The Dutch jump your market =)Follow

Fresh from the fertile soil of The Netherlands: we will conquer your potatoe market.

Yes.. I am serious...

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) _ Trying to cash in on the
low-carb craze, a Dutch company is marketing a variety of
its potatoes in the United States as containing fewer
carbohydrates than the regular spud.
Although all potatoes are made up mostly of water and
carbohydrates, the low-carb potato _ dubbed the
«Spud-U-Lite» in the industry press _ contains around
one-third fewer calories by weight than most other
potatoes, so it also contains proportionately less
carbohydrate.
The company, HZPC Holland BV, created the potato by
crossbreeding existing strains.
Spokesman Gerard Basten said Friday the potato was
originally developed for qualities such as taste and
appearance, before the low-carb diet developed by Robert
Atkins became hugely popular.
But demand for potatoes has fallen since the Atkins diet
exploded in popularity last year. When tests were completed
in January revealing the potato's low-carb content, the
company realized it could be an important marketing tool.
«We had fast food companies and snack food companies like
Frito Lay calling, saying 'what's this, could this be an
opportunity for us?» Basten said.
The yellow-fleshed potato was planted in small amounts in
North Carolina, Arizona, Florida, Washington state and in
Ontario, Canada, last season to compete with the more
common white-fleshed Russell Burbank variety. Production,
especially in Florida, is expected to increase this year.
«It's a healthier, tastier alternative» to other kinds
of potatoes, said Wayne Smith of the SunFresh cooperative,
a group of five large Florida farms that have planted the
potato, speaking in a telephone interview.
Atkins Nutritionals Inc., the company founded to develop
and promote low-carb foods, said small amounts of potatoes
of any kind can be eaten by people following its diet.
However, «having a lower carb potato would make it easier
... to be able to include potatoes» in their meals, said
Colette Heimowitz, vice president for research at Atkins,
in an e-mailed message.
«Individuals who choose lower carb potatoes would be able
to have a larger portion without exceeding their
carbohydrate threshold,» she said.
Smith of SunFresh said it wasn't yet clear how much of a
hit the new potato would be, and wouldn't say how much the
Florida farms plan to produce.
«We aim to plant exactly one acre less than we can
sell,» he said.

/smirk