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The UK potato sector has seen major shifts in supply and demand, pushing producers and suppliers to rethink how they do business. In this evolving landscape, Linwood Crops( Linwood), led by co-Managing Directors and co-owners, James Ragg and Matt Thory, has created a system that links what’ s grown in the field with what’ s served on the plate. Based in Cambridgeshire, it brings together agronomy, storage and packing with one guiding principle: providing appropriate potatoes to be used in real kitchens. James Ragg leads daily operations and shares his thoughts as Linwood gets ready to celebrate its tenth anniversary.
Founded in 2016, Linwood started with a group of industry specialists who noticed a gap between how potatoes were grown and how they were used. After working at QV Foods, James and his co-founders knew the supply chain at every level, and knew what customers really needed.
Right from the start, Linwood moved away from the industry’ s usual variety-led sales model. Instead, the team built its offer around cooking function, making procurement easier for kitchens and distributors.“ We sell by cooking category, like mashing, boiling, chipping, roasting and baking potatoes. We supply kitchens with the right potatoes for their needs instead of focusing on variety,” James says. The approach shapes every step, from seed selection to final delivery.
Agronomy guidance
Most potato suppliers still sell by named varieties. Linwood manages varieties behind the scenes, so customers benefit from a simple and efficient, usage-based structure. The team tracks seasonal shifts with an internal calendar, matching the bestperforming variety to this model throughout the year.“ We choose varieties that fit the purpose, and those choices shift as the season progresses,” James continues.
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