A posh crisp company has created a new partnership with the aim of bringing its potato growers and hauliers closer to benefit all.

Kettle Foods has formed the Kettle Growers Group which connects haulage firm Drury's of North Walsham with farmers.

From this month a dedicated fleet will run the crop to Kettle's factory in Barnard Road, Bowthorpe.

The 18 farms which form part of the group are all based within 30 miles of the site, with three within five miles.

An in-house team has been set up at Kettle Foods to manage the crop with each grower and farm agronomy team checking the quality from seed to bag, and overseeing every stage in the cycle from growing their own seed crop, to planting and irrigation, to harvest and storage.

Against a backdrop of rising prices in farming, due in part to more expensive labour and fertilisers, this new partnership between growers, haulier and producer helps minimise costs in the supply chain. Kettle said the growers enjoy improved payment terms and cash flow from ex-farm pricing, and are also incentivised to earn bonus payments for the best quality.

Growers will receive real time quality reports for each of their deliveries and by working closely together, quality and yields are expected to improve and wastage to be reduced.

Ashley Hicks, Kettle Foods managing director, said: 'Our business revolves around quality potatoes.

'This new partnership enables us to collaborate with growers and a haulier to ensure the sustainable supply of quality local potatoes, with full traceability.'