News on Food Trends from United Kingdom

A new survey by Young’s reveals 62% of Brits enjoy fish and chips on Fridays. Rising costs drive home-cooked versions, though 22% stick to takeaways. Ranked 2nd in UK food traditions, fish and chips remain a beloved Friday treat.

Lamb Weston’s Frenzy Fries won Gold at the National Restaurant Pub and Bar Show Innovation Challenge for their creative, experiential concept. Judges praised the product’s innovation and market impact.

Biostimulant strategies can help potato crops better cope with field stress conditions, as well as enhance tuber numbers and proportion of marketable crop, according to results of plots at Potatoes in Practice Open Day at the James Hutton Institute.

Branston potato growers gathered in Lincolnshire to explore new varieties, including a nutty salad potato and Inca Rosa, aimed at supermarkets by 2026. The field walk showcased trials, yields, and innovations, with Tesco also backing the development.

Potato Professionals in the United Kingdom gathered for the annual Potatoes in Practice (PiP)event, hosted by the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC), in partnership with SRUC and Agrii, at The James Hutton Institute’s Baldruddery Farm.

PACE Mechanical Handling now includes AI-powered performance monitoring as standard in its packing machines, offering free alerts for maintenance needs. This new 'Gateway' feature ensures peace of mind for fresh produce and potato packers.

Esta herramienta permitirá optimizar el uso de fungicidas, reducir costos y minimizar el impacto ambiental al ajustar los tratamientos según el riesgo real.

Aberystwyth University leads a cross-border AI project to combat potato late blight, a disease causing €4B in losses annually. The DeepDetect app will help farmers detect infections early, cutting pesticide use and boosting sustainable farming.

After a near-fatal accident at his remote home, Graham Bannister stresses the importance of emergency preparedness, rural connectivity, and using tools like satellite calling and What3words to stay safe while working alone in isolated areas.

Open Farm Sunday 2025 saw a 20% rise in host farms, welcoming 200,000 visitors. The event strengthened public connections to farming, highlighted sustainability, and inspired youth interest in agriculture. Next year’s event is on 7th June 2026.

Experts from Harper Adams University have co-authored a comprehensive new guide to managing potato cyst nematodes (PCN), updating previous advice and combining biology, control strategies, and sampling methods into one essential resource.

Potatoes in Practice, the UK’s biggest field potato event, is on 7 August at Balruddery Farm. Hosted by James Hutton Institute, it brings growers, researchers, and industry leaders together to share innovations and advance the potato sector.

UPL Corp and CERSA at NC State University hosted the Global Mancozeb Summit at Rothamsted Research, UK, gathering global experts to discuss mancozeb’s vital role in crop protection as the EU prepares to review its regulatory status.

The 2025 Fight Against Blight campaign begins with new tools to track late blight in UK potatoes, warning of evolving fungicide resistance and urging growers to stay vigilant.

GB Potatoes has joined HCP to secure vital crop protection authorisations for the UK seed potato sector, using AHDB levy funds. A new technical group will prioritise needs, ensuring sustainable, high-quality seed and ware potato production.

Scientists, led by Dr Rob Hancock, Deputy Director of the Hutton’s Advanced Plant Growth Centre, have been working as part of a European consortium to develop tools for the development of multi-stress tolerant potatoes

Join the James Hutton Institute's webinar on May 30, International Day of Potato, to explore UK potato production challenges and innovations in breeding, sustainability, AI tools, and pest control. Hosted by NPIC and Professor Ingo Hein.

KMC has partnered with UK-based Daymer Ingredients to expand its potato-based solutions in the UK. The collaboration focuses on clean label starches and aims to support sustainable, plant-based innovations for food manufacturers.