1 Potato...2 potato...92,500 potato?

- World record-setting display of PEI potatoes created, just in time for Thanksgiving -

CHARLOTTETOWN, Oct. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - 1 potato...2 potato...92,500 potato?...yes, indeed. 92,500 pounds of PEI potatoes made their way to the world's largest potato pile-up in Prince Edward Island this week. If you thought your Thanksgiving shopping list was big, take a look at this!

Sobeys has completed construction of their world record-setting display, featuring a final total of 92,500 pounds of Prince Edward Island potatoes, on Wednesday, October 3rd at their retail location on University Avenue in Charlottetown.  This sets a new, unofficial world record for the size of a potato display, eclipsing a previous record of 80,000 lbs previously set in the United States.

The display consists of 10 pound paper bags of PEI potatoes supplied by Prince Edward Island potato growers, including WP Griffin Inc. in Elmsdale and Jewell's of PEI Inc. in York.  This record-setting display also kicks off a five day sale on potatoes at this location, ahead of the Thanksgiving long weekend.

Derek MacLeod, Produce Manager at the University Avenue location of Sobeys, notes that in coming up with the idea for the display that they "wanted to think outside the box."  They knew that they wanted to do a large potato display in Prince Edward Island "because there is no better place to showcase potatoes than here on the Island," according to Derek.

Greg Donald, General Manager of the PEI Potato Board, adds that "we are excited about this promotional spotlight on Prince Edward Island potatoes, and we are not surprised that it is happening here in Prince Edward Island, the potato capital of Canada!"

To celebrate, Sobeys hosted a barbeque on Wednesday, October 3rd and on Thursday, October 4th.  Proceeds from the barbeque went to the Canadian Potato Museum in O'Leary, PEI.  As well, WP Griffin Inc. provided baked potatoes from their portable potato baking machine.

Proudly Canadian, with headquarters in Stellarton, Nova Scotia, Sobeys has been serving the food shopping needs of Canadians for 105 years.  Sobeys and its franchise affiliates employ more than 95,000 people. The company's goal is to be widely recognized as the best food retailer and workplace environment in Canada.

Prince Edward Island Potatoes are world renowned for the great taste and quality that comes from growing in the unique red soil of PEI.  The potato industry in PEI creates a total economic impact of $1.065 billion dollars and directly or indirectly employs over 12% of the Island workforce.

The Prince Edward Island Potato Board is a producer-controlled association dedicated to supporting the highest performance of the PEI potato industry.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND POTATO BOARD
90 Hillstrom Avenue, West Royalty Business Park
Charlottetown, PEI   CANADA  C1E 2C6
Ph:   902-892-6551   Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]         Web: www.peipotato.org

Image with caption: "A world record-setting display featuring a final total of 92,500 pounds of Prince Edward Island potatoes was constructed by Sobeys on Wednesday, October 3rd at their retail location on University Avenue in Charlottetown. (CNW Group/Prince Edward Island Potato Board)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121005_C4704_PHOTO_EN_18950.jpg

SOURCE: Prince Edward Island Potato Board

For more information on this release or for high resolution copies of photos, please contact Ryan Barrett, PEI Potato Board Communications Officer, at [phone] or [email protected].