For over 50 years, Lamb Weston has had a committed appreciation for the potato. By routinely diversifying and unveiling innovative products, Lamb Weston has always understood the versatility and simple goodness of potatoes. And after five decades of this tradition, Lamb Weston is proud to say that the potato is more powerful than ever!
As the world’s population has grown, particularly in developing nations, potatoes have become a staple food and will only continue to gain prominence among international diets. Now the 4th most abundant crop on earth, there are over 347 million tons of potatoes produced each year! Lamb Weston has been at the helm throughout this boom, and will continue to foster exponential growth by providing foodservice operators with the quality products they have come to expect.
Rich in carbohydrates, vitamin C, and potassium, potatoes are an important source of energy. Potatoes can produce more energy per acre per day than any other crop and in a wider range of climates than any other plant. Free of fat, cholesterol and sodium, a medium-sized potato with skin provides 100 calories, is an excellent source of potassium, is rich in vitamin C and has plenty of good-for-you fiber.
There are over 7,500 varieties of potato grown in virtually every corner of the globe, and they are the cornerstone of success for farmers everywhere. Potatoes have served as cultural touchstones by way of toys, political cartoons, and symbols of nourishment during times of economic uncertainty. There’s even a Potato Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
While ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston can’t lay claim to cultivating the first potatoes (that honor went to Peru about 8,000 years ago), they can take credit for harnessing the power of the potato through a unique and timeless selection of products and resources. It is Lamb Weston’s privilege to share this power with its customers and to continue to honor one of nature’s most valuable gifts, the potato!
Potato Fun Facts
- Farmers first started growing potatoes in the Andes Mountains, on the Peru/Bolivia border, about 8,000 years ago.
- President Thomas Jefferson introduced french fries to America, when he served them at a White House dinner soon after returning from France.
- There are 7,500 different varieties of potatoes held at the International Potato Center.
- China grows the most potatoes, followed by Russia and India.
- In the US, Idaho is the largest potato-producing state, followed by Washington.
- Frozen potato products, including french fries, are the #1 prepared style of potatoes in the US.
- Culinary experts say hamburgers, French fries and milk shakes make a popular combination because the flavors of each are complementary to each other.
