Bord Bia is encouraging consumers to ensure that the potatoes they enjoy, at home or from the chip shop, are locally grown ahead of National Potato Day, which takes place this Friday 7 October.

To coincide with the day, Romayo’s, the Italian-Irish chain of 21 traditional chip-shops around Dublin, will engage in a pilot project to display the Bord Bia quality mark to highlight their local, quality assured, potato suppliers, Paud Flynn & Sons, who have been farming in north Dublin for over 100 years.

Bord Bia research has shown that two in three Irish people assume, incorrectly, that the potatoes used to make the majority of chipper chips come from Ireland, when in fact, the vast majority of chipping potatoes are imported into Ireland each year.

Bord Bia, Teagasc, IFA and the Department of Agriculture have joined forces in the last few years to increase the volume of home-grown potatoes being produced by Irish growers for sale in Irish chip shops.

Supporting farmers

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett said that sourcing local produce supports Irish farmers.

“This is a really successful local partnership where we see two families – the Macaris and the Flynns – demonstrate a best-in-practice collaboration to make locally-grown produce more accessible to Irish people.

“It is encouraging to see Bord Bia seeking to create similar supply chain arrangements between local chippers and local potato producers.”

Third generation

Dominic Macari of Romayo’s said: “Our family emigrated from Italy to Ireland in the 1950s and we are proud to see the third generation of Macaris continue to operate the Romayo’s family-run chain of chippers.

“Sourcing our potatoes locally from the Flynns, a proud north Dublin family, makes a lot of sense for us. More and more consumers want to know where their food comes from, and we are proud to shout about the fact that our chips are the tastiest possible and made from 100% locally-grown potatoes in season. Distance wise, most of Flynn's potato fields are about 40 minutes’ drive away from most of Romayo’s chip shops. Could any food suppliers be more local?”

Country of origin

Lorcan Bourke, fresh produce and potato manager, Bord Bia, said that Bord Bia is encouraging consumers to ask about the country of origin of the potatoes used to cook the chips they consume from their local chipper and at home.

“The more consumers become aware of the origin of the potatoes used to make their chips, the greater the market opportunity for Irish potato growers," he said.