Greenvale AP presented with prestigious Queens Award for Innovation

22 May 2006 Greenvale are proud to announce that they have been presented with the Queens award for Innovation, a prestigious award for business performance. Greenvale AP are widely recognised within the industry as being responsible for a series of technical advancements, many of which have helped to significantly improve the quality of potatoes supplied to the public. In addition they have recently introduced a series of environmentally friendly working techniques, have reduced grower dependency on chemicals, have introduced new and improved potato varieties to the market, developed agronomic techniques to improve grower returns and supported local communities. Greenvale AP’s Chief Executive Alan Owens will be attending the winner celebration on 24th April at Westminster, hosted by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. Commenting on the award Alan Owens, Chief Executive of Greenvale AP said, “This is both a personal and professionally proud moment. The announcement of the award is the culmination of many years hard work by everyone working at Greenvale AP and a recognition of our achievements within the industry. We pride ourselves on being thoroughly professional in everything that we do and take our responsibilities to the local communities in which we operate a very seriously. Greenvale AP have a reputation for innovative, commercially focussed thinking that makes a real difference to our industry.” Peter Durose, Tesco Category Director of Fresh Produce said, "In what is a very traditional sector Greenvale have consistently demonstrated fantastic innovation. They have demonstrated time and again they are an extremely customer focused, modern and professional supplier.” For further information about the Greenvale AP award contact Craig Sankey, Marketing Manager, on 01630 637444 or 07739 823500. Greenvale AP Greenvale AP is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading authorities on potatoes. Over the last 40 years, they have grown to become the UK’s leading supplier of fresh potatoes, developing sites in the major potato growing areas to service their customers. Greenvale operate from 6 major sites which are also supported by a further 6 regional trading branches. Greenvale AP supply fresh, mashed and prepared potatoes to the retail, food service, processing, wholesale and catering markets, seed potatoes to growers both in the UK and abroad and provide a host of technical and agronomy services to their suppliers and customers. Greenvale prides itself on providing technical excellence and leads the way in supplying advice and support to its dedicated grower base regardless of their location. They grow 40% of the organic potatoes consumed in the UK annually and have a dedicated team to service this important, expanding sector of the industry. Commercial innovations have included DeCyst, a new biological control for Potato Cyst Nematode, Accumulator, a unique seed potato manipulation technique and Restrain, a modified atmosphere storage technique and winner of the new equipment award at the Royal Show 2004. Greenvale, in conjunction with Scottish Crop Research Institute at Dundee, have a number of bespoke potato seed breeding programmes targeted at conventional, organic and gourmet varieties. These programmes have produced a number of unique varieties including Mayan Gold, the UK’s only commercially available Phureja used by a number of celebrity chefs in their own restaurants including Antony Worrall Thompson.