News On French Fries and Potato Specialties from the United States

March 05, 2008

Potatoes cooked in hot oil have gone from snack to menu staple

French fries, once the snack of ball games, bowling lanes, and clam shacks, are now on every sort of menu.Today's fries, however, aren't just shoestrings in a clever presentation. Chefs are sprinkling them with all kinds of sea salt, grated cheeses suc...

February 29, 2008

Snow blamed for roof collapse of warehouse attached to McCain Foods Plover French Fry Factory

Heavy snow is believed to be the cause of a roof collapse at McCain Foods Plover French Fry Factory. Authorities say no one was hurt when a portion of the roof gave way at a warehouse connecting McCain Foods with AmeriCold Corporation.

February 28, 2008

Development and Experimental Validation of a Frying Model to Estimate Acrylamide Levels in French Fries

In this study, a numerical model was developed to simulate frying of potato strips and estimate acrylamide levels in French fries. Heat and mass transfer parameters determined during frying of potato strips and the formation and degradation kinetic par...

ADR4 Automatic Defect Removal System for French Fries

February 26, 2008

Potato Processor Frigemo Relies on ADR4 from Key Technology to Optimize French Fry Quality

Quality is a top priority at Frigemo, the Swiss food processor that manufactures french fries for McDonald’s. To consistently match product quality to specifications, Frigemo relies on ADR® 4, an automatic defect removal system for potato strips from ...

February 26, 2008

Heinz: Quarterly Report

Sales for the three months ended January 30, 2008 increased $316 million, or 13.8%, to $2.61 billion, with growth in all five business segments. Volume increased 5.2%, driven by a 9.8% volume increase in Asia/Pacific, combined with solid growth in Euro...

February 25, 2008

ConAgra Foods Acquires Watts Brothers to Strengthen Its Lamb Weston Business

ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) announced today that it has acquired Kennewick, Wash.-based Watts Brothers, a privately held vegetable processing and agricultural company, to further grow and strengthen its core potato business operating under the Lam...

February 21, 2008

Conagra cuts jobs in Europe, Asia;Lamb Weston not affected

Conagra Foods is cutting back its operations in Asia and Europe, as the packaged-food manufacturer shrinks its international operations due to disappointing sales. "Sales for our consumer businesses weren't what we wanted them to be in those mark...

February 14, 2008

McCain launches new Home Fries campaign

McCain has launched an exciting new re-brand campaign for its best-tasting Home Fries product, to celebrate its rightful positioning as 'Chips as chips should be'. The Home Fries re-brand will build upon McCain’s long-running, ‘It’s All Good’ campaign,...

February 14, 2008

Simplot transfers Pasco processing plant to joint venture with Washington Potato Company

The J. R. Simplot Company is transferring its vegetable processing plant in Pasco, Wash., to a new manufacturing joint venture to be managed and co-owned by Washington Potato Company. Washington Potato Company (WPC) will run the plant and continue to p...

February 01, 2008

Burger King Shares keep rising

Shares of Burger King Corp. rose for a second day Friday, after the nation's No. 2 burger chain reported growth in quarterly profit in the face of a difficult consumer environment that slowed sales at its biggest rival, McDonald's. On Thursday, Burger ...

January 27, 2008

McCain Foods introduces Handheld Breakfast Innovation 'Early Risers'

With breakfast sales growing three times faster than any other daypart and the demand for grab-and-go foods rapidly increasing, McCain Foods USA is excited to introduce new Early Risers hot, handheld breakfasts. Early Risers portable breakfasts are a d...

Key Technology introduces new network communication capability for G6 optical sorters and automatic defect removal (ADR®) systems

January 24, 2008

Key Technology Adds to Network Communication Capability of G6 Sorters & Automatic Defect Removal Systems (ADR)

Key Technology introduces new OPC-compliant network communication software for all G6 optical sorters and automatic defect removal (ADR®) systems. The new software allows the G6 systems to easily interface with plant networks, extending machine monito...

January 22, 2008

USPB Initiates Frozen Potato Program In Central America

As part of its continuing strategy to develop new market opportunities for US potatoes, the United States Potato Board (USPB) has initiated a frozen potato program in Central America. Countries to be targeted include Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, N...

January 18, 2008

Organic Potato Processing facility starting in Colorado?

Staff of a Denver-area organization supposedly brokering a deal to set up an organic potato processing facility in Center were reluctant to release information locally about the proposal but told residents of Grand Forks, North Dakota, they might have ...

January 18, 2008

The history of the Tater Tot

The Tater Tot held its debutante ball, fittingly, at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The swooping post-modern structure had itself just debuted in 1954, signaling the country's interest in new forms, new conveniences, new luxuries — all finan...

January 14, 2008

ConAgra signals shift in restructuring plan: three plants scheduled for shutdown will stay open

ConAgra Foods Inc. won't close three production plants that had been slated for shutdown in a multiyear reorganization effort, signaling a shift in emphasis from cutting costs to growing sales. "We've had good success with sales of new products, a...

January 14, 2008

Heinz researchers cook up new food items

The Heinz Global Innovation and Quality Center, which opened about two years ago, has significantly bolstered the research and development capabilities of Heinz, one of the world's largest food companies. Like other big food industry players, Heinz ha...

January 09, 2008

Simplot purchases Pasco's H & R Ag

Boise-based J.R. Simplot Co. has purchased H &R Ag Inc., a Pasco-based agriculture supplier and retail business. No financial details of Monday's deal were disclosed. But Bill Whitacre, president of the Simplot AgriBusiness Group, said the acquisi...