The Troyer family, long involved in potato farming and processing, is entering the organic French fry market through Folkland Foods. Brothers Zack and Colt Troyer broke ground on a French fry factory in 2024, with production beginning in April. The nationwide launch of Folkland Foods' French Fries is scheduled for September 15.
The Troyer Family Farm traces its origins to the late 1930s in Erie County, Pennsylvania, when Clifford Troyer and his brothers started growing potatoes. In the early 1960s, they established Troyer Farms, a potato chip business. By the late 1990s, Troyer Growers, a subsidiary, managed 800 acres (324 hectares) of farmland. After Troyer Farms was sold in 2009, Troyer Growers continued with potato production under the family's management.
Zack and Colt took over operations in 2022 after experimenting with organic potato production in Oregon and later transitioning farmland in Erie. Their father, Mark Troyer, had already begun converting acreage to organic in 2018. The family currently has 140 acres certified organic, with plans to reach 500 acres by next year.
The new French fries are produced under Folkland Foods in three flavors: Himalayan salt, Cajun, and rosemary garlic. The brothers emphasize simple inputs, including frying in olive oil and using apple cider as a natural preservative. National distribution will begin in Sprouts stores on September 15, followed by Giant stores in eastern Pennsylvania on September 22.
The company also plans to introduce tater tots later this year. In addition to their own production, Folkland Foods sources organic potatoes from five contract growers. The Troyers said they intend to expand collaboration with regional growers to strengthen supply.
"We watched a lot of other farms disappear in our county and in our area over our lifetimes. I'm not very old, and I've seen a lot disappear. We think it is a bad direction for the world to go," said Colt Troyer. "We don't want to be gobbling up acres and taking market share for ourselves. For us, it is way more important to allow other growers than for us to do it all ourselves."
Source: Farm and Dairy