Mart Frozen Foods Opens facility for the production of frozen, fully baked Idaho Potatoes (OH!Tatoes)

Mart Frozen Foods, a subsidiary of The Mart Group, has cut the ribbon on a USD 65 million high-tech food manufacturing facility in Rupert. Located in Southern Idaho’s "Magic Valley", the new 100,000-square-foot plant produces and packages frozen, fully baked Idaho potatoes known as OH!Tatoes. 

The new facility is located adjacent to The Mart Group’s headquarters, bringing the company’s total employment in Rupert to more than 230 people. The new Mart Frozen Foods facility will directly create 80 full-time jobs, and have an estimated annual economic impact of USD 11.15 million.

Julian Critchfield, president and CEO of The Mart Group:

"Through innovated technology, OH!Tatoes has perfected the art of freezing fresh Idaho potatoes so consumers can enjoy fluffy, flavorful baked potatoes in minutes."

"This expansion allows us to vertically integrate to provide the unmatched quality of baked Idaho potatoes in an easier format, with a longer shelf life, than ever before."

Home to food giants Chobani, Clif Bar, McCain Foods and others, Southern Idaho’s eight-county “Magic Valley” region leads the state’s agribusiness industry – contributing nearly half of Idaho’s nearly $11.3 billion in annual agricultural receipts. 

Kelly Anthon, Senator of Idaho State:

"The Mart Group’s investment in this new frozen potato technology and production facility is a reflection of the immense promise this region holds for incubating and launching the world’s most innovative agricultural products."

"Idaho has a rich history of growing some of the top agricultural products in the world – including most famously, our potatoes."

Branded "All Things Food," the Southern Idaho region boasts a strong agricultural base of potatoes, row crops, sugar beets, barley, wheat, oats, seed production, pork processing, dairy production, aquaculture, food science, and lamb, mink and honey production. 

In addition to superior natural resources, the region offers food companies the infrastructure to process, package and transport agricultural products. In 2015, Southern Idaho became the nation’s fourth and smallest region to earn the prestigious Federal Manufacturing Community Designation in the Food category. 

OH! Tatoes will be the first-of-its-kind whole baked frozen potato available to consumers in North America at stores including Publix, Harris Teeter and Associated Foods.