Agristo to Break Ground on $450 Million Potato Plant in Grand Forks

Agristo, a Belgium-based potato company, will soon break ground on its first North American processing plant in Grand Forks. Initial work is planned for late September or early October to get some construction done before the frost sets in. The $450 million facility is expected to take nearly three years to complete, with production starting in 2028. Agristo Chief of Global Expansion Kristof Wallays said the Red River Valley was the ideal location for the project. “Well, for us, it’s all about potatoes. If we don’t have the right potatoes, if we don’t have enough potatoes, our project will never work so we look for regions where we can grow more potatoes, good potatoes. The conclusion was that here in this Red River Valley, there is a lot of good soil, good farmers, a lot of knowledge, and there is also room to expand the growing of the potatoes.”