Idaho has long been renowned for premium potatoes. Built on rich volcanic soil, favorable climates and dedicated farming families, the state’s potato sector serves as a benchmark for the broader agricultural and produce markets across North America.
Yet, like many traditional farming sectors, the potato industry today finds itself at a crossroads. Shifted consumer expectations, evolving supply chain dynamics, elevated freight expenses and changing retail strategies are pushing growers, packers and industry advocates to innovate rapidly.
To understand how Idaho’s potato industry is navigating this modern landscape, we look to two distinct perspectives within the sector: Eric Beck, director of marketing for Wada Farms — one of North America’s largest vertically integrated potato operations — and Ross Johnson, vice president of retail for the Idaho Potato Commission. Together, their insights show an industry that honors its storied roots while actively transforming its technology, packaging and marketing strategies to meet the demands of today’s retail buyers and household shoppers.
Scaling Values: Vertical Integration and Quality Control
At the heart of Idaho’s agricultural success are long-standing family operations that have grown to immense proportions without losing sight of their core mission. Wada Farms stands as a prime example of this evolution, having expanded from a modest 160-acre homestead in 1943 into a vertically integrated powerhouse.
When managing an operation of such scale, maintaining quality control and family-oriented values presents a unique operational challenge. However, according to Beck, large-scale growth does not require compromising core principles.
“Growth has never changed who we are,” Beck says. “We’re still a family-owned company, and the values that started on that original homestead in 1943 still guide how we make decisions today. Being vertically integrated is what lets us protect those values at scale.”
By controlling every phase of the process — from seed selection and field growing through to storage, packing and shipping — vertically integrated operations eliminate gaps in oversight. Instead of treating quality control as a final inspection at the loading dock, it becomes embedded throughout the product’s entire life cycle.
“We have direct accountability from seed and growing through storage, packing and shipping, so quality isn’t something we inspect at the end,” Beck says. “It’s built into every step. Our people are the real difference. Many of our team members have been with us for several years, and they treat every load as if their name is on it, because it is.”
In an era where retail partners enforce increasingly strict food safety standards and demand impeccable supply chain transparency, size and scale become significant advantages rather than liabilities. Large operations can deploy substantial resources toward modern equipment and rigorous quality assurance programs while retaining the personal, relationship-focused mindset of a family farm.
Meeting Retail Shifts: Technology on the Packing Line
As consumer buying habits shift, retail store shelves are reflecting a demand for speed, ease and specialized options. Modern grocery shoppers frequently look for convenience-oriented products, ranging from single-pack microwavable potatoes and pre-washed bite-sized varieties to customized retail packaging formats.
To accommodate these evolving shopper preferences, packers have had to transform their packinghouse operations. Wada Farms, for instance, has undertaken significant technological upgrades across its facilities to keep pace with changing retail formats.
“Consumers want convenience without giving up quality, and our customers count on us to help them meet that demand,” Beck says. “Over the past several years we’ve invested in optical sorting, automated packing and flexible line capabilities that let us move efficiently across formats, from traditional bags to microwavable single-serve, steamable and smaller-pack specialty offerings.”
Beyond the physical consumer packs, supply chain technologies have also shifted toward reusable packaging containers (RPCs) and display-ready containers (DRCs). These systems streamline store-level restocking for grocery employees and align with corporate sustainability targets.
“We’ve also become more agile with packaging specifications, including RPC/DRC programs, to fit each retailer’s supply chain and sustainability goals,” Beck says. “We don’t treat these as one-off projects. We approach every format as a partnership: understanding what the shopper wants, then building the right pack, size profile and program around it.”
Rethinking the Retail Shelf: Resurgence of the 10-Pound Bag
While convenience formats and single-serve packs are expanding rapidly, a parallel consumer trend is driving demand back toward traditional value formats. Amid economic pressures, inflation, rising fuel costs and overall cost-of-living increases, shoppers are seeking ways to stretch their grocery dollars.
Johnson sees a key market trend: Over the past decade, many traditional grocery retailers systematically scaled back or eliminated the traditional 10-pound potato bag, favoring smaller 3-pound or 5-pound options.
“When you look at the potato category right now and what’s going on with a lot of the economic situation that’s going on with rising fuel prices, rising diesel, all of our costs are increasing,” Johnson says. “And one thing that retailers or grocery stores have gone away from in the recent past, within the last 10 years, they’ve kind of eliminated that 10-pound pack size in their category.”
However, warehouse club stores such as Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s continued selling 10- and 15-pound bags, attracting budget-conscious shoppers away from standard supermarkets.
“What we’re seeing is that consumers are seeking value,” Johnson says. “And so, that’s really what we’re going to market with — is there’s an opportunity for retailers to really rethink getting back into that larger pack size because you see a lot of these club stores ... they’re not struggling selling that 10-, 15-pound pack of potatoes. ... What people are looking for is that value. So, are you offering that larger pack size or have you eliminated that from your category? And we’ve seen that most have eliminated it, so we’re trying to encourage them to reintroduce it.”
The push for larger pack sizes holds particular significance for small-box retailers and regional grocery stores that serve local communities. While warehouse clubs have consistently captured bulk produce sales, many neighborhood grocery stores inadvertently drove budget-conscious shoppers away by offering only smaller, higher-per-pound pack options.
By reintroducing 10-pound bags into smaller retail footprints, local grocers can better serve households looking to maximize their food budgets. Providing cost-effective bulk staples locally ensures that shoppers do not need a paid club membership just to access high-value, nutritious produce.
To validate this approach, the Idaho Potato Commission conducted a real-world case study with a grocery retailer. The goal was to see whether reintroducing the 10-pound bag would reduce sales of smaller bags — a phenomenon known as sales cannibalization — or grow the total category.
“We brought this proposition to them and ran a case study,” Johnson says. “We put the 10-pound bag in half of their stores, while leaving it out of the other half, to see what the results would be and whether it would cannibalize the category — meaning take sales away. What we found was that it grew the category by over 30%. As a result, they are now carrying the 10-pound bag in all of their stores year-round.”
Engaging Younger Generations: Meal Prepping and Social Media Strategy
A priority for commodity marketing organizations is connecting with younger consumer demographics, specifically millennials and Gen Z. Unlike older demographics who may default to purchasing bulk produce, younger shoppers are often fast-paced and seeking practical, time-saving meal solutions.
Rather than relying purely on traditional messaging, the Idaho Potato Commission has aligned its outreach with a popular lifestyle trend: weekly meal prepping.
“The new generation is always on the go,” Johnson says. “A major trend right now is meal prepping, so much of our consumer outreach focuses on showing how a single 10-pound bag can be used to prepare a full week’s worth of meals in one sitting.”
Because potatoes offer exceptional culinary versatility, a single bulk purchase can form the foundation for breakfast hashes, lunchtime salads and evening side dishes. Highlighting this economic utility helps bridge the gap between value and convenience.
“Potatoes are a versatile product that fits into a multitude of meals,” Johnson says. “We’ve been highlighting that on social media by partnering with a dietitian who frequently appears on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show.’ She showcased all the meals you can make for a full week using just one 10-pound bag. When you consider that a 10-pound bag costs around $6 to $8, using it for an entire week offers incredible versatility, savings and value for consumers looking to stretch their grocery dollars.”
Navigating Logistics, Diesel Costs and Freight Dynamics
Moving millions of pounds of fresh produce from Eastern Idaho fields to nationwide distribution centers presents complex operational challenges. Fluctuating diesel fuel prices, persistent truck driver shortages and strict cold-chain requirements add cost and complexity to the supply chain.
For large packers like Wada Farms, managing these supply chain pressures requires structured planning and long-term relationships with transport partners.
“Freight is one of the most dynamic parts of our business right now,” Beck says. “Fuel costs, driver availability and capacity all affect how product moves throughout the Wada network. Our focus is on being proactive rather than reactive.”
By coordinating closely with retail clients and logistics networks on order scheduling and load consolidation, suppliers can minimize empty miles and avoid transit delays. Furthermore, investing in modern storage facilities allows growers to hold crops in climate-controlled environments, maintaining high quality and facilitating steady year-round distribution.
“We work closely with our carrier partners and customers on load planning, consolidation and lead times so trucks are used efficiently and product arrives in excellent condition,” Beck says. “Strong storage infrastructure gives us flexibility to ship on a steady, predictable schedule, which helps reduce disruptions across the supply chain.”
Long-Term Land Stewardship: Soil Health as a Core Priority
While transportation and packaging dominate short-term business operations, long-term operational success depends directly on soil health. Sustainable practices are increasingly vital to protect farm viability for future generations.
Growers are adopting data-driven technologies such as variable-rate irrigation, cover cropping and precision soil testing to manage field inputs accurately and safeguard natural resources.
“Healthy soil is the foundation of a healthy crop, so stewardship is a long-term business priority for us, not a trend,” Beck says. “Data-driven practices help us make better decisions field by field, using resources more efficiently while protecting yield and quality. Sustainability and good business go hand in hand, and we’ll keep investing in practices that keep our land productive for the next generation.”
Honoring Store Produce Workers: ‘Potato Lovers Month’ Innovations
In addition to broad consumer campaigns, supporting frontline grocery store personnel remains a vital component of industry marketing. Produce managers and retail clerks play a crucial role in maintaining display quality, rotating stock and assisting shoppers.
The Idaho Potato Commission’s annual “Potato Lovers Month” campaign highlights these front-line workers through nationwide retail display contests. Spanning February and March, the program partners with national brands to build store excitement and boost retail velocity.
“For the first time in a long time, we’ve partnered with McCormick and Lawry’s Seasonings for ‘Potato Lovers Month,’” Johnson says. “Although it runs across both February and March, we still call it a ‘month.’ It’s the only contest in the country where every single participating store receives a digital picture frame just for entering, which makes it a fun and rewarding incentive.”
To further boost engagement among retail staff, the Idaho Potato Commission has updated its contest incentives to reflect modern lifestyle trends. This year’s grand prize features a pair of e-bikes, giving front-line workers a high-value, contemporary reward for their display efforts.
Additionally, the commission streamlined the entry process by introducing mobile-friendly QR codes on contest materials. Produce staff can now submit their display entries directly from their smartphones in seconds, removing administrative hurdles and encouraging broader nationwide participation, especially among younger produce department employees.
“Trying to connect with that younger consumer again, they can enter straight from their phone,” Johnson says. “All of your friends and family can send pictures to that frame no matter where you are in the country or around the world, and it just helps you feel connected, and it really is a way for us to give back to those front-line produce workers that are the blood, sweat and tears of us being able to move our produce every year.”
The Russet Burbank Legacy
Over the past two decades, produce departments have expanded significantly to feature diverse potato varieties. Specialty offerings — including yellow-fleshed golds, red potatoes, fingerlings, organic lines and sweetpotatoes — have become staple choices for modern home cooks.
Despite this diversification, the classic Idaho russet burbank continues to serve as the foundational driver of the overall market.
“The Idaho russet remains the heart of our operation and the backbone of our customer programs,” Beck says. “It’s the variety that built Idaho’s reputation, and shoppers still recognize and trust it.”
Rather than replacing traditional russets, expanding into alternative varietals allows suppliers to provide a full-category, single-source solution for retail and foodservice partners.
“Our expansion into organics, varietals, mini potatoes, onions and sweetpotatoes isn’t a shift away from the russet,” Beck says. “It’s about giving our retail and foodservice partners a full-category solution from one reliable source. That breadth helps our customers simplify sourcing and respond to changing consumer preferences, while the russet continues to anchor everything we do.”
A Resilient Future for Idaho Potatoes
The Idaho potato industry continues to adapt to changing market conditions through a combination of operational efficiency, technological investment and targeted marketing. By expanding automated packing lines for quick-prep products while advocating for high-value bulk formats in retail stores, industry leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of diverse consumer needs.
Through sound soil stewardship, proactive supply chain coordination and engaging consumer outreach, the state’s growers and industry organizations are well-positioned for long-term growth.
“We believe the Idaho potato category has a strong future,” Beck says. “And we’re proud to help lead it.”
