British shoppers are trading up towards more convenience-led formats, with Belgium’s fresh and processed potato exporters positioning themselves to meet the shift through a focus on quality, a wide range of ready formats.
According to Tastewise’s UK consumer panel, demand for genuine quality rose 44.9% over the past year, with Provenance, craft and story now count more than price alone. Private label ranges are capitalising on that same trend, with supermarkets rolling out more premium, convenience-sized formats for easy meal solutions that don’t compromise quality.
For Belgian exporters, this dual pull toward premiumisation and convenience is a clear opportunity that British growers cannot meet it alone. The UK produced 5.5m tonnes of potatoes in 2025, but that covers only around 71% of demand. The rest relies on imports.
Read more: Belgium fresh produce continues UK export growth
In 2025, Belgium exported 485,294 tonnes of processed potatoes to the UK, based on figures obtained from Eurostat. Belgium now supplies over half of all the UK’s imported processed potatoes, a partnership worth €707 million in 2025 alone.
“British professional buyers recognise Belgium for its broad and thorough expertise in frozen potatoes. The proximity is an additional added value, as well as the complete assortment the Belgian industry can provide,” said Raf Sels, Commercial Manager at Pomuni.
Beyond frozen products, Belgian suppliers are also developing a growing range of fresh processed formats, including fresh fries, mashed potato and purée, as well as sliced and diced products. These ready-to-use formats offer further opportunities to combine convenience with quality and added value.
