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VODKA from potatoes is nothing new . The Poles have been making it that way for centuries and are said to have invented it , even though many believe it to be a Russian drink .

In recent years the UK has seen a massive upsurge in gin , vodka and whisky distilleries .

Up to the plate last year came Edwards 1902 – a brand new potato vodka from a brand new distillery at Elsham Wold . And what a debut it made !

Four international awards from the spirits world headed Edwards 1902 way in 2020 as potato entrepreneur Richard Arundel and his team announced their entry into the market in impressive fashion .

‘ In retrospect wasn ’ t the best time to start ,’ said Richard who set up AKP – Arundel Kerr Produce – with Suffolk potato grower Bruce Kerr in 1999 . They originally marketed 50,000 tonnes of potatoes and today market 150,000 tonnes as well as having become one of the country ’ s largest specialist growers and storers .

‘ We launched Edwards 1902 in March last year just before the first lockdown , but we have managed to steadily build on our numbers of outlets even though the hospitality trade hasn ’ t been available to us for much of that time .’

‘ Winning the awards from the spirits industry gave us all a massive lift and we ’ re looking forward very positively to the years ahead .’

‘ The King Edward is a variety that everyone in the UK knows of as a popular potato variety . It ’ s not the highest yielding spud , but it scored very well on the tastings from our marketing groups when we were looking at which variety to use for our vodka .’

‘ Taste is what it ’ s all about , whether you ’ re eating crisps , chips , jacket potatoes , roasties , mash or whether you ’ re drinking vodka or gin . My belief was that , rather than blend various potato varieties , we should produce vodka like single malt whisky with just one single variety of potato being used and the King Edward is that spud .’

Once the decision had been made Richard and his team began building the brand , but while that was happening , the Elsham Wold Distillery was born .

‘ We already had a redundant factory building on the site we use at Elsham Wold where we had stopped peeling and washing potatoes . We invested in the necessary kit , brought in our distillers and the plan came together .’

Richard said it had long been in his plans to open a potato vodka distillery but that finally everything had fallen into place .

‘ I ’ d always wanted to do it . It is a natural progression for us as potato farmers . The stars hadn ’ t quite aligned previously and there had always been more pressing projects , but having the right people together was perhaps the tipping point .’

‘ I have a passion for fine food and drink . Potato vodka marketed correctly is a little more glamorous than purely marketing potatoes . You ’ re selling an added value product . That ’ s definitely a motivation .’

Richard ’ s lifelong involvement with potatoes started when he was a boy . His father , David , used to trade in potatoes grown on the family farm at North Somercotes on the coast , selling them in Hull and Grimsby markets .

‘ Dad was a grafter . The family business was in market garden produce and while my uncle Rob ran the farm , dad was the trader . The biggest part of his business was supplying the fish and chip shop trade . I ’ d be on the truck and in the markets with him as a lad growing up . He ’ d be at Grimsby for 5 o ’ clock in the morning pushing produce up back alleys and always valued his customers . He knew them all by name and always saw the customer as king . I learned more about customers and marketing watching him than I have with anyone else .’

Proud to support Richard Arundel and AKP , wishing them continued success . Continued on page 70