Paul Hill finds out how Lamb Weston is working with Turner Price and the wider foodservice channel to grow profits for wholesalers and chefs
As Lamb Weston’s regional account manager Lewis Williams puts it, Turner Price and the supplier go together “like chips and gravy”. The two companies have worked in a long-term partnership for several years now, with the Hull-based wholesaler a key cog due to the strong relationships it has across pubs, restaurants, schools and care settings in the region. “Alongside them, we’re able to make sure Lamb Weston products are easily available for operators to buy and customers to enjoy,” he said.
Better Wholesaling recently attended Turner Price’s Demonstration Kitchen in Hull alongside Lamb Weston to watch the wholesaler’s chef create some insight-backed recipes using Lamb Weston products, inspired by snacking occasions ahead of the summer World Cup. Here, it was evident that the relationship between the supplier and wholesaler has been built on similar goals and aspirations.
Williams explains: “With Dukes [LW’s new The Dukes of Chippingdom product], we took quite a hands-on, almost guerrilla-style approach. We were out in the trade with the Turner Price reps, cooking samples for chefs, getting it in front of them, letting them taste it and see how it worked in their kitchens. That direct engagement made a huge difference, and the product really took off.”
A trusted partnership
“We’ve built a trusted partnership with Lamb Weston over many years,” adds Tom English, commercial, digital and marketing director at Turner Price. “They are a team of experts leading their category and professionals who understand our business and market positioning. Through years of change – whether joining a new buying group or navigating turbulent market conditions – we’ve had the constant support of the team. Together, we’ve been able to deliver premium potato products to customers across our diverse sector base, including hospitality, healthcare and education.”
Having worked together for more than a decade now, things have evolved a lot in the industry, but the roots are still there for the pair of businesses as they look to grow together, explained Kaleigh Bolton, category buyer at Turner Price: “I think for us, innovation in foodservice is never just about launching a new product; it’s about how we bring that product to market using insight and collaboration.”
“From a product point of view, we’re always developing new things to help operators stand out and run more efficiently,” added Williams. “In my time at Lamb Weston, we’ve launched Dukes, Really Crunchy Fries and Frenzy Fries, and Turner Price has been brilliant at getting behind those products from day one.”
Competitive innovation
The potato category is highly competitive, which makes genuine innovation even more important – and Lamb Weston looks to consistently deliver a real point of difference with each launch it has carried out with Turner Price, as well as the wider wholesale channel, according to Williams. “We’ve seen many successful innovations over the years, particularly the Really Crunchy range, which offers even more of the qualities and performance kitchens are looking for,” he says.
English agrees: “All of Lamb Weston’s support helps wholesalers like us make more informed decisions because we’re not just reacting during the year – we already agree the direction, the focus, the products and the activity that’s going to drive sales way ahead of time.”
Collaborative days like this in Turner Price’s development kitchen highlight the strategy behind the scenes. Not only do these development sessions between both parties make it much easier to try new ideas, it helps both companies solve problems quicker and find more efficient ways to drive strategy and grow profits.
