the signing of broadcast journalist and Idaho resident Heather Cox, who is best known for her sideline reporting at college football games nationwide. Heather will add Idaho® potatoes to her line up of news coverage throughout the college football season, producing a total of ten :40 videos that announce breaking news and consumer promotions from the IPC.

Zooming in on the well-known “Grown in Idaho” logo for an eye-catching retail trade campaign, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) took home top honors for the sixth straight year in the 2013 Produce Business Marketing Excellence Awards. “What’s Wrong With This Picture?” applied the iconic “Grown in Idaho” logo to a variety of exotic fruits and vegetables, visually reinforcing the powerful link between the name Idaho and the state’s flagship product.

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) realizes that costing out a menu is no easy task. So, they’ve developed a number of useful tools to take the guesswork out of purchasing the right Idaho® potato. From carton to plate, operators can rely on the IPC Size Guide, Virtual Plate Sizing Guide (compares plate coverage of 50-count, 60-count and 70-count potatoes), and handy Cost Per Serving chart to specify the perfect Idaho® potato for their needs.

As the $186 million-plus fresh potato export market continues to grow an average of 9 percent annually, the Idaho Potato Commission has stepped up its global marketing efforts with the addition of Traci Hiebert as the new IPC international marketing director.

The Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) recipe photo contest has already received dozens of entries from cooking and photography enthusiasts vying to win $500 cash prizes. Participants are invited to visit http://recipes.idahopotato.com/enter-our-recipe-photo-contest/ to enter for at least one of ten opportunities to win. Submissions will be accepted until August 29 and winners announced the week of September 2.

This month the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) will launch the Big Idaho® Potato Truck #iTuber sweepstakes, offering fans of Idaho® potatoes four chances to win an Apple iPad. Participating fans can enter to win on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by tagging #iTuber and answering a deliciously simple question: What’s your favorite way to eat Idaho® potatoes?

For the past 25 years, Don Odiorne, Vice President-Foodservice for the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC), has focused his considerable energies on creating national awareness and customer preference for Idaho® Potatoes in the foodservice sector. In recognition his commitment to his industry and his job, The Packer, a leading produce industry publication, selected Odiorne to receive its prestigious 2013 Foodservice Achievement Award during this year’s Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference and Expo.

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) announced the launch of a new and improved recipe database on www.idahopotato.com, which features over 900 ways to prepare America’s favorite vegetable and introduces new categories, search and social media sharing functions. The improvements were designed to meet consumer demand and introduce creative new ways to prepare everything from summer salads and heart-healthy desserts, to gluten-free dishes and easy-to-make appetizers.

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) “Smashed Spuddy Buddy” sweepstakes met with great success, receiving hundreds of submissions from children across the United States and awarding 75 lucky winners with an American Express gift card. Launched by the IPC in partnership with Idaho First Lady Lori Otter, the educational and interactive “Smashed Spuddy Buddy” program was designed to teach kids about the nutritional benefits of Idaho® potatoes and how they are grown.

Calling all enthusiastic home cooks and shutterbugs! The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is now hosting a bigger and better-than-ever recipe photo contest, featuring 10 recipes, 10 opportunities to win, and a total of $5,000 in cash prizes.