McCain Foods is acquiring the family-owned Penobscot McCrum, a producer of frozen potato specialties based in Maine. This acquisition expands McCain's North American operations in the Northeast.
According to McCain, the acquisition aligns with the French fry company's growth strategy. The purchase includes the modern production facility in Washburn, Maine. McCain sees this plant as a valuable addition to the nearby Easton plant.
Approximately 130 employees from the Washburn location will join McCain. Penobscot McCrum's agricultural division will remain independent but has a long-term supply agreement to continue supplying potatoes to McCain. The Northeastern region of the US is considered a major agricultural area, with Maine as one of the historical centers of potato cultivation.
Penobscot McCrum opened a state-of-the-art French fry plant in Washburn in 2020, marking a leap in production capacity after decades of growing and processing. The location is considered one of the newest French fry production lines in North America.
Synergy benefits
McCain itself has been active in Maine for years with a large factory in Easton, owned by the company since 1976 and one of the largest potato processors on the East Coast. Combining Easton and Washburn can offer economies of scale and logistics within a single growing region.
Penobscot McCrum has a long history: the family business's roots date back to 1886, when the first generation of McCrum growers began operating in Mars Hill, Maine. In 2004, the family acquired the assets of Penobscot Frozen Foods, which helped the company grow into a leading supplier of specialty potatoes. In 2022, a fire destroyed the (other) factory in Belfast; the company subsequently focused its operations on Washburn.
CEO Jay McCrum says he has complete confidence that McCain will maintain its company values and local roots: "We know McCain. We know their values. We're confident they'll build on our family's legacy while enabling us to continue growing in agriculture, just as we have for more than five generations."
"There's a lot of synergy between McCain and McCrum," says Howard Snape, Regional President North America for McCain Foods. "We share a strong commitment to integrity, sustainability, and the highest quality standards. Both companies maintain strong relationships with local farmers, and that will continue."
McCain further emphasizes that the acquisition aligns with the company's strategy of bringing production closer to key growing areas and investing in sustainable, efficient production facilities. The company has been active in Maine for nearly half a century and sees the integration of the Washburn plant as a logical next step in that history.