A brief history of Lamb Weston
When most people look at a potato, they see just a potato. But when we look at a potato, we see possibilities. As a company, we’ve been taking the ordinary and turning it into opportunity from the very beginning.
In the Netherlands in 1920 Cees Meijer Sr. establishes a potato farm in Kruiningen, Zeeland (NL), growing excellent quality potatoes from the clay soil. The Dutch family firm is doing well.
In the US it started in 1950 A grower called F. Gilbert ‘Gib’ Lamb opens a food processing company called Lamb Weston, in Weston, Oregon (US). He invents the water gun knife. This revolutionary invention is the world’s first cutting machine designed to cut fries under high water pressure. The company ventures beyond the traditional straight-cut French fry and introduces Twister® Fries, a curly shaped fry in 1983. One year later, CrissCut Fries appear, a unique specialty cut. Lamb Weston in the US has grown and is now a major player in potato processing.
In 1985 C. Meijer starts processing potatoes into high quality frozen potato products and flakes. From then on: Meijer Frozen Foods.
Joint venture in 1994 of Meijer Frozen Foods and Lamb Weston Holding Inc is a fact, forming Lamb Weston / Meijer (LW/M) with a European approach and headquarters in Kruiningen.
2000-2010 Acquisition of four potato processing factories: Oosterbierum (NL), Bergen op Zoom (NL), Wisbech (UK) and Hollabrunn (AT) with focus on profitable growth.
2013-2015 Opening of two commercial offices (Dubai (ME) and Breda (NL) and one sales office (Sao Paulo (BR) and launching new product solutions: Potato Dippers, Connoisseur.
2016 Expansion of the potato processing factory in Bergen op Zoom (NL) with a premium products line.
2017 Acquisition of a potato processing factory in Broekhuizenvorst (NL) and opening a sales office in Lagos (NG) with the launch of a new product solution: Poundo Potato.