Simplot
Encyclopedia
The J. R. Simplot Company, commonly referred to as Simplot, was founded in 1923 by 14-year-old J. R. Simplot
near the small agricultural community of Declo
in south central Idaho
. J. R. Simplot led his company to tremendous growth in the period between its founding and World War II
. The business truly flourished when it sold millions of pounds of dehydrated onion
s and potato
es to the U.S. military during that war. The firm was legally incorporated as the J. R. Simplot Company in 1955.
Perhaps the most important and defining feature of the Simplot company was the invention by one of Simplot's chemists, Ray L. Dunlap, of the necessary processes to produce quality frozen french fries
. By the early 1960s it was the primary supplier of french fries to McDonald's
; by 2005 it supplied more than half of all french fries for the fast food
chain. Simplot also produces fertilizers for agriculture.
Simplot is now one of the largest privately owned companies in the world (ranked 59th in Private Companies by Forbes
magazine in 2004) and has branches in Australia
, Canada
, Mexico
, China
, and several other regions. One of the major plants is in Caldwell, Idaho
.
Butch Otter, current governor of Idaho, was employed by the company for 30 years and at one time served as head of its international division.
J. R. Simplot retired as president of his company in 1973, but remained involved for many years. He stepped down as chair of the board in 1994, and held the title of Chairman Emeritus until his death in 2008. In 2001, Simplot received an honorary degreehttp://www.usu.edu/aa/awards/honorary_degrees.cfm from Utah State University
, honoring him for his many contributions to the agricultural industry of America and, particularly, the mountain west.
. The company violated the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act by failing to immediately notify the Power and Bannock Counties' Local Emergency Planning Committees or the State Emergency response Commission of the release. In February 2004, J.R. Simplot Company agreed to pay the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) $525,000 and install a $2 million in air pollution control equipment to resolve violations of the federal Clean Air Act
at its silica sand mining facility in Overton, Nevada
. The violation occurred in 1988 when the company removed equipment required by the federal Clean Air Act to control emissions of air pollutants. In June 2005, J.R. Simplot agreed to pay a $4550 fine for violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
in a settlement with the EPA. The company was investigated for misbranded Pesticide
containers.
J. R. Simplot
John Richard Simplot was the founder of the J. R. Simplot Company, an agricultural supplier specializing in potato products, based in Boise, Idaho. In 2007 he was estimated to be the 89th-richest person in America, at $3.6 billion...
near the small agricultural community of Declo
Declo, Idaho
Declo is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 343 at the 2010 census. The world's largest potato processing company was founded in 1923 near Declo by a 14-year-old entrepreneur named J.R. Simplot. The...
in south central Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. J. R. Simplot led his company to tremendous growth in the period between its founding and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The business truly flourished when it sold millions of pounds of dehydrated onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s and potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es to the U.S. military during that war. The firm was legally incorporated as the J. R. Simplot Company in 1955.
Perhaps the most important and defining feature of the Simplot company was the invention by one of Simplot's chemists, Ray L. Dunlap, of the necessary processes to produce quality frozen french fries
French fries
French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
. By the early 1960s it was the primary supplier of french fries to McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
; by 2005 it supplied more than half of all french fries for the fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
chain. Simplot also produces fertilizers for agriculture.
Simplot is now one of the largest privately owned companies in the world (ranked 59th in Private Companies by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine in 2004) and has branches in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and several other regions. One of the major plants is in Caldwell, Idaho
Caldwell, Idaho
Caldwell is a city in and the county seat of Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population to be 43,281, as of July 2009.Caldwell is the home of the College of Idaho. It is considered part of the Boise metropolitan area....
.
Butch Otter, current governor of Idaho, was employed by the company for 30 years and at one time served as head of its international division.
J. R. Simplot retired as president of his company in 1973, but remained involved for many years. He stepped down as chair of the board in 1994, and held the title of Chairman Emeritus until his death in 2008. In 2001, Simplot received an honorary degreehttp://www.usu.edu/aa/awards/honorary_degrees.cfm from Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
, honoring him for his many contributions to the agricultural industry of America and, particularly, the mountain west.
Environmental record
In February of 2002, Simplot agreed to buy equipment and pay penalties related to a release of 80,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide from a facility in Pocatello, IdahoPocatello, Idaho
Pocatello is the county seat and largest city of Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the principal city of the Pocatello metropolitan area, which encompasses all of Bannock...
. The company violated the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act by failing to immediately notify the Power and Bannock Counties' Local Emergency Planning Committees or the State Emergency response Commission of the release. In February 2004, J.R. Simplot Company agreed to pay the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) $525,000 and install a $2 million in air pollution control equipment to resolve violations of the federal Clean Air Act
Clean Air Act
A Clean Air Act is one of a number of pieces of legislation relating to the reduction of airborne contaminants, smog and air pollution in general. The use by governments to enforce clean air standards has contributed to an improvement in human health and longer life spans...
at its silica sand mining facility in Overton, Nevada
Overton, Nevada
Overton is an Unincorporated Town located in Clark County, Nevada. The town is on the north end of Lake Mead. The town is home to Perkins Field airport and Echo Bay Airport....
. The violation occurred in 1988 when the company removed equipment required by the federal Clean Air Act to control emissions of air pollutants. In June 2005, J.R. Simplot agreed to pay a $4550 fine for violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act , et seq. is a United States federal law that set up the basic U.S. system of pesticide regulation to protect applicators, consumers, and the environment. It is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and the appropriate...
in a settlement with the EPA. The company was investigated for misbranded Pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
containers.
Simplot brands
- Edgell (frozen vegetables)
- Birds Eye (frozen vegetables)
- Leggo's (Italian dishes)
- Ally (salmon)
- Seakist (tuna)
- John West (tuna)
- Harvest (heat and eat)
- Chiko RollChiko RollThe Chiko Roll is an Australian savoury snack, inspired by the Chinese egg roll and spring rolls. It was designed to be easily eaten on the move without a plate or cutlery. The Chiko roll consists of beef, celery, cabbage, barley, carrot, onion, green beans, and spices in a tube of egg, flour and...
s - I&J (frozen meats)
- Best Products (Fertilizer)
- Apex Polyon Products (Fertilizer)
- Jacklin Seed (Grass Seed)