Summary
- The National Potato Council and KFC in Kenya have now been able to identify a suitable potato variety that Kenyan farmers can be able to grow to supply the fast-food chain with locally sourced French Fries.
Following an uproar over the shortage of Fries at KFC in Kenya, the National Potato Council and KFC in Kenya have now been able to identify a suitable potato variety that Kenyan farmers can be able to grow. The Markies potato variety will be made available in Kenya and as such, local farmers will be able to supply the US-based fast-food chain with French fries. The Certified Markies potato seeds will be made available in Kenya by Agrico Potato Services Africa (PSA).
As Gerald Andae reports for Business Daily, days after KFC received its imported shipment of potatoes that had seen it run out of fries, Wachira Kaguongo, chief executive at National Potato Council, Said they agreed in a meeting last week to have local Farmers plant the new variety to cut overreliance on imports.
He said adding that they are already talking to a processor to help put up the necessary infrastructure which will support the cutting and freezing of potato chips before they are taken for further processing at the restaurant. Currently, the major challenge in Kenya is the lack of a processor for frozen chips, which forces the country to import them from South Africa and Egypt.
The potato council is set to work in compliance with the Kenya Bureau of Standards to meet the required standards and also conduct training to ensure that the production meets the expectation of the consumers.