From Field to Factory: Michigan Potatoes Power the Industry

At MSU, potatoes are more than a staple crop they’re the foundation of a thriving, innovative program that connects students, scientists, local growers, processors, and office personnel. 

To this point, Michigan Potatoes and MSU recently sponsored a field trip and fact-finding mission to the Better Made Snacks potato chip factory for members of the PSM Main Office, the Potato and Sugar Beet Pathology Program, and the Potato Breeding and Genetics Program.

At the Better Made Snacks potato chip factory point of Initial intake: six to eight truckloads of Michigan-grown potatoes arrive daily to begin an amazing transformation from raw ingredient to packaged product a process that takes just 12-15 minutes.

Consistency is key to quality control: Phil Gusmano handles an extra large potato, and describes how needs for potatoes differ between large and small packages.

”Varietal development is so important we can’t overstate the value of the relationship between MSU and the industry," says Phil Gusmano, Vice President of Purchasing at Better Made Snack Foods, a Detroit-based company who sources 300,000 to 400,000 pounds of potatoes daily, mostly from Michigan farms. Gusmano credits MSU’s research for extending potato storage life Gusmano credits MSU’s research for extending potato storage life ten months; from October harvest through early March, to October harvest  through July,  a breakthrough that has improved both efficiency and product quality.