Our Story is a Good One

Family owned and privately held since 1929, the Simplot Company is a global food and agriculture company with more than 15,000 employees serving customers around the world.

Founded in the heart of Idaho and built on the pioneering spirit of J.R. Simplot, our Company has grown from humble beginnings into a global leader in agriculture, food and land stewardship. As a proudly family-owned business, we’ve remained true to our founder’s values; innovation, integrity, and respect for the land, through every chapter of our journey.

This timeline celebrates the milestones that have shaped our legacy and continue to guide us as we feed the world sustainably and responsibly.

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1929

A Big Opportunity

In a coin toss, J.R. wins an electric potato sorter, marking the official start of what would become the J.R. Simplot Company.

1941

Supporting our Country

J.R. builds an onion dehydrator and a potato processing plant in Caldwell, Idaho, and supplies the Army during World War II.

1943

Expanding into Livestock

J.R. buys Grandview Farms and the Bruneau Sheep Company, what has now grown into the Simplot Land & Livestock Group.

1944

Entrance into Manufacturing

Simplot builds a manufacturing plant in Pocatello, Idaho, to meet farmer demand for phosphate fertilizer, the beginning of our AgriBusiness Group.

1945

A Strong Foundation

Simplot’s first Soilbuilder stores open to serve farmers and ranchers. Now called Simplot Grower Solutions, our Crop Advisors support more than 38,000 growers in North America.

1946

Innovation in Potato

Simplot makes its first commercial sale of frozen french fries using a process developed by Simplot employees. Today, Simplot offers more than 1,000 food products, including seafood, vegetables, fruit and guacamole.

1955

Expanding Ranches

With the purchase of the Diamond A Ranch, J.R. launches his first cow-calf operation, now the second largest in the US with 17 ranches.

1967

Transformative Partnerships

J.R. shakes hands with Ray Kroc and agrees to supply Simplot fries to McDonald’s restaurants in the United States; the start of a successful partnership that remains today.

1979

Giving Back

Simplot International, a wholly-owned Company subsidiary intended to supply assistance, technology, and capital in potato-growing areas of the world, is formed.

1982

Expanding to Minerals

Construction begins on the Smoky Canyon phosphate mine in Afton, Wyoming, and slurry pipeline to carry materials. Operations today produce 1,000,000 tons of phosphate, enough to feed 10 million acres of crops.

1988

Western Stockmen's

Western Stockmen’s, Inc., Simplot’s animal feed and products store, begins US-wide distribution of its products. SWS offers custom feed formulations as well as Pride by Simplot at four stores in the NW US.

1994

J.R. Retires

After years of hard work building an empire and a legendary legacy, J.R. retires. Children Scott, Don, and Gay and grandson Ted take the reins and were known as the Office of the Chair.

1996

Expand to Australia

Simplot makes a major expansion into Australia, buying eight food plants. Later acquiring Leggo’s, Chiko, Edgell, Birds Eye, John West, Seakist and Ally brands, Simplot’s retail products are in households across Australia.

2018

Expand to India

Development work begins to bring Simplot products to India; construction on a potato processing plant in Gujarat broke ground in 2022.

2020

Expand Grower Solutions

Simplot Grower Solutions kicks off a period of growth with the acquisition of Pinnacle Ag. With 250 stores in the US and Canada, SGS advises farmers on alfalfa, potatoes, wheat and more.

2023

Coming Together

Simplot Food Group and Simplot Australia merge into Simplot Global Food, transforming operations in two major groups into a single, worldwide organization poised to capitalize on and grow Simplot’s power globally.