UK potato supplier Branston has announced the opening of Britain’s “biggest and most modern” mash factory in Lincolnshire.

The supplier said it had worked with supermarket Tesco to “take the mash potato dining experience to the next level”, creating 80 jobs as it launches its new mash factory.

Branston highlighted that with the mash processing factory now on site, the whole farm to fork process would “bring about far fresher tasting products”.

In 2023, Tesco observed higher purchases of fresh ready-made mash than in 2022, reporting more than one million more packs sold. While it said regular mashed potato was the most popular variety, Tesco found that demand for sweet potato mash increased by more than 100% in 2023 compared to 2022.

Alex Edwards, prepared produce buying manager for Tesco, said: “Britain’s millions of mash fans should be very excited by the news as our chefs have worked with Branston to excite existing recipes.

“What we’re planning to do is to take the mash-eating experience to the next level and make it more of a gourmet food that you’d find in an upmarket restaurant.”

Tesco also said that while consumers cooked from scratch more during the Covid lockdowns, the return to work saw demand for ready-made mash rise again, continuing to increase as a “direct result of cost-of-living concerns”.

Branston CEO Jim Windle said: “We are proud and very excited to have brought the latest world class food manufacturing technology alongside restaurant quality recipe design to uplift and elevate one of Britain’s best loved foods.

“Mash is one of Britain’s favourite comfort foods that needed a 21st century makeover to delight and inspire customers across the new range.”