Potato News from Northern America

Yum! Brands has announced it is moving 100 KFC jobs out of Louisville.

The Sinaloa state in Mexico is preparing for a historic potato harvest in 2025, with a planted area exceeding 17 thousand hectares, a notable increase compared to previous years with an estimated production of over 500 thousand tons.

The success of the potato industry is built on growers’ ability to introduce new potato varieties that meet market demands. For example, when snack-size bags of potato chips were popularized, the industry responded by breeding smaller potatoes for smaller chips to fit into the bags.

National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles issued the following statement congratulating Brooke Rollins, who was confirmed today by the full Senate to serve as Secretary of the USA Department of Agriculture

The Little Potato Company, the number one Little potato company in North America, is introducing two extensions to its popular Microwave Ready and Oven or Grill Ready product lines: A Little Hot Honey Microwave Ready Kit and A Little Garlic & Parmesan Oven or Grill Ready Kit.

TIPA, a global leader in compostable packaging innovation, is launching an advanced home compostable metallized high-barrier film. The solution addresses critical challenges in eco-conscious packaging for chips and salty snacks, offering enhanced functionality and durability in a biodegradable solution.

USA retail sales of potatoes remained strong from January–December 2024, as volume sales increased 3.1%, and dollar sales rose 0.7% to $18.2 billion. All categories of potatoes increased in volume sales.

The Prince Edward Island Potato Board is closely monitoring the evolving situation regarding the 25% tariff imposed on Canada by U.S. President Donald Trump, which will undoubtedly have an impact on potato exports from Prince Edward Island.

Convenience stores are intensifying their focus on foodservice offerings to drive foot traffic, in-store sales growth and frequency of repeat visits. Strong consumer interest in prepared foods, commissary and beverage options has led convenience stores, often referred to as c-stores, to compete much more aggressively with quick service restaurants and fast-food chains.

New N-FINITY technology gives growers flexibility when making on-farm nitrogen management decisions.

Idaho Steel is proud to announce the evolution of its flagship product, the Nex-Gem 4 former. Designed with innovation and quality at its core, the Nex-Gem 4 builds on the trusted features of its predecessor while introducing new capabilities that enhance efficiency, safety, and production capacity.

Researchers at North Carolina State University identified the South American Andes as the origin of the Irish potato famine pathogen, Phytophthora infestans

As the third largest potato-producing state in the nation, Wisconsin potatoes have an important story to tell about feeding families with sustainably produced Wisconsin potatoes.

MacEwan University welcomes Angela Santiago, co-founder and CEO of The Little Potato Company Ltd., as the university's 38th Allard Chair in Business.

Lamb Weston is now offering its US foodservice customers the option to get their frozen French fries in a recyclable paper bag. The new package is the result of several years’ work by its packaging engineers to develop a format with a more sustainable end-of-life solution than exists for the company’s polyethylene bags.

PepsiCo, Inc. has announced that it has closed the acquisition of Garza Food Ventures LLC, dba Siete Foods, for USD 1.2 billion. Over the past two decades, PepsiCo has transformed its portfolio to include great-tasting convenient foods and drinks that are nutritious, enjoyable, and fit consumers' lifestyles.

Susie Thompson associate professor of plant sciences, has been named the inaugural Johansen-Thompson Endowed Professor in Potato Breeding at North Dakota State University. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the appointment of 11 members to Potatoes USA’s Board of Directors. The appointees include nine producer members and one public member, who will serve three-year terms that expire Feb. 28, 2028.