French processing flourishes amid French fry craze

The global appetite for frozen fries – traditionally the domain of the Netherlands, Belgium and North America – has become insatiable. Between 2019 and 2023, frozen fries consumption increased by more than 25%, according to industry figures. This explosive growth has had major consequences for farmers, processors and global supply chains. With tight crop rotations putting pressure on agricultural land in Belgium and the Netherlands, the industry is looking for new growing areas. That’s where France’s abundant, largely untapped agricultural land comes in.

Ground and strategy
Farmers in the north of France are literally going deeper into the ground. Fields that were previously devoted to grain, beets and rapeseed are now full of potatoes. This transformation is driven by economic considerations and increasing demand from the industry. Margins are better than for grain or beets and contracts are stable and at a relatively high price level. As demand from processors increases every year, it has become a strategic crop in which many are investing with storage warehouses and mechanization.

Multinationals such as Clarebout, McCain Foods, Agristo and Ecofrost have invested hundreds of millions of euros in the region by building or expanding factories. McCain, which already has several factories in France, announced a €350 million investment last year to increase production capacity at several sites. Clarebout opened a state-of-the-art factory in Dunkirk in 2024. New expansions for storage and processing are already on the agenda.

The appeal is clear: proximity to major European markets, access to ample potatoes, and a favorable political climate. France’s renewed focus on food sovereignty since the coronavirus pandemic has further bolstered support for domestic production. The climate – both literally and figuratively – is friendlier to farmers and processors than in other EU countries. Moreover, there is still ample agricultural land available for potato cultivation, although this is starting to become tight in some regions.

Future plans
The list of processors looking to expand their production or build completely new factories in Northern France is long. You almost get the idea that no other region in Europe is as suitable for growing and processing potatoes:

• Agristo
  This Belgian company has several factories in its own country, but bought a former beet factory in Northern France. The investment amounts to €350 million and production should start in 2027.
• Clarebout
  Built a new plant in Bourbourg (near Dunkirk) and is already expanding both processing and storage capacity to make maximum use of port facilities. Current capacity is 220.000 tonnes.
• Ecofrost 
  Another Belgian processor that took over a former chip factory in Peronne, where fries will soon be produced. The expected capacity is 200.000 tons.
• McCain
  Active in France for many years. Has invested heavily in its three factories to increase production.

When it comes to potatoes, there is hardly a border between France and its northern neighbour. Most companies operate on both sides of the border. Potatoes are transported back and forth, depending on where they are needed. Aviko built a factory in the Flemish city of Poperinge in 2022, which is largely supplied with potatoes grown in France. It was recently announced that the company is working on a permit for future capacity expansion. Lutosa from Waregem, also in Flanders, announced at the end of March that it would modernise its factory. Not only to produce in a more environmentally friendly way, but also to increase capacity.

Golden future?
In addition to an increase in processing capacity, potato production in France is also growing. Now that grain prices have returned to normal levels and sugar beets are not very attractive, farmers are turning en masse to potatoes as a lucrative crop. Last year, potato cultivation reached a record 178.000 hectares, an increase of 16% compared to the previous year. This resulted in a harvest of 7,6 million tonnes, 17% more than the five-year average. If current trends continue, fields in northern France will harvest even more this season.

Processors invest with a long-term vision. In the short term, however, the situation is different. Prices are under pressure, both for farmers and processors. Due to a decline in demand for fries, processors have to look for new sales markets and compete for customers. The enormous increase in production is now turning against the sector, resulting in an imbalance between production and demand.

The French potato industry is at the crossroads of tradition and transformation, where a traditional sector meets great industrial ambition. If the first results are any indication, the land of wine and haute cuisine may soon be able to add a new culinary icon to its repertoire: crispy, golden and frozen.