Purple sweet potatoes are gaining attention as a new addition to traditional Thanksgiving meals, according to Scott Stoddard, University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor in Merced County. “There’s a lot of interest in the purple sweet potato,” Stoddard said. “It’s creating buzz, something new to talk about.”
Most sweet potatoes available on the West Coast come from clones of mother plants propagated at UC Davis Foundation Plant Service and selected by Stoddard. Over the past five years, the acreage devoted to purple sweet potatoes in California has grown to about 1,000 acres.
At least six varieties of purple sweet potatoes are currently being cultivated in California. However, growers are reluctant to share information about their specific varieties due to competitive interests. “Right now, it’s the wild, Wild West,” Stoddard explained. “Nobody will tell you what they’re growing. It’s like, ‘my purple is better than your purple.’”
Among these varieties are Stokes Purple and Ben Yagi—both owned by a company—as well as experimental types such as Purple Rayne, Purple Majesty, Purple Splendor and Regal Purple. Farmers in Hawaii grow Okinawan sweet potatoes with white skin and purple flesh; however, this variety does not yield enough for economic viability in California.
“The purple/purple [varieties with purple skin and purple flesh] trend started with Stokes,” said Stoddard.
Introducing these less common varieties required educating retailers about their unique characteristics. Jeremy Fookes, director of sales for A.V. Thomas Produce Company—which owns both Stokes Purple and Ben Yagi—said that because Stokes Purple has drier flesh than orange-fleshed varieties, it requires longer cooking times: “The first couple of years were a challenge,” Fookes said. “Stokes has to be cooked longer in order to make it moister inside, otherwise it can be chalky or pasty if you don’t cook it long enough.”
A.V. Thomas Produce partnered with Frieda’s Specialty Produce for marketing support.
Interest in purple sweet potatoes increased after the release of the Netflix documentary “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones” in 2023, which highlighted their phytonutrient content—specifically anthocyanin—as potentially beneficial for health. Following this exposure, demand rose significantly for these products; Fookes noted that his company now grows over 500 acres of organic Stokes Purple sweet potatoes distributed nationwide and exported abroad.
California produces roughly one-quarter of all U.S.-grown sweet potatoes but has faced industry challenges since disruptions caused by COVID-19 in 2020. The majority (85%) are sold fresh rather than processed into fries or baby food. According to Stoddard: “We thought sweet potato fries would take off… It was ramping up, then quit and flatlined.” As consumer demand declined while input costs rose—including labor and regulatory expenses—the state saw acreage drop from over 21,000 acres five years ago to about 18,000 acres today; four packing sheds have closed during this period.
Despite setbacks, growers remain hopeful due to ongoing research into improved varieties. Since joining UC Agriculture and Natural Resources as an advisor in 2002, Stoddard has worked on developing alternatives to existing red-skinned varieties susceptible to pests or poor storage performance.
Collaborating with Louisiana State University breeder Don La Bonte—who sends approximately 30 new lines annually for testing—Stoddard screens potential candidates based on shape, color, flavor and yield potential across different regions before advancing only a few each year.
Bellevue—a variety bred at LSU—now accounts for around 15% of California’s production after being evaluated locally over several years prior to its formal release in 2015. This variety is also grown internationally due to its resistance traits and quality attributes.
Orange-fleshed types such as Bellevue, Vermillion (released in 2021), and Diane represent two-thirds of state production; other popular choices include Murasaki and Bonita (white-fleshed). Still, there is optimism surrounding further expansion into purple-fleshed markets: “We’re moving away from orange flesh varieties,” said Stoddard. “We’re not growing varieties that others can grow.”
California’s climate allows profitable organic cultivation without frequent insecticide use—a contrast with other major producing states where pest pressures are higher.
For optimal flavor when preparing yellow or orange types at home, baking at moderate heat is recommended: “While Ben Yagi Purples cook like other moist flesh varieties,” Fookes said regarding preparation techniques for purples like Stokes Purple,”the Stokes Purple sweet potato should be cooked low and slow.” He recommends baking them between 250–275 degrees Fahrenheit for up to two hours instead of microwaving: “You only get caramelization through the low heat slow baking process whether it’s foil-wrapped on a barbecue or in a pan in the oven.”
