McDonald’s Largest French Fry Supplier Just Announced a Big Change

If there's one thing we never leave the McDonald's drive-thru without, it's a signature carton of iconic golden, crispy, shoestring fries. They are famous the world over and consistently rank toward the top of taste test after taste test.

We know from Mickey D's site that the menu item is made with premium potatoes, such as the Russet Burbank and the Shepody, but what we may not consider each time we order is where exactly the fries are being produced. Recent news on one such production plant is shedding light on the suppliers behind the beloved snack—here's what's going on.

McDonald's French Fry Supplier Closes Production Plant

Believe it or not, your McDonald's fries are not prepared from scratch on site. The chain uses contracted suppliers to prep the potatoes by cutting, partially frying, and flash freezing them to deliver to restaurants to cook the rest of the way so the fries are hot and fresh as expected. Now, it seems that part of that supply chain may be disrupted.

The largest French fry producer in North America and a significant supplier to fast food chains, restaurants, and grocery stores, Lamb Weston, is closing a production facility in Washington state. The company announced that it will lay off nearly 400 employees from the Connell plant and temporarily scale back production lines elsewhere. Additionally, Lamb Weston will be reducing approximately 4 percent of its global workforce in this restructuring effort. This is in response to declining customer demand and oversupply issues. “Restaurant traffic and frozen potato demand, relative to supply, continue to be soft, and we believe it will remain soft through the remainder of fiscal 2025,” said Tom Werner, President and CEO of Lamb Weston.

So what does this mean for the Golden Arches and customers like us? According to CNN, McDonald’s is the company's largest customer, accounting for 13 percent of Lamb Weston’s sales. Waning demand at the fast food counter has big impacts down the line. But just how far down the line, we don't yet know. At least for now it appears it should be business as usual for the average customer.

Lamb Weston spokesperson Teresa Paulsen issued a statement to Today.com: “Lamb Weston is confident in the world’s ongoing love of fries—the closure of one of our older facilities accounts for less than 5 percent of our production capacity, so this adjustment simply helps address a current supply-and-demand imbalance.”

While chains like McDonald's have been trying to offer value meals to offset higher food prices, those deals include a small order of fries versus the mediums and larges of the past. And now we're simply seeing the effects of those changes. As iconic as Mickey D's fries might be, even they aren't immune to cost-cutting.