M&S has partnered with Suffolk-based Home Farm Nacton, based on the historic Orwell Park Estate, to bring customers across the UK new variety celebration potatoes for the festive season.
Available in over 200 M&S stores nationwide from this week, celebration potatoes have a distinctive skin pattern and buttery golden flesh to deliver a rich, nutty flavour perfect for roasting, boiling or for salads.
Home Farm Nacton grows 26 different types of produce, including celebration potatoes, and has a core team of 35 workers, more than doubling during peak seasons.
The farm spans 1,170 hectares on the north bank of Suffolk’s Orwell estuary and the sandy soil, milder winters and sea breeze create ideal growing conditions to deliver the best flavour and texture.
Celebration potatoes are grown exclusively for M&S and are part of its ‘Our Latest Discovery’ range, bringing unique produce varieties, sourced by expert agronomists from around the world, to customers.
As part of M&S’ Plan A for Farming 2030, Home Farm Nacton – a longstanding supplier to M&S – plays a vital role in advancing sustainable agriculture. A key pillar of this strategy is the Farming for the Future programme, which brings together 200 farmers and growers across the UK to embed sustainability at the heart of farming practices.
Last month, the team hosted a soil workshop for other growers at Home Farm Nacton focused on regenerative techniques to protect the soil, with the farm being a founding member of the Felixstowe Hydrocycle water recapture scheme, using surplus water to help with summer irrigation.
Andrew Francis, Managing Director of Home Farm Nacton, said: "Celebration potatoes are a unique variety that bring a real wow factor to the table. We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with M&S to encourage customers to give them a try. Not only do they have a distinctive look but a truly fantastic taste.
“Sustainability is key to everything we do on the farm, including using science and learning to help manage our soils and water. It allows us to produce the best possible crops but also enhance the land for future generations to come. Our ethos is very similar to M&S’ and we can’t wait to see our products on the shelves."
Harry Wilder, Senior Agronomist at M&S, added: “At M&S, we’re known for innovation and the Our Latest Discovery range is all about bringing our customers the best new varieties. Andrew and the team share our same relentless focus on the highest quality produce and it’s brilliant to bring something new to the shelves, just in time for the festive season. So, if you’re looking to refresh your roast or spruce up your salad, give our new celebration potatoes a try.”
M&S’ top tips for the perfect roast potatoes:
- Place the potatoes in cold, generously salted water rather than boiling hot water, and cook until just tender.
- Once cooked, immediately drain in a colander, briefly shake and spread out onto a tray lined with kitchen paper and allow to cool completely – you can do this the day before and keep in the fridge.
- Add more flavour by trying our Collection Wagyu Beef Dripping or Goose fat, preheat in a tray for around 10minutes before tumbling the potatoes in it.
- Make sure to season to perfection, whether a tiny pinch of turmeric or mustard powder for colour and an earthy flavour or try whole garlic bulbs, bay leaves and a sprig of rosemary.
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