Black Gold Farms
Black Gold Farms is a fourth-generation, family-owned US producer of potatoes and sweet potatoes, supplying nearly 1 billion pounds annually to chip processors, french fry manufacturers, fresh produce retailers, and sweet potato buyers through a vertically integrated farming and logistics operation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1928
- HeadquartersGrand Forks, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Black Gold Farms does
Black Gold Farms is a fourth-generation, privately held US agricultural producer headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, specializing in potatoes and sweet potatoes. Founded in 1928 by A.E. Halverson, the company operates multiple growing locations across the United States — including farms in North Dakota, Louisiana (flagship Macon Ridge, plus a Delhi fresh-pack facility), and Missouri (Arbyrd) — and produces nearly 1 billion pounds of potatoes and sweet potatoes annually. Its core products are organized into four lines: chipping potatoes for snack food manufacturers, processing potatoes for french fry producers, fresh market potatoes (creamers, reds, whites, yellows) for retailers and foodservice, and sweet potatoes for both fresh and processing markets. Storage facilities with modern environmental controls preserve fry quality through the storage season, and partner grower-shippers supplement internal supply to meet nationwide demand.
Black Gold Farms firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Black Gold Farms
- Legal name
- Black Gold Farms
- Website
- https://blackgoldfarms.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1928
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Black Gold Farms is a fourth-generation, family-owned US producer of potatoes and sweet potatoes, supplying nearly 1 billion pounds annually to chip processors, french fry manufacturers, fresh produce retailers, and sweet potato buyers through a vertically integrated farming and logistics operation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Black Gold Farms industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Potato and Sweet Potato Production
- NAICS
- Potato Farming (111211), Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming (111219)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sugar & Starch Crop Contract Growing & Plantation Operations (AFAGAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sweet Potato Farming (Starch/Industrial Use) (AFAGAEAE)
Keywords
Where Black Gold Farms is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Forks
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Black Gold Farms business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Potato Sales: B2B sales of potatoes to processors, retailers, and fresh produce sectors including chipping potatoes for chip manufacturers, processing potatoes for french fry production, and fresh potatoes for retail.
- Sweet Potato Sales: Sales of sweet potatoes to both fresh market and process markets, with flagship farm on Macon Ridge in northern Louisiana and year-round shipping capability from extensive storage facilities.
- Transportation/Logistics Services: Horizon Logistics provides vertically integrated logistics and freight operations for transportation of produce, enhancing efficiency and reliability in supply chain delivery.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Black Gold Farms product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black Gold Farms grows, harvests, stores, and ships chipping potatoes, fresh-market potatoes, processing potatoes, and sweet potatoes to industrial food processors, retailers, and foodservice customers across the United States. The company operates multi-state growing locations that produce nearly one billion pounds annually and runs its own trucking subsidiary, Horizon Logistics, to handle distribution.
Product overview
Black Gold Farms is an agricultural company operating as a multi-location potato and sweet potato producer with vertically integrated transportation services. The company offers four core potato products: Chipping Potatoes (for snack food/chip production with year-round storage programs), Fresh Potatoes (for retail fresh market including reds, whites, and yellows), Processing Potatoes (varieties cultivated specifically for french fry processing supplied to major processors), and Sweet Potatoes (for both fresh and process markets from farms in Louisiana and Missouri). These products are supported by Horizon Logistics, a wholly-owned logistics subsidiary that provides integrated freight and shipping operations, ensuring reliable deliveries from farm to customer.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chipping Potatoes
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 1 billion pounds of potatoes and sweet potatoes produced annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Black Gold Farms
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Black Gold Farms technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Black Gold Farms partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Partner Grower-ShipperssupportBlack Gold Farms works with partner grower-shippers from across the country to supplement their fresh potato supply, enabling them to fulfill diverse customer needs when their own production is insufficient or when customers require varieties outside their primary growing regions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Black Gold Farms competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- R.D. Offutt Company: One of the largest US potato producers, headquartered in the Fargo/Grand Forks region, growing chip, processing, and fresh potatoes across multiple states. Directly comparable to Black Gold Farms in scale, multi-state potato operations, and B2B processor relationships.
- Wada Farms: Large Idaho-based potato grower-shipper producing chip, processing, and fresh potatoes (russets, reds, yellows, organics) with vertically integrated packing and shipping. Closely comparable diversified product portfolio, multi-region procurement strategy, and B2B processor/retailer go-to-market.
- Cavendish Farms: Major North American frozen potato processor that also operates owned and contracted potato farms across the US and Canada supplying its fry lines. Comparable grower-to-processor integration and B2B supply relationships to french fry manufacturers.
- Idaho Pacific Corporation: Dehydrated potato processor that grows and contracts significant Idaho potato acreage for dehydrated flakes, granules, and flour to foodservice and ingredient customers. Comparable raw-potato grower-processor exposure and B2B industrial customer mix.
- Ham Farms: One of the largest US sweet potato producers, with operations in North Carolina (the largest US sweet potato state) growing, packing, and shipping fresh and processing-grade sweet potatoes. Comparable dedicated sweet potato supply chain capability and B2B relationships.
- Scott Farms: Multi-generation North Carolina sweet potato grower-packer serving fresh and processing markets across North America with branded and private-label programs. Comparable sweet potato focus, vertical integration into packing/shipping, and B2B customer mix.
- Southern Produce Distributors: Sweet potato grower-packer-distributor headquartered in North Carolina with fresh pack operations and extensive grower network supplying retail and foodservice channels. Comparable sweet potato distribution model and multi-state grower base.
- Heartland Farms: Large central US potato operation (Wisconsin-based) growing chip, processing, and fresh-market potatoes under contract with major processors and retailers. Comparable diversified potato grower business serving industrial B2B customers.
- Sun-Glo of Idaho: Idaho-based potato grower-shipper serving chip processors and fresh-market customers with multi-variety production and storage capability. Comparable grower/shipper model targeting processors and retailers with multi-region sourcing.
Broad incumbents
- J.R. Simplot Company: Vertically integrated agribusiness with one of the largest US potato operations spanning farming, processing, and foodservice distribution. Comparable core potato-growing capability but at materially larger scale and broader food-industry footprint than Black Gold Farms' grower/shipper model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Black Gold Farms social profiles
Digital presenceBlack Gold Farms financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Black Gold Farms leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Black Gold Farms subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Black Gold Farms funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Black Gold Farms M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Black Gold Farms
What does Black Gold Farms do?
Black Gold Farms grows, harvests, stores, and ships chipping potatoes, fresh-market potatoes, processing potatoes, and sweet potatoes to industrial food processors, retailers, and foodservice customers across the United States. The company operates multi-state growing locations that produce nearly one billion pounds annually and runs its own trucking subsidiary, Horizon Logistics, to handle distribution.
Is Black Gold Farms a public or private company?
Black Gold Farms is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Black Gold Farms founded?
Black Gold Farms was founded in 1928. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Black Gold Farms based?
Black Gold Farms is headquartered in Grand Forks, United States, in the North America region.
How does Black Gold Farms make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Potato Sales are the primary driver. The others are sweet Potato Sales and transportation/Logistics Services.
Who are Black Gold Farms's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are R.D. Offutt Company, Wada Farms, Cavendish Farms, Idaho Pacific Corporation, Ham Farms, Scott Farms, Southern Produce Distributors, Heartland Farms and Sun-Glo of Idaho. J.R. Simplot Company is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Black Gold Farms have an API?
No public API is recorded for Black Gold Farms.
What industry is Black Gold Farms in?
Black Gold Farms's product category is Potato and Sweet Potato Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAEAL, Sugar & Starch Crop Contract Growing & Plantation Operations, with a secondary code of AFAGAEAE, Sweet Potato Farming (Starch/Industrial Use). Its NAICS code is 111211 and its SIC code is 100.