Farm Frites Poland Dwa’s 30th anniversary conference reflects on past, present and future

July 28, 2023

During the day, guests also had the opportunity to visit the company’s farm and fields of blooming potatoes, Katarzyna Majchrzak, Manager of Communication & Community Involvement told PotatoWorld magazine.

Model of modern agronomy

President of the Management Board of Farm Frites Poland Dwa, Adam Klasa, was in charge of opening the anniversary conference. He reminisced about Gerrit de Bruijne, founder of the Dutch company Farm Frites, looking for a place to build a French fries factory in Poland in the early 1990s. ‘De Bruijne decided the soil and climatic conditions in Central Pomerania are optimal for the development of potato cultivation. However, despite being very tasty in direct consumption, in terms of size and shape Polish varieties were not suitable to produce long American-style fries. Therefore it was necessary to bring French fries varieties to Poland and cultivate them according to Western technologies. This is what Farm Frites Poland Dwa did, becoming a model of modern agronomy and good agricultural practices for other Polish farms’, Klasa summarized the origination of the company.

Flagship farm

Jarosław Wańkowicz, Member of the Management Board of Farm Frites Poland Dwa, recalled the history of the farm, starting with the introduction of new cultivation technologies in Poland in the 1990s. ‘In 2004 the company was the first potato farm in Poland which received the GlobalG.A.P. certificate (then EUREPGAP) and in 2008 the farm became a McDonald’s flagship farm by entering the global McDonald’s Flagship Farm program’, Wańkowicz narrated. He also mentioned the current challenges for the farm, among which climate change comes to the fore, as well as directions for further development using artificial intelligence and based on good practices of sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

Future of Polish potato cultivation

In subsequent presentations, different experts talked about the future of plant nutrition, the assumptions of regenerative agriculture, precision farming in the future through developing the concept of Agriculture 4.0 and the evolution of consumer expectations regarding food production. The expert presentations were followed by a panel debate on the future of potato cultivation in Poland, after which the conference ended with a birthday cake and wishes for the management and employees of the company.

Leading potato supply

Farm Frites Poland Dwa was established in 1993 in Bobrowniki, Pomerania, Poland, when Dutch companies Farm Frites and Aviko joined forces for a joint investment in Poland: the construction of a French fries factory in Lębork. Farm Frites Poland Dwa became its main raw material base, supplying potatoes of selected varieties not yet cultivated in Poland. The farm originally occupied an area of about 4,000 hectares, located in Damnica and Główczyce communes. The 1990s were a time of challenges for the company, related to soil reclamation and the introduction of new potato varieties to Poland. At that time, the company invested in modern cultivation technology aimed at increasing production efficiency and reducing the impact of agricultural activity on the environment. Currently, Farm Frites Poland Dwa Sp. z o. o. manages an area of approximately 2,500 hectares and employs about 60 people. It is among the largest and most modern farms in Poland and remains the leader in the supply of potatoes to produce French fries, pancakes and potato flakes for its sister company, Farm Frites Poland in Lębork.

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