J.R. Simplot Company
food Boise, ID · Private
J.R. Simplot Company maintains a dominant position in frozen potato processing with a geographically distributed manufacturing footprint across 13 facilities spanning the western U.S. The company leverages vertical integration through phosphate and nitrogen fertilizer production alongside its core potato processing operations.
J.R. Simplot Company is a privately held, family-owned agribusiness that is one of the world's largest frozen potato processors, producing french fries, hash browns, and other potato products, as well as phosphate fertilizers, nitrogen fertilizers, and silica sand for agriculture and industrial markets.
Employees
18,000
Mfg Plants
13
All Facilities
14
Activity
3/10
Type
Private
Plant Locations (14 mapped)
0
Recent News
No news articles yet.
Manufacturing Plants (13)
Simplot – West Memphis Plant
West Memphis, AR
Food processing facility producing frozen fruits and vegetables; ~80 employees.
Simplot Helm Nitrogen Plant
Helm, CA
Produces nitric acid, liquid ammonium nitrate, and downstream nitrogen fertilizers for Central Valley agricultural markets; EPA ENERGY STAR certified.
Simplot Food Group – Caldwell Plant
Caldwell, ID
State-of-the-art frozen potato processing plant (~425,000 sq ft); produces french fries and other frozen potato products; opened 2014, replacing older Idaho plants.
Simplot Don Plant (Phosphate Fertilizer)
Pocatello, ID
Phosphate fertilizer, feed phosphates, and industrial chemical manufacturing; operating since 1944; produces over 1 million tons/year of phosphate products; ~350 employees.
Simplot – Grand Forks Plant
Grand Forks, ND
Frozen potato processing plant; produces shoestring and regular-cut french fries, tater gems, and hash browns; ~400 employees; built 1961, acquired by Simplot 1981.
Simplot Overton Silica Production Facility
Overton, NV
Produces high-purity silica sand (>98% SiO2 / 99.5% chemical purity) for glass manufacturing and industrial uses; located in Moapa Valley northeast of Las Vegas.
Simplot – Ontario Plant (Ore-Ida)
Ontario, OR
Acquired from Kraft Heinz (Ore-Ida) in 2022; exclusive manufacturer of Ore-Ida branded frozen potato products under long-term agreement; ~600 employees.
Simplot Vernal Phosphate Mine
Vernal, UT
Phosphate ore mining operation 10 miles north of Vernal, UT; ore is transported via 96-mile pressurized slurry pipeline to the Rock Springs, WY processing plant.
Simplot – Moses Lake Plant (existing)
Moses Lake, WA
Frozen potato processing plant; produces tater gems, hash browns, dehydrated potato granules, and various french fry cuts.
Simplot Columbia Basin Facility (Moses Lake – new plant)
Moses Lake, WA
New ~441,803 sq ft french fry manufacturing plant on 94-acre site; 14-story ASRS freezer (65,000 pallet capacity); began operations November 2025, officially opened February 2026; ~150 employees.
Simplot – Othello Plant
Othello, WA
Frozen potato processing plant; produces shoestring, thin-cut, regular, and wedge french fries, tater gems, and hash brown patties.
Simplot Smoky Canyon Mine
Afton, WY
Open-pit phosphate ore mine located in the highlands outside Afton, WY (Caribou County, ID border area); produces over 2 million tons of phosphate ore annually, feeding the Don Plant in Pocatello.
Simplot Rock Springs Phosphate Plant
Rock Springs, WY
Produces monoammonium phosphate fertilizer, phosphoric acid, and ammonia; ammonia plant ($300M investment) supplies the Don Plant in Pocatello; acquired from Chevron in 2003.
Other Facilities (1)
J.R. Simplot World Headquarters
Boise, ID · hq
9-story corporate headquarters housing ~900 employees; includes test kitchens, R&D laboratories, and wellness center.