Farm Sells Organic French Fries Nationwide

Farm Sells Organic French Fries Nationwide Folkland Foods in Waterford, Pa., is a fourth-generation potato farm that grows, processes and sells certified organic French fries nationwide. “My grandfather and his brother built a vertically integrated regional potato chip brand and snack food business called Troyer Farms on this same property,” says Zach Troyer, cofounder of the company. “Unfortunately, that business was sold in 2008 before my brother, Colton, and I had a chance to work in it.” It didn’t take the brothers long to find their way back. “We’ve always had a desire to transition our farm to organic and get back into a vertically integrated brand, but we didn’t have a real market for organic processing potatoes,” Troyer says. “As an agronomist, I’ve been working for over 10 years on how to grow organic potatoes. Long story short, we teamed up to launch a new brand and processing facility.” The family broke ground on Folkland Foods’ French fry factory in late 2024 and began production in April. Folkland Foods Organic French Fries launched nationwide in September. The fries come in three flavors—Himalayan salt, Cajun and rosemary garlic. “They’re cooked in olive oil and tossed in real herbs and spices,” Troyer says. “We provide the cleanest ingredient statement in the market for French fries. All with our core mission of connecting rural producers and urban consumers with the timeless bond of nourishing food.”   The brand aims to make a statement at every level. “We feel that so much packaged food is mass-produced for quantity, not quality. So, Folkland is transitioning to organic and regenerative practices.” This requires transitioning 1,500 acres of farmland to organic production. “Every step of the process is a bit more management, but we feel better knowing when we go home, we aren’t bringing synthetic chemical residue home to our families,” Troyer says. “For me, the difference with organic growing is how you lay out your system. Rotation, planting timing, and variety are all your first line of defense. And the timing is extremely crucial. We still use pesticides, but they’re mineral and botanical-based instead of synthetic, and are less toxic than conventional pesticides.”   Folkland Fries are available at Giant Eagle stores throughout Western Pennsylvania. They’ve also recently expanded into Giant stores in eastern Pennsylvania and nationwide, with a launch at Sprouts grocery stores. “Building a brand is tough,” Troyer says. “Breaking into retail can be very difficult, especially when you’re vertically integrated and have to do every step of the process. Add to that the complexity of food manufacturing and competing against the massive scale of the big manufacturers, and it makes a very complex startup.” Still, the family is excited to carry on its farming legacy through a product they feel good about. “Check out our social media on Instagram and Facebook, as well as our reality-style content on YouTube. We intend to showcase the good, the bad, and the ugly of organic farming and building a farmer-owned brand. Clean Food is Dirty Work!” Anyone interested in growing organic potatoes for Folkland Foods should contact the company. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Folkland Foods, Waterford, Pa. (hello@folklandfoods.com; www.folklandfoods.com; Instagram and YouTube: @folklandfoods; Facebook: Folkland).

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