Tim Brooks Sep 3, 2026
Albert Bartlett: From spuds to brands
Albert Bartlett supplies over 20% of fresh potatoes in the UK, processing more than 450,000 tonnes a year. As one of the most recognised fresh potato brands it has become a market leader in a category that, for most of its history, had no brands in it at all.
The Albert Bartlett Original Rooster (a premium variety with distinctive red skin) required considerable marketing investment to build it into a brand with almost 50% share of the branded potato market
The approach involved chef ambassadors Michel Roux Jr and the late Andrew Fairlie endorsing products only after serving them in their restaurants for years first.
Albert Bartlett acquired the Jersey Royal Company in 2024 and followed it with a £3m 'Roll On Jersey Royal Season' campaign (a first for Jersey Royals) showcasing the traditional farming practices and unique landscape of the island, set against Gorey Castle, with real Jersey farmers and Michel Roux on screen.
Similarly, as weekly fresh potato purchases have dropped Albert Bartlett have invested in a campaign 'Make Mealtimes Matter' campaign, fronted by consumer champion Kate Hardcastle MBE, to address this head-on positioning the fresh potato as an affordable, nutritious staple for households under real financial pressure, and making the case that cooking from scratch with good ingredients is both cheaper and better than the alternatives.
WE LOVE THIS! We have done several posts recently about how categories that are positioned as 'commodity' products are thriving because of brand activity. But first, a history lesson...
...In the past, supermarkets worked hard to MAKE these categories into commodities. To limit branded activity, to make them own-label bastions, even to posit that these territories 'did not need brands' or that shoppers did not need choice – just the lowest price. This is not whimsical anecdote but lived experience for many brand owners and most suppliers. For this writer.
It is not for #whatbrandsdo to criticise this. Retailers operate different business models to brand owners; they face different competitive pressures and margin challenges. But it is hard not to observe that this left lots of potential value on the table. Not to mention much lost consumer engagement and benefit.
Albert Bartlett trail blazed. It adopted a long term, category driven approach to tackling this i.e. they demonstrated value to all stakeholders not just themselves. They deliver regular innovation. They invest in building a clear brand built on superior quality, consistency and category distinctiveness. They sweat the details around packaging and communications investment. They are a market leader.
A similar journey has happened in milks, cheddar cheese, salads, etc. The result, more value created and fixtures where shoppers might (very) occasionally switch of autopilot and engage. Nine times out of ten this is driven by brand activity and investment.
Conclusion: if Albert Bartlett can do these amazing things with spuds... just think of the untapped potential for your brand.
Find out more about Albert Bartlett albertbartlett.co.uk
