Baked, boiled, steamed or fried... today we celebrate the mighty potato! A versatile and nutritious staple that’s shaped cultures and cuisines around the world.
Did you know...
- One of the five main food crops consumed in the world, the potato plays a vital role in global food security
- It’s also an invaluable food resource thanks to its nutritional, economic, environmental and cultural values
- Around the world potatoes are a major contributor and generator of income for rural families and producers (shoutout to our incredible growers and farmers in Tassy!)
- Our founder, J.R. Simplot, pioneered the first commercially viable frozen french fries in the late 1940s
- Today, Simplot produces over 550 different potato and sweet potato products globally
- While they share a name (and a spot on your dinner plate) potatoes and sweet potatoes come from entirely different plant families
- The French name for potatoes, pommes de terre, literally translates to “earth apples”
This year’s International Day of Potato theme is ‘shaping history, feeding the future’ acknowledging the potato’s deep historical and cultural significance and its evolving role in today's global agrifood systems. It’s a fitting tribute to a humble crop that continues to shape our plates and planet.
