P.E.I. company to launch Irish Rooster potato on St. Patrick's Day

People in Atlantic Canada looking for ataste of Ireland will be able to buy that country's most popularpotatostarting on St. Patrick's Day.

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This potato has a really nice, unique flavour. John Griffin, W.P. Griffin Inc.

W.P.Griffin Inc.,a potato growing and packaging company in Elmsdale, P.E.I.,has been growing the Rooster potato in trials for a few seasonsand is nowready to launch it to the public on March 17.

TheRooster variety was originally developed in Ireland and now accounts for more than half of all table potato sales on the emerald isle, said general manager John Griffin.

It's the number one potato in all of the United Kingdom,Griffin added,and he believes it will prove popular on P.E.I. as well.

Right on the table

"It is a dry potato with a nutty taste," said Griffin.

"I think Islanders like dry potatoes. So this is like a red potato with a dry skin. They are great for baking and mashing, just like Russets, and this potato has a really nice, unique flavour."

Sobeys has agreed to partner with W.P.Griffin for the St. Patrick's Day launch, offering free in-store sampling in all Sobeys stores in Atlantic Canada on March 17.

W.P.Griffinhas grown about 81 hectares, or 200 acres, of the potato variety so far.

The company said ithopes to eventually expand the Rooster brandinto other markets in Canada and to ship tothe United States.