The Underground Story of Potatoes and Onions with Mitolo Family Farms’ John Tselekidis

Potatoes and onions might be everyday ingredients, but there’s nothing ordinary about what goes into growing them, choosing the right varieties, or getting them from paddock to plate.

In this episode of Straight To The Source, Lucy Allon sits down with John Tselekidis, Chief Commercial Officer of Mitolo Family Farms, one of Australia’s biggest fresh market potato and onion producers, to give these kitchen staples the attention they deserve.

John takes us behind the scenes of fresh produce at scale, where up to 80 potato varieties can be in trial at any one time and developing a new variety can take up to a decade. And yes, the potato you choose really can make or break your mash, roasties or baked spud. They dig into the story behind Mitolo’s Low Carb potato, the nutritional value of potatoes and onions, and why these affordable ingredients are more relevant than ever as chefs juggle flavour, trends, dietary demands, sustainability and rising food costs.

There’s also plenty on innovation, reducing waste, what’s happening on farm, and how chefs and food trends influence what gets planted next. From South Australian paddocks to restaurant kitchens, supermarkets and dinner tables across the country, this is the bigger story behind two ingredients we all think we know.

Turns out, potatoes and onions have a lot more going on than we give them credit for!

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

Growing potatoes year-round: How South Australia’s growing regions enable Mitolo to harvest quality potatoes throughout the year. Why potato variety matters: How different varieties perform for mash, roasting, baking and other culinary applications. Inside potato R&D: Why Mitolo trials up to 80 potato varieties and how commercialisation can take around 10 years. Developing the Low Carb potato: How Mitolo created a naturally lower-carb potato without compromising taste or eating quality. The nutrition of Australian onions: The often overlooked benefits of onions, from gut health and antioxidants to healthy ageing. Connecting chefs to the farm: Straight To The Source’s work with Hort Innovation and Australian Onions, bringing chefs and health professionals to Mitolo Family Farms. How chefs inspire innovation: How culinary trends influence Mitolo’s potato and onion innovation. Food trends driving new ideas: From smashed potatoes and plant-based dishes to global flavours and creative alternatives to pastry. Sustainable farming: How cover crops, crop rotation, soil management and shorter growing cycles support more sustainable production. Big potential from humble ingredients: How potatoes and onions deliver flavour, nutrition and value while helping chefs manage food costs. Fresh produce logistics: The supply chain and freight partnerships behind moving tonnes of Australian produce around the country and overseas. Feeding communities: How Mitolo supports Foodbank, SecondBite and local communities with fresh Australian produce. Follow & Learn More About Mitolo Family Farms

Mitolo Family Farms: https://mitolofamilyfarms.com.au/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitolofamilyfarms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mitolo-family-farms/ Resources & Mentions

Mitolo Family Farms: https://mitolofamilyfarms.com.au/ Australian Onions: https://www.australianonions.com.au/ Australian Onions Foodservice: https://www.australianonions.com.au/food-service/ Hort Innovation: https://www.horticulture.com.au/ Foodbank Australia: https://www.foodbank.org.au/ SecondBite: https://secondbite.org/ About John Tselekidis

John Tselekidis is Chief Commercial Officer at Mitolo Family Farms, one of Australia’s largest fresh market potato and onion producers.

After more than two decades working across fast moving consumer goods, John joined Mitolo Family Farms in 2019, bringing his commercial, sales and marketing experience into Australian fresh produce.

Today, his work spans the commercial side of a f