ENERGY STAR Plant Profile

The J.R. Simplot Company's Aberdeen factory is located in Aberdeen, Idaho, which is on the Snake River Plain of southeast Idaho.  Aberdeen is in the southwestern corner of Bingham County, approximately 40 miles west of Pocatello.  Aberdeen is located near the American Falls Reservoir which holds 56,000 acres of water when full, and is the largest reservoir in the state.

The soil, water, clean air, and climate in Idaho provide nearly perfect growing conditions for potatoes.  The growing seasons in the area extend from mid-April through mid-October.  Potatoes are grown mid-April through mid-September.

Built by the Idaho Potato Growers Cooperative, the plant began operations in September of 1960.  In March of 1967 the plant was partially destroyed by fire, but full production was resumed in the fall of the same year.  In the spring of 1968 Idaho Potato Growers sold the plant to the Western Farmers Association of Seattle, Washington.  Burly Processing, a subsidiary of the J.R. Simplot Company, leased the complex from the Western Farmers Association in September of 1973.  On September 1, 1975, the Simplot Food Group acquired the Aberdeen Plant.

Since then, Simplot has implemented several improvement projects.  From 1976-1980 a pre-form line was added for the capability of producing Simplot Gems.  Then from 1981-1985 additional upgrades were made to the cutting system as well as to the raw handling equipment which included a rock removal system.  From 1986-1990 Opti-Sorts and ADRs were added for efficient methods of defect removal, and a rotary former and a spiral freezer were added to Line 2.  From 1991-1995 improvements were made to the environmental and waste handling system where a new clarifier and centrifuge were installed.

The Aberdeen facility first received the ENERGY STAR in 2009.