News on Food Trends from Idaho

The focus for Potandon Produce LLC at the New York Produce Show this year will be on the health benefits of potatoes, and particularly of some of Potandon’s proprietary products.

Spudnik Equipment Company has reached an agreement to buy STC Trailers, according to a recent press release. Terms were not disclosed. Both companies are headquartered in Blackfoot, Idaho. The acquisition will go into effect Jan. 1, 2020.

Ongoing studies at the University of Idaho’s Aberdeen Research & Extension Center seek to help seed potato growers avoid a chronically troublesome disease spread by aphids, called potato virus Y, writes John O’Connell in the Idaho State Journal.

The Idaho Potato Commission has found that the best way to communicate that potatoes are part of an active, healthy lifestyle is to show it. Therefore, the IPC sponsors several athletic programs and events that support and encourage folks to be active.

NewCold, a specialist in automated cold storage, announced the opening of its $90 million, 180,000-square-foot facility in Burley, Idaho. French fry maker McCain Foods is NewCold’s largest Idaho customer.

North American potato processors either have or will be bringing at least 1.3 billion pounds of new processing capacity online between October 2018 and December 2019. In Potato Country, Bruce Huffaker of NAPMN discusses the impact.

European Frozen Finger Food manufacturer Frostkrone Group announced earlier this month it had completed the acquisition of the Idaho based company Rite Stuff Foods Inc., a manufacturer specialised in the production of potato snacks.

Today the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) welcomes Alan Kahn as the new Vice President of Foodservice. His extensive foodservice and marketing experience will help him to develop and implement attention-grabbing campaigns focused on foodservice.

Wada Farms announced this week it has entered into a strategic partnership with organic potato packer Genesis Organics located in Southern Idaho.

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is thrilled to announce the launch of its redesigned website with more mobile-friendly formats, scroll features, modified layouts and a load-on-demand feature.

J.R. Simplot has acquired a license for CRISPR-Cas9 and related gene editing tools. This provides Simplot with another avenue to add desirable traits to fruits and vegetables, including potatoes.

Dehydrated potato manufacturer Idahoan Foods has filed lawsuit against its insurer related to a 2016 fire at the Idaho Supreme potato dehydration plant in Firth.

Dutch frozen storage specialist NewCold is investing $90 million to build a fully automated 140-foot-high, 25 million-cubic-foot frozen storage warehouse in Burley, Idaho.

USDA-AMS has proposed a rule to revise the classifications that determine the size requirements for potatoes grown in Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon. The proposal would also apply to all import of long type potatoes.

A federal judge ruled that the United States government illegally quarantined some Idaho potato fields infested with potato cyst nematodes (PCN), a pest that could threaten the state’s $1.2 billion potato industry.

On April 2, Lamb Weston will introduce the Seashore Puff™, a Potato Puff with the same distinct flavor (Sea-salt, Black Pepper and Garlic) as Lamb Weston's Seashore™ Fries, that have been growing in popularity in the fry category.

The USDA reported the preliminary estimated value for the Idaho® Potato crop of 2017 at USD 1.2 billion, a 22.7% leap from the previous year.

Today Lamb Weston introduced a solution for french fries that arrive hot and crispy via home delivery – new 'Crispy on Delivery' is a comprehensive solution that goes from store to door.