The J. R. Simplot Company, commonly referred to as Simplot, was founded in 1923 as a one-man business by 14-year-old J. R. Simplot near the small agricultural community of Declo, Idaho. J. R. Simplot led his company to tremendous growth in the period between its foundation and World War II, and truly flourished when it began selling millions of pounds of dehydrated vegetables (primarily potatoes and related products) to the U.S. Military during the war.
| File:Simplot logo.PNG | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1923; Declo, Idaho |
| Headquarters | Boise, Idaho |
Key people | J. R. Simplot, Founder Larry Hlobik, Director and CEO Scott R. Simplot, Chairman |
| Products | Canned and Frozen Foods, Fertilizer, Agriculture and Livestock |
Number of employees | 11,500 |
| Website | www.simplot.com |
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. 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.
J. R. Simplot himself retired as president in 1973, but his involvement in the company has continued through to present day.
Butch Otter, a former lieutenant governor of Idaho and the current congressman from the state's 1st District was employed by the company for 30 years and served as company president.
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