Culinology - December 2020 - 29
Chef Dianna Fricke at JR Simplot Co.
can dream up a zillion ways to prepare
the tubular spud, no matter how
you pronounce it.
s the saying goes, " Potatoes make french fries, chips and vodka.
It's like the other vegetables aren't even trying. " And Corporate
Executive Chef Dianna Fricke, director of culinary for the JR Simplot
Co., certainly knows one of the products really well. Hint: It's not chips
or vodka.
" From the invention of the first commercial french fry nearly 70 years
ago to a product lineup today that features many regular and flameroasted fruits and vegetables, hearty grains and avocados, JR Simplot
continues to bring innovation to foodservice operators for all meal
occasions, " Ms. Fricke said.
Based in Boise, Idaho, the company operates 13 food plants and
has more than 11,000 employees creating and distributing products to
more than 60 countries.
" Simplot is one of the largest privately held food and agribusiness
companies in the nation, though at heart we're as small as a single
farmer, " she said.
The company has expanded well beyond its roots. Simplot has
supplied McDonald's Corp., Chicago, with its frozen french fries since
1967. Consumers continually rate the fries as one of the top fries
on foodservice menus worldwide. As the story goes, Idaho potato
" magnate " JR Simplot shook hands with McDonald's chief executive
officer Ray Kroc, sealing a deal that made french fry history. Before
Simplot became its first frozen fry supplier, McDonald's had used
fresh potatoes.
" The pivotal point to our company's growth was this handshake
between Mr. Kroc and Mr. Simplot introducing the frozen fry in the
McDonald's system, " Ms. Fricke said. " By switching to the frozen fry
McDonald's was able to have a more consistent and better quality fry,
one of the benchmarks of our company. "
Along with international and domestic McDonald's accounts, Ms.
Fricke supports the nation's top 50 chain restaurants, many of which
they also supply with fries, hash brown potatoes and many other
vegetables and grains. Three other chefs report to Ms. Fricke in the
company's Food Group Division.
Her day can vary from handling her R&D chef duties to organizing
video shoots to food styling. She also works with customers and
Simplot's food scientists to develop and fine tune new products while
supporting marketing endeavors and sales efforts, she said.
A
by Susan Malovany
editor@sosland.com
Farm to finger food
" Our company is truly a seed-to-table business model, not even just
farm-to-fork, " Ms. Fricke said. " Domestically, our customers are largely
foodservice, but the primary source of our retail business is global -
Simplot Australia plays heavily in retail, along with other countries. As
Photo credit: Bruce Redman Photography
DECEMBER 2020 | Culinology |
29
Culinology - December 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Culinology - December 2020
Culinology - December 2020 - 1
Culinology - December 2020 - 1
Culinology - December 2020 - 2
Culinology - December 2020 - 3
Culinology - December 2020 - 4
Culinology - December 2020 - 5
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Culinology - December 2020 - 7
Culinology - December 2020 - 8
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