News On French Fries and Potato Specialties

China is emerging as a key player in the global potato processing market, according to a study by leading Chinese research institutes. Despite rapid growth, China still trails major processors but is steadily strengthening its position.

McCain Foods will invest BRL 1.8 billion (USD 334 million) to expand its Araxá (MG) plant, adding new French fry and pre-formed product lines. The project boosts capacity, supports rising demand and creates over 350 jobs.

Lamb Weston launches its crispy, Stealth-coated fries in Singapore for the first time, offering four signature cuts at FairPrice stores. Packs use eco-friendly materials, with promo pricing and sampling roadshows starting 22 Nov.

For India’s French-fry industry, the journey to global excellence begins not in the plant but in the field. Every step - from aerating seed stores to loading trucks - defines the quality that reaches international markets.

Nepal’s First Choice Foods has begun exporting its “Himalayan Crisp” and “Hamro Fries” French fries to the United States marking a stunning milestone for the country’s food industry.

Potato Processor Agristo integrates sustainability into operations, using Operational Excellence to improve efficiency and reduce water, energy, and raw material use—turning smarter processes into a more responsible future.

JADCO has signed a strategic partnership with Polysense to introduce AI and Digital Twin technologies in its French fries plant, enabling real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and automation as part of its agri-industrial transformation.

Farm Frites has selected Dooen in Victoria as the site for its Australian potato processing plant. The plant will become Farm Frites Asia-Pacific manufacturing hub. The project has now received planning approval from the Victorian Government.

McCain Foods has agreed to acquire Penobscot McCrum LLC, expanding its North American operations. The deal adds McCrum’s modern Washburn, Maine, facility to McCain’s network, strengthening supply, innovation, and support for local farmers.

Bangladesh faces a potato surplus as industrial use remains limited. Only 3–4% of production is processed, leaving farmers with losses of BDT 10–15/kg. Experts urge investment in processing, storage, and diversification to boost farmer income.

Just ten years ago, 66% of the potato chips consumed in Latin America were imported from Europe; the remaining 34% came from local factories. Today, the ratio has reversed: 66% are produced in the region and only a third arrive from overseas.

India has rapidly evolved from a minor importer to a leading global exporter of frozen french fries, driven by innovation in potato processing, contract farming, and technology centered in Gujarat, transforming its agricultural landscape into a world-class food industry.

The Simplot Company, a privately held global food and agriculture company headquartered in Boise, Idaho, has completed its acquisition of Clarebout Potatoes, a leading European producer of frozen potato products based in Belgium.

India’s love for French fries is booming, driving demand for advanced processing machines. Shri Vibracion Technologies offers hygienic, efficient systems to help producers meet rising needs with quality, automation and reliability.

La gigante canadiense incorporará una nueva linea de producción para abastecer al mercado que, se preve, se convertirá en el tercero en consumo a nivel mundial.

Ukraine’s MAIS has started building the country’s first potato processing plant producing fries, flakes, and flour. Handling 180,000 t of potatoes annually, it aims to reduce imports, boost exports, and modernize Ukraine’s potato sector by 2027.

British farmers face mounting pressures amid economic uncertainty, policy shifts, and unpredictable weather — with nearly three-quarters expressing pessimism about the industry’s future, according to McCain Foods’ inaugural Farmdex Report.

The global French fries market is worth USD 24 billion. A few decades ago, India was absent from it. Today, potatoes are the nation’s most eaten vegetable, and fries have become a staple on menus across the country.