Organizations promoting sweetpotatoes are turning to recipes, social media and retail resources to boost the category.
California Has How-To Series
Over the past year, Livingston-based California Sweetpotato Growers has incorporated a how-to series of social media recipe and cooking tip videos into its promotional mix, says Sarah Alvernaz, general manager.
Recent examples include “How to Make Great Gluten-Free Lasagna,” “How to Make Baked Goods Better” and “How to Grill Sweetpotatoes.”
“We maintain a robust program on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn,” she says.
The organization also has a digital advertising program and a sweetpotato newsletter.
“It is always exciting to see our product go viral in a way that is unexpected,” Alvernaz says.
For example, TikTok influencer @CourtneyCooks has created a viral surge of likes, views and recreations of her video, even making its way to daytime television, Alvernaz says.
“What is especially great about her videos is she is incorporating multiple varieties of sweetpotatoes including white and purple flesh,” she adds.
California sweetpotatoes have been designated a superfood and contain more than 80 nutrients, she says.
“We've created recipes that add them to salads, soups, chili and skillet dinners and comfort food favorites like mac and cheese and meatloaf,” Alvernaz says. “In shredded or pureed form, sweetpotatoes are a great way to add extra nutrition and fiber to baked goods like cookies, cakes and biscuits.”
California sweetpotatoes are special because they're “grown in unique California sandy soils, drip irrigated to provide the perfect amount of water and are cured in the ground to produce the beautiful skin set that consumers are used to seeing from California sweetpotatoes,” she says.
“We select, plant, sort, size and pack by hand to ensure each sweetpotato meets our high standards,” she adds.
For information, visit calsweetpotatogrowers.com.
Louisiana Goes Social
The Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission's work this year is focused on reaching consumers via social media, says Rene Simon, director.
“The campaign is being met with great success with the number of followers and likes reaching new highs for the commission,” he says.
Louisiana sweetpotatoes are available year-round, but supplies usually are tight toward the end of the marketing year in the summer months, Simon says, adding that they're in high demand because of their quality.
Louisiana farmers have been planting sweet potatoes for commercial sale since at least 1910, he says, and the commission has been helping promote those sales since 1952, when it was formed by the Louisiana Legislature.
“The experience of both, which is longer than any other state, gives Louisiana a leg up on the competition,” he adds.
Recipes and other information are available on the commission's website — sweetpotato.org — or by following the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission on Facebook and Instagram.
North Carolina Launches Initiatives
The Benson-based North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission is implementing several initiatives to strengthen consumer engagement and support retail sales, says CoCo Daughtry, communications specialist.
“In partnership with a retail consultant, we recently launched a new retail resource page on our website featuring ready-to-use merchandising solutions designed to increase shopper engagement, encourage repeat purchases and simplify in-store execution for retailers,” she says.
These tools are complemented by consumer marketing efforts and an extensive collection of recipes, she adds.
To further support retailers, the commission produced a series of training videos designed to help in-store produce teams better understand and communicate the benefits of North Carolina sweet-potatoes, equipping them with practical knowledge to better assist shoppers at the point of purchase, Daughtry says.
“Additionally, we offer retail-ready point-of-sale materials created to capture shopper attention, quickly communicate value and inspire usage beyond traditional preparations,” she says. “Each piece highlights key purchase drivers such as nutrition, versatility and ease of preparation, helping convert shopper interest into sales.”
North Carolina provides ideal growing conditions for sweetpotatoes, with 90 to 120 frost-free days, fertile sandy soil and a warm, consistent climate, Daughtry says.
“These advantages enable the state to supply 65% of the nation's sweetpotato crop, ensuring retailers have access to reliable, high-quality product throughout the year,” she says.
More than 300 farming families support the industry, contributing to a strong, vertically integrated supply chain that includes production, packing, transportation and distribution. This network helps maintain consistent availability and dependable supply for retail partners around the world, she adds.
For information visit ncsweetpotatoes.com.
