McCain Foods to Acquire Maine Potato Processing Company, Plant

McCain Foods has agreed to acquire Penobscot McCrum LLC (McCrum), a Maine-based supplier of frozen potato specialty products, according to a release from the Canadian prepared potato and appetizer product company. McCain’s release called the deal important due to its strengthening of its North American network and potato product operations. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions.

The acquisition includes McCrum’s Washburn, Maine, potato processing plant and about 130 McCrum employees, but not the farming operation, which will remain independently owned (and will supply McCain with potatoes through a long-term agreement). McCrum’s CEO and CFO will support the transition, the release noted.

McCain already owns a potato processing facility in Easton, Maine, which it acquired in 1976, among its 49 production facilities already in its stable. The McCrum facility it is adding was built in 2020 and is highly automated. McCrum is a fifth-generation potato farming family, dating back to 1886.

The McCrum facility will provide McCain the flexibility to pursue modernization, lower costs, optimized processing and better customer service, the company said.