Growth of restaurant chain Five Guys Burgers and Fries brings success for Idaho broker

Five Guys Burgers and Fries opened about 200 new locations in 2011, and the Lorton, Va.-based chain plans to open about 200 more in 2012.

That’s great news for Rick Miles Produce Service. The Rigby, Idaho, broker and distributor is the sole supplier of potatoes and onions for the rapidly expanding chain.

Owner Rick Miles said he expects to ship about 3.5 million 50-pound potato bags to Five Guys’ more than 900 locations in 46 states and six Canadian provinces this year.

“Their plans are very aggressive for the future,” Miles said, “and everything seems to be going very well. We’ve just grown with them.”

Miles has been supplying Five Guys since the chain had five locations back in 2002, and Five Guys now represents 99% of his business.

While many burger chains use frozen french fries, Five Guys uses fresh potatoes and often uses stacks of 50-pound bags as decorations in its locations.

“We feel that fresh potato gives you a french fry that tastes the most like an actual potato,” said Five Guys spokeswoman Molly Catalano.