J.R. Simplot
J.R. Simplot is a privately held, vertically integrated agribusiness operating across phosphate mining, fertilizer manufacturing, farming, food processing, and distribution in 60+ countries, serving QSR/foodservice, growers, turf/horticulture, and livestock customers with 18,000+ employees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1923
- HeadquartersBoise, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What J.R. Simplot does
J.R. Simplot Company is a privately held, family-owned agribusiness founded in the late 1920s near Declo, Idaho, and headquartered in Boise. The company operates a vertically integrated business spanning phosphate mining, fertilizer manufacturing, farming, food processing, and distribution, with 18,000+ employees and operations in 60+ countries. Its portfolio is organized across the Food division (Simplot Food North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific producing frozen french fries and processed plant-based foods), Agriculture (Wholesale Crop Nutrition fertilizers and Simplot Grower Solutions retail), Turf & Horticulture, Livestock (Simplot Western Stockmen's, Custom Cattle Feeding, Feed Ingredients), Life Sciences, Mining & Manufacturing (including the Vernal, Utah phosphate mine), Industrial Products, and Silica Sand.
The company's core technology centers on its mine-to-plate architecture: captive phosphate ore extraction feeds downstream fertilizer manufacturing and ultimately its own and customer crop production. Notable technical components include precision agriculture systems, automated sorting achieving 7-22% quality improvements, closed-loop resource recovery delivering up to 25% water savings and 20% reduced fertilizer use, modular processing lines producing 5-22% supply chain efficiency gains, and integrated traceability from farm to finished product. The North Dakota potato facility processes over 400,000 tons annually and serves as the company's benchmark site for sustainability and operational efficiency.
Revenue is generated through multiple B2B channels: enterprise field sales to QSR and foodservice customers for frozen potato products, distributor networks and direct retail (Simplot Grower Solutions) for crop inputs, retail storefronts for turf and horticulture in Florida and across North America, and livestock services for cattle producers. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The customer base spans four primary verticals — growers and farmers, QSR/foodservice operators, turf and horticulture professionals, and beef/dairy cattle producers — with global operations in the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, India, China, and Belgium (post-Clarebout acquisition, 2025).
J.R. Simplot firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- J.R. Simplot
- Legal name
- J.R. Simplot Company
- Website
- https://simplot.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1923
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- J.R. Simplot is a privately held, vertically integrated agribusiness operating across phosphate mining, fertilizer manufacturing, farming, food processing, and distribution in 60+ countries, serving QSR/foodservice, growers, turf/horticulture, and livestock customers with 18,000+ employees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
J.R. Simplot industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Inputs and Food Processing
- NAICS
- Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531), Phosphatic Fertilizer Manufacturing (325312), Beef Cattle Ranching and Farming (112111)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- NPK & Compound/Blended Fertilizers (IMAEAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- NPK/Compound & Blended Fertilizers (Granular Blends, Bulk Blending) (AFABABAD), Fertilizer Raw Materials & Intermediates (Phosphate Rock, Sulfuric/Phosphoric Acid, Potash Ore/Brines) (AFABABAH), Phosphate Fertilizers (MAP/DAP/TSP) (IMAEAEAB), Livestock Complete Feed Milling & Blending (Cattle/Swine/Poultry) (AFADAIAA)
Keywords
Where J.R. Simplot is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boise
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
J.R. Simplot business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Food Processing and Brands: Processing and manufacturing of frozen foods including french fries, vegetables, and prepared foods for foodservice and retail customers worldwide
- Wholesale Crop Nutrition: Manufacturing and distribution of phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers to agricultural customers through an extensive distribution network
- Mining and Manufacturing: Phosphate ore mining operations and downstream manufacturing of fertilizer products and industrial products
- Livestock Services: Services supporting beef and dairy cattle industry including custom cattle feeding, feed ingredients, and specialty services
- Turf and Horticulture Products: Products and services for turf and horticulture professionals including fertilizers, agronomic expertise, and nursery supplies
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
J.R. Simplot product offering
Product offeringCore offering
J.R. Simplot is a vertically integrated food and agribusiness company that mines phosphate ore, manufactures and distributes phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers, operates grower-facing retail agronomy networks, and processes frozen french fries and prepared foods for foodservice and retail customers worldwide. The company also supplies turf and horticulture professionals, provides custom cattle feeding and feed ingredients to the beef and dairy industry, and produces industrial products and silica sand from its mining operations.
Product overview
J.R. Simplot is a diversified, vertically integrated agribusiness company with a portfolio spanning from soil to dinner table. The company operates through several interconnected divisions: Food (with regional operations in North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific), Agriculture (including Wholesale Crop Nutrition fertilizers and Simplot Grower Solutions retail operations), Turf & Horticulture (for professional landscaping and nursery customers), Livestock (supporting beef and dairy cattle industry), Life Science Research and Development, Mining & Manufacturing (phosphate mining), Industrial Products, and Silica Sand. The company also recently acquired Clarebout Potatoes (Belgian frozen fries specialist) to expand its European food manufacturing footprint. Operations span more than 60 countries with over 18,000 employees worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Simplot Food North America Simplot's North American food processing and brands division, producing frozen french fries, processed vegetables, and prepared foods for foodservice and retail customers across North America. Built on the company's heritage as farmers with a focus on sustainable, plant-based product offerings.
- Wholesale Crop Nutrition A full range of high-quality phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers (dry and liquid) delivered through an extensive distribution network across North America to arrive at the right time wherever needed by agricultural customers.
- Simplot Grower Solutions A grower-focused ag retailer with local crop advisors offering proactive services, agronomy expertise, and a full range of crop inputs and technologies to help growers optimize resources and profits. Includes operations in the U.S. and Canada.
- Simplot Turf & Horticulture Provides innovative products, agronomic expertise, and dependable service to professional turf, landscape, and nursery customers across North America through retail storefront locations (including Florida locations in Apopka, Fort Myers, and Homestead), with solutions tailored to local growing conditions.
- Custom Cattle Feeding Custom cattle feeding services within Simplot's Livestock division that support beef and dairy cattle producers in bringing healthy animals to market efficiently and sustainably.
- Feed Ingredients Feed ingredients for the livestock industry offered through Simplot's Livestock division, supporting beef and dairy cattle producers with nutritional inputs for animal production.
- Simplot Western Stockmen's A component of Simplot Livestock providing services and supplies to the western cattle industry.
- Mining & Manufacturing (Phosphate Operations) Simplot's phosphate ore mining and manufacturing operations, anchored by the Vernal Mine in Utah, producing phosphate-based products for downstream fertilizer manufacturing and industrial uses.
- Industrial Products Industrial products derived from Simplot's mining and manufacturing operations, leveraging mineral mining and process expertise for industrial customers.
- Silica Sand Silica sand products offered by Simplot, leveraging the company's mineral mining and process expertise.
- Clarebout Potatoes Belgian frozen fries specialist acquired by J.R. Simplot in October 2025, expanding Simplot's manufacturing capacity and geographical presence in the European frozen potato products market.
- Simplot Food Latin America The company's Latin American food division serving international markets with processed food products.
- Simplot Food Asia Pacific The company's Asia Pacific food division operating from Australia, serving regional markets with food products.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supply chain efficiency gains of 5-22% through technological and operational innovations
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use J.R. Simplot
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
J.R. Simplot technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature6 records
J.R. Simplot partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Clarebout PotatoesflagshipSimplot completed the acquisition of Belgian frozen fries specialist Clarebout Potatoes in October 2025. The acquisition expands Simplot's manufacturing capacity and geographical presence in Europe, combining two family-owned businesses. The deal was pending approval and expected to finalize by end of 2025, aiming to retain jobs in Europe.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
J.R. Simplot competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Mosaic Company: Major U.S. phosphate and potash producer with global distribution. Directly comparable to Simplot's phosphate mining (Vernal Mine) and fertilizer manufacturing businesses, and a competitor in crop nutrition wholesale.
- CF Industries Holdings: Largest North American nitrogen fertilizer manufacturer. Directly comparable to Simplot's nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing and wholesale crop nutrition distribution businesses.
- Lamb Weston Holdings: Largest North American frozen potato processor serving global QSR and foodservice customers. Directly comparable to Simplot's frozen french fries business, with overlapping product categories, customers, and exposure to the same frozen potato antitrust litigation.
- Cavendish Farms: Canadian frozen potato processor supplying QSR and retail customers. Comparable in scale and product focus to Simplot's frozen fries operations, with similar North American foodservice end markets.
- McCain Foods: Private Canadian family-owned global leader in frozen french fries and potato products. Directly comparable to Simplot Food and Clarebout across product line, QSR customer base, and vertically integrated farming/processing model.
- Yara International: Global nitrogen fertilizer leader with production and distribution worldwide. Comparable to Simplot's nitrogen and compound fertilizer business under Wholesale Crop Nutrition, with overlapping grower customer segments.
Broad incumbents
- Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): Global agribusiness and food ingredient processor spanning crop origination, oilseeds, and nutrition. Comparable to Simplot's food processing and crop inputs segments at a broad portfolio level, though ADM is publicly traded and more commodity-trading oriented.
- Bunge Global SA: Global agribusiness spanning oilseed processing, grain origination, and food ingredients. Broadly comparable to Simplot's diversified agribusiness model, particularly across crop inputs and food processing.
- Nutrien Ltd. World's largest fertilizer producer spanning potash, nitrogen, and phosphate. Directly comparable to Simplot's Wholesale Crop Nutrition and phosphate mining businesses, though Nutrien is a pure-play crop inputs giant.
- Cargill: Largest privately held U.S. agribusiness, spanning crop inputs, animal nutrition, food ingredients, and trading. Broadly comparable to Simplot across diversified agribusiness portfolio, though Cargill is meaningfully larger and more diversified into commodity trading.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
J.R. Simplot social profiles
Digital presenceJ.R. Simplot financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
J.R. Simplot leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
J.R. Simplot subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
J.R. Simplot funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
J.R. Simplot M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about J.R. Simplot
What does J.R. Simplot do?
J.R. Simplot is a vertically integrated food and agribusiness company that mines phosphate ore, manufactures and distributes phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers, operates grower-facing retail agronomy networks, and processes frozen french fries and prepared foods for foodservice and retail customers worldwide. The company also supplies turf and horticulture professionals, provides custom cattle feeding and feed ingredients to the beef and dairy industry, and produces industrial products and silica sand from its mining operations.
Is J.R. Simplot a public or private company?
J.R. Simplot is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was J.R. Simplot founded?
J.R. Simplot was founded in 1923. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is J.R. Simplot based?
J.R. Simplot is headquartered in Boise, United States, in the North America region.
How does J.R. Simplot make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Food Processing and Brands are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Crop Nutrition, mining and Manufacturing, livestock Services and turf and Horticulture Products.
Who are J.R. Simplot's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Mosaic Company, CF Industries Holdings, Lamb Weston Holdings, Cavendish Farms, McCain Foods and Yara International. Broad incumbents are Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Bunge Global SA, Nutrien Ltd. and Cargill.
Does J.R. Simplot have an API?
No public API is recorded for J.R. Simplot.
What industry is J.R. Simplot in?
J.R. Simplot's product category is Agricultural Inputs and Food Processing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAEAD, NPK & Compound/Blended Fertilizers, with a secondary code of AFABABAD, NPK/Compound & Blended Fertilizers (Granular Blends, Bulk Blending). Its NAICS code is 32531 and its SIC code is 5150.