Excerpts from the report Summary: A market test for potato flakes, a new form of dehydrated mashed potatoes developed by the Eastern Utilization Research and Development Division, Agricultural Research Service, was conducted in the triple-cities area of Binghamton, Endicott, and Johnson City, N. Y., during the summer of 1956. Assessment of the commercial possibilities of potato flakes was determined by a combination of two techniques--retail store audit and consumer survey. Virtually the entire supply of potato flakes available, or about 900 cases (24 boxes per case, 4 servings per box), was sold in a 5-week period. The sales of potato flakes represented more than 28,000 pounds on a fresh equivalent basis, or about a half week's average sales of fresh potatoes in the area. By the end of the test the availability of potato flakes in stores was known to about 50 percent of the homemakers in the triple cities. The advertising and promotional campaign was confined to the first 4 weeks of the market test.