Choosing a fresh chips supplier

You do not choose a fresh chips supplier every month. Chips are the heart of your menu, and customers notice a change of supplier straight away. That is why it pays to look carefully at who you bring in. Below are the points that catering owners find most useful when choosing a chips supplier, from the potato in the field to the phone that gets answered when something comes up.

1. Origin and fixed varieties

The first question is a simple one: where do the potatoes come from? A supplier who grows them knows the fields, the varieties and the conditions of the season. One who buys on the open market works with changing batches, and changing batches behave differently in the fryer. You see that in the colour, the crispness and the number of broken chips in the basket.

At Friet van Beus everything comes from the family's own land in Zeewolde, where they have grown potatoes since 1994. From September to July that means Agria, and in the short transitional season in August it means Frieslander for a few weeks. Thanks to that fixed schedule you know what you are getting, and there is hardly any difference in quality through the year. What sets the two varieties apart is explained under Agria potatoes and Frieslander potatoes.

2. Cutting days and delivery

Fresh chips are a fresh product. The moment they are cut and the moment they arrive at your door determine how much room you have in your planning. So ask specifically about cutting days and about who does the delivery. A fixed rhythm makes it easier to organise your stock and your cold room around it.

Friet van Beus cuts on Tuesday and Friday mornings and then delivers itself, with regular drivers and no middleman. The chips are vacuum packed in 10 kg bags, free of additives and not pre-fried. Fresh chips are delivered across the whole of the central Netherlands, from Almere and Harderwijk to the Amsterdam and Apeldoorn areas; whole potatoes can be supplied nationwide. Check the delivery area to see whether your town is included.

3. Advice and availability

A good supplier delivers more than a box of chips. When the chips suddenly behave differently in the fryer, you want to talk to someone who knows what the cause might be: the variety, the storage, the temperature of your fat or your frying routine. So ask whether advice is included and whether you have a fixed contact you can reach even in a busy week.

At Friet van Beus the family helps you choose an oil or frying fat and make adjustments in the kitchen, so that the chips come out of the fryer just right. For the chips, Thijs is your contact on 06 23972300. For questions about growing and crops you can go to Joost on 06 23055742. Both can also be reached by message. More about that advice can be found under advice on frying chips.

4. See the farm for yourself

If you are in doubt, go and have a look. A supplier who shows you where the potatoes grow and how they are cut has nothing to hide. You see the scraping and cutting machine, the storage and the people behind the product. You are welcome to visit the farm in Zeewolde; just arrange a time with Thijs or Joost.

Putting the points on this page side by side lets you make a well-founded choice. If you first want to know how a specialist supplier compares with a large wholesaler, read chip wholesaler or cash-and-carry. Once you have decided, send us a request and we will get in touch.

Frequently asked questions