Editing Simplot (section)

== History ==
Simplot was founded in 1929 by 20-year-old [[J. R. Simplot|John Richard Simplot]] near the agricultural community of [[Declo, Idaho|Declo]] in [[Magic Valley|south central]] [[Idaho]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=About The J.R. Simplot Company |url=https://www.simplot.com/company |access-date=12 September 2022}}</ref> During the early 1940s, the business expanded, providing the military with dehydrated [[onion]]s and [[potato]]es during [[World War II]]. The firm was incorporated as the J. R. Simplot Company in 1955.

Simplot made billions from the commercialization of frozen [[French fries]] by one of its scientists, chemist Ray L. Dunlap.  By the early 1970s, it was the primary supplier of French fries to [[McDonald's]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=J. R. Simplot Company |date=19 November 2020 |url=https://www.tharawat-magazine.com/fbl/jr-simplot-company/ |access-date=12 September 2022}}</ref> By 2005 it supplied more than half of all French fries for the [[fast food]] chain.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=O’Keefe|first=Eric|date=2019-09-28|title=Top 5 Farms with the Largest Acreage in the U.S.|url=https://www.agriculture.com/farm-management/farm-land/top-5-farms-with-the-largest-acreage-in-the-us|access-date=2021-01-20|magazine=Successful Farming|language=en}}</ref> Simplot also produces fertilizers for agriculture,<ref>{{cite journal
  | last = Brandt
  | first = Richard
  | title = J.R. Simplot: Still Hustling, after all these years
  | journal = Business Week
  | issue = 3176
  | pages = 60–65
  | date = 1990-09-03
  | issn = 0007-7135  }}</ref> the mining of which has been a cause of recent environmental concerns.

Simplot is now one of the largest [[Private company|privately owned]] companies in the world (ranked 54th in Private Companies by ''[[Forbes]]'' magazine in 2020), ⁣<ref>{{Cite web |title=America's Largest Private Companies |url=https://www.forbes.com/largest-private-companies/list/ |access-date=2022-03-30 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> with $7.6B in revenue and 13,000 employees. It has branches in [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[Mexico]], [[China]], and several other regions. One of the major plants is in [[Caldwell, Idaho]].
[[File:J. R. Simplot Company "World's largest dehydrating plant".jpg|thumbnail|200px|A view of the Simplot plant in Caldwell, Idaho, circa 1930–1945. The caption in the image states "World's Largest Dehydrating Plant."]]

J. R. Simplot retired from his role as president of his company in 1973, but remained actively involved for numerous years thereafter. He later relinquished his position as chairman of the board in 1994, and held the title of Chairman Emeritus until his passing at age 99 in 2008.

In 2022, Simplot acquired the [[Ore-Ida]] potato processing facility in [[Ontario, Oregon]]; [[Kraft Heinz]] retains ownership of the Ore-Ida brand, which is now produced by Simplot under a long-term agreement.<ref name=simaq>{{cite web |url=https://www.simplot.com/company/news/simplot-acquires-eastern-oregon-processing-facility |publisher=Simplot |agency=(press release) |title=Simplot acquires eastern Oregon processing facility |date=February 24, 2022 |accessdate=May 4, 2025}}</ref><ref name=cppresssim>{{cite news |url=https://capitalpress.com/2022/02/24/simplot-to-become-ore-idas-exclusive-manufacturer-supplier/ |work=Capital Press |title=Simplot to become Ore-Ida’s exclusive manufacturer, supplier |date=February 24, 2022 |accessdate=May 4, 2025}}</ref><ref name=buswre>{{cite news |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005366/en/Kraft-Heinz-and-the-J.R.-Simplot-Company-Announce-an-Exclusive-Multi-Year-Strategic-Supply-Agreement-for-Ore-Ida |work=Business Wire |title=Kraft Heinz and the J.R. Simplot Company announce an exclusive, multi-year strategic supply agreement for Ore-Ida |date=February 23, 2022 |accessdate=May 4, 2025}}</ref>