J.R. Simplot Co. Buying Belgian Processor Clarebout Potatoes
Potato processor (and agricultural giant) J.R. Simplot Co. has an agreement to acquire Belgian potato processor Clarebout Potatoes. Price was not disclosed.
Family- and privately owned Simplot is one of the world’s biggest processors of potatoes, particularly frozen French fries. So is Clarebout, a family business based in Nieuwkerke (West Flanders, Belgium) producing frozen potato products. It has five production sites in Europe, all of which will become Simplot’s, and more than 3,000 employees.
The agreement between the two parties provides for the maintenance, and even expansion, of Clarebout Potatoes’ assets—staff and production sites—on the European continent.
Combining their complementary assets will serve customers around the world with localized supply from 23 production locations. The parties anticipate closing the transaction in 2025 following the receipt of all regulatory approvals.
About the Author
Dave Fusaro
Editor in Chief
Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.