The global potato industry is undergoing rapid consolidation, with mergers, acquisitions, and cross-border investments reshaping supply chains from seed breeding to processing.
In Europe, Dutch group HZPC has acquired IPM Potato Group, Ireland's leading exporter of certified seed. The move expands HZPC's production in Scotland and the Netherlands and strengthens its position in the British and Mediterranean markets. It also broadens the company's genetic network from the North Atlantic to Africa and Asia.
In another major development, U.S.-based Simplot completed the purchase of Belgium's Clarebout Potatoes, one of Europe's largest frozen potato processors. The merger combines Simplot's scale and capital with Clarebout's technology in value-added processing, consolidating control over industrial potato production and exports.
These mergers highlight a global trend toward integration, as leading firms seek control over every stage of the value chain.
Argentina's role: Mar del Plata and regional expansion
In this global context, U.S. processor Lamb Weston Holdings inaugurated a 40,000 m² facility in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Province, in 2025. The plant processes about 90,700 tonnes of potatoes per year, creates 250 direct jobs and 3,000 indirect ones, and supplies both domestic and regional markets. Around 80% of production is exported to Brazil through the Port of Mar del Plata, which is becoming a logistics hub for Argentina's agro-industrial trade.
This project represents a shift in the region's processing landscape. Instead of importing processed products, Argentina now serves as a platform for exports, with potential spillovers across logistics, technology, and primary production.
Seed genetics and exports
Argentina's certified seed sector is also evolving. Companies such as HZPC and STET are partnering with local operators to produce and export seed potatoes to Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil, with new markets emerging in Central America. French company Germicopa and Argentina's Agroplant have established agreements to expand varietal offerings and develop genetics suited to Southern Cone conditions, combining European research with local multiplication capacity.
Argentina is now exporting not only industrial potato products but also genetic material. This shift positions the country as a regional supplier of high-quality seed, linking European breeding programs with Latin American growers.
Source: PotatoPro
