Potato News from the United States

Potato industry officials are touting the health benefits of three colorful new varieties developed by the Tri-State Potato Research and Breeding Program in the US.

For many years you didn’t hear much on french fries from fast food restaurants. And that has hurt the product. If there is no pride invested in the product and if there is no effort to distinguish it from the neighbour’s french fries, quality might slide, the product easily becomes a bulk item and innovation in the category suffers as consequence.

McDonald’s Corp. (MCD), the world’s largest restaurant chain, said sales at stores open at least 13 months rose 7.4 percent globally last month, driven by demand in Japan and China. Analysts forecast a gain of 5 percent, the average of five estimates ...

FAO Food Price Index November 2011 The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 215 points in November 2011, marginally (1 point) down  from October and 10 percent (23 points) below its February 2011 peak. Among the various commodities, a recovery of...

The creators of a massive, inflatable potato cellar that recently hit the market promise their product will cut costs dramatically for growers in need of short-term storage while their spuds await processing. Idaho growers, however, say the Airstore, ...

Production at Mister Bee Potato Chip Company is expected to be up and running by early next week after the the United States Department of Justice and Trustees Office approved post petition financing allowing an investor to start giving money to the co...

Key Technology announces the promotion of Bret Larreau to the new position of Manager of Business Development. Larreau is responsible for building new business alliances and developing acquisition opportunities.

FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) today announced that it has acquired Rovral® iprodione and Sportak® prochloraz fungicides from Bayer CropScience. The transaction includes the use of these two fungicide families and their product trademarks for agricultura...

Frito-Lay is asking Vancouver for $585,000 in water bill credits over three years, which the company says will help it make $15 million to $25 million in investments at its Fruit Valley plant. [This is Vancouver in Washington, US, not in British Columb...

Burger King has begun introducing new French fries in its North American franchises, hoping a revamped recipe will help it take on competitors.

It’s a fry for all at BURGER KING® restaurants nationwide! Burger King Corp. is staking its claim as the authority on all things food by delivering a new golden, crispy fry that promises to create a whole new level of irresistible. The new fries at B...

Potato farmers are not exempt from antitrust laws that prohibit collusion, including "acreage reductions, production restrictions or collusive crop planning,"according to a federal judge. Chief U.S. District Judge Lynn Winmill in Idaho has r...

Wendy’s soon could leapfrog Burger King as the second-largest burger chain in terms of U.S. market share, according to a new research note from securities analyst Mark Kalinowski of Janney Capital Markets. For years, Wendy’s has been the third-largest...

Cargill today announced it will reduce its workforce by up to 2,000 of its 138,000 employees globally, a change of about 1.5 percent. The majority of the reduction will take place over the next six months worldwide. Cargill is providing affected employ...

The Wendy’s Company™ (NYSE: WEN) announced last week plans to consolidate its World Headquarters in Dublin, Ohio. As a result, the Company will close its Atlanta Restaurant Support Center operations in late 2012 and move at least 170 positions to Ohio....

For the eighth year running, Progressive Grocer magazine, a nationally acclaimed grocery and supermarket trade publication, has recognized the United States Potato Board’s (USPB’s) Retail Marketing Program with a 2011 “Category Captain,” award in the F...

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America announces ten new electric trucks will be rolling out in Orlando. These electric delivery trucks will ultimately be part of the largest planned fleet of commercial all-electric trucks in North America.

United Potato Growers of America (UPGA) today announced that Jerry Wright will return to lead the grower-based organization as president and chief executive officer of the national federated agricultural cooperative headquartered in Salt Lake City. Wri...