The Company Behind Both Hungry Jack And Idaho Spuds Instant Potatoes

Instant mashed potatoes get a lot of flak, but they're a lifesaver in many last-minute dinner solutions. Hungry Jack and Idaho Spuds are two of the most commonly known brands, so it makes sense that most grocery shoppers think of them as competitors. But surprisingly, both brands are connected to the same company: Basic American Foods (BAF), one of the largest producers of dehydrated potato products in North America. 

The name is a wee bit ironic, considering the brand focuses on such a humble, and yes, basic food like potatoes. But the company's roots go back to 1933, when two brothers set up a dehydration processing plant in Northern California. In the 1950s, they expanded to Idaho, the state literally known as the "Land of Famous Potatoes." It certainly helped BAF quickly become a pioneer in dehydrated potato technology, helping popularize the now-ubiquitous pantry staple you should always keep on hand. Today, the company dominates the North American market because they manufacture a variety of potato-based products for both foodservice and retail customers. If you've ever chowed down on a potato-based dish at a fast casual restaurant, school, hospital, or military facility, you've likely had one of BAF's products.

For years, BAF only manufactured and handled the production for Hungry Jack and Idaho Spuds, but the J.M. Smucker Company owned the brands. Yes, the same brand that runs the world's largest peanut butter factory. But in 2010, Smucker announced they were selling its potato brands to BAF so it could focus more on breakfast products.

Understandably, then, Smucker wanted to retain its ownership of Hungry Jack's breakfast products. As a result, the pancake mix and syrup products stayed with it, while the potatoes bounced to BAF. The acquisition was a natural fit, and bringing the brands in-house allowed the California company to expand its presence in the retail market, as well as link well-known consumer labels with its existing potato-processing prowess. Though neither Hungry Jack nor Idaho Spuds made our ranking of best instant mashed potato brands, each brand has a devoted following, according to online reviews. 

Even if you're one of those strange people who don't like plain mashed potatoes, there are many uses for instant mashed potatoes beyond the obvious. They can thicken soup and gravies, as well as provide much-needed binding in meatballs and meatloaf. BAF doesn't just stick to dehydrating potatoes; however, they also produce dehydrated beans and various soup and sauce mixes designed for large-scale meal preparation. The company's expertise in dehydration technology allows it to create products with long shelf lives, which explains why it does so much business with government agencies and disaster-relief organizations, too.

While the retail brands Idaho Spuds and Hungry Jack are recognizable to consumers, BAF remains primarily a business-to-business supplier. Its expertise in shelf-stable products we know and love has made it one of the most influential companies in the American potato world, despite being relatively unknown to the average shopper.