Potato News from Northern America

An investigative report on a Michael Foods plant that aired on WCCO news over the weekend has generated concern among residents in northern Chaska who could soon be living next to the new potato processing plant. Michael Foods purchased the old Mammo...

Lamb Weston, a division of Con-Agra Foods, has decided to grow a larger share of its own potatoes this year through joint ventures or custom-farming arrangements, according to industry officials in Idaho.The move away from traditional contracts with in...

Sorry, men: Baked Lay's are no longer meant for you. Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, is overhauling all of its calorie-conscious snacks to make them appeal to women, including the baked versions of Lay's, Fritos, Ruffles, Doritos, Cheetos and Tosti...

From 1996 through October 2007, officials say Glenns Ferry cogeneration sold power to Idaho Power under a contract;but now Idaho Power Company is seeking $11.15 Million in damages for an alleged breach of that contract. Gene Fadness, Spokesman for Id...

Investment funds affiliated with Nelson Peltz, the well-known activist investor and nonexecutive chairman at Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc., have snatched up stock in quick-service and snack brands, and dumped holdings in casual-dining companies. Accordin...

La primera parte de este documento describe la evolución del procesamiento de la papa. Se hará hincapié en el crecimiento de la industria de transformación en unos pocos actores mundiales, la ampliación de la escala, las tendencias de consumo, el des...

Tracking data of the sales of frozen potato products to foodservice by the major US potato processors indicates a low single digit drop in pounds sold in the last quarter of 2008 and a high single digit dollar value increase. For entire 2008, the volume sold is flat. Export of frozen potato products is up, both in volume and dollar value, but export is relatively small (about 15%) compared to total sales. There is no clear sign in these tracking data that foodservice is moving away from higher priced specialties.

Fourth quarter 2008 consumer food spending met its steepest decline in more than half a century, according to data from Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis. Spending on food at retail and restaurants fell 3.7% from the previous quarter, w...

The Supreme Court of Canada has handed victory to a group of New Brunswick potato farmers by refusing to hear an appeal from the federal government. The decision made Feb. 19 ends a 15-year legal battle between about 180 New Brunswick potato farmers ...

Dairy Queen’s Sweet Deals value menu may be rolling out nationally just in time to fight the recession, but it’s hardly a knee-jerk reaction to economic pressure, according to officials. The chain began testing the offer in 2007, before the downturn hi...

McDonald's Corp is not losing breakfast business to Starbucks Corp, McDonald's Chief Executive Jim Skinner said at a luncheon in Chicago on Friday.When asked if Starbucks, which recently revamped its morning menu with healthier choices, has taken a bit...

Cash-strapped consumers are getting reacquainted with cooking at home, and that's been bad news for restaurants and their stocks. The dining-out industry is suffering through a major fire in the kitchen.

Worries that Canadians might be inadvertently ingesting too much cancer-causing acrylamide from French fries, potato chips and other processed foods has prompted Health Canada to recommend adding the chemical to the country's toxic substances list. Ac...

Northern Star Co. today initiated a voluntary product recall of certain retail cut-and-bagged potato products. The recall is being initiated due to laboratory testing that showed a package of Simply Potatoes Southwest Style Hash Browns to contain Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

Yvan Pelletier and Helen Tai hope you'll never look at a potato the same way again.   The agricultural scientists, who are co-leading a network to help expand the potato industry, are working to unleash the full potential of the humble tuber and creat...

Key Technology introduces upgrades for its popular Farmco Sliver Sizer Remover and Farmco Rotary Size Grader. Featuring a food-friendly drive system and lube-free adjusting system made of corrosion-resistant, long-life polymer components, the upgrade e...

Kiremko introduces the “Ultra Fine” knife block, the latest addition to the range of QuadraFlow hydro cutting equipment. The “Ultra Fine” achieves the highest standards in hydro cutting technology, developed in close cooperation with several processors...

Washington State Potato Farmers agreed to modifications in the 2009 potato contracts with potato processing companies Simplot and Lamb Weston.Processing Companies agreed in September to give Northwest potato growers a hefty raise on their 2009 pre-seas...