Making History - Edition 3

Richard Laffy
Jun 4
4 min read

Updated: Jun 5

Farm Frites Processing Factory, now taking shape and sticking to schedule.

Stage 1 structural steel erection is progressing well on site. As shown below, the scale and footprint of the building are becoming much easier to envisage.

Farm Frites Processing Factory in Dooen in construction

Steel reinforcement installation is underway in preparation for the freezer floor slab pour, scheduled for mid-June.

Farm Frites Australia Potato Processing Factory construction in Dooen Victoria

Horsham and Dooen have experienced falling temperatures and increased rainfall in recent weeks – favourable for local agriculture, but a factor being carefully managed in day-to-day construction activities as we move into the winter months.

PEOPLE

Our Head of Culinary, Geoff Meade – better known as “Geoff the Chef” – is one of our most valued team members. With deep expertise across every stage of fry preparation, he brings a level of precision and insight that sets the standard at Farm Frites Australia.

Coming from a background as an Executive Chef at 5 Star Hotels, (where he served as a personal Chef for Neil Diamond, John Bonjovi and Billy Joel, amongst many other Celebrities), Geoff has now worked in corporate roles for over 20 years, becoming a specialist in French Fries and everything to do with Deep Frying and Oven Baking.

Skilled in all aspects of French Fries, from evaluation of new Potato Varieties, New Product Development, Kitchen Processes, Product Knowledge and Training, Geoff has received Awards from all the major QSR's.

Training is a major focus for Geoff, whether it be Farm Frites Staff, Distributor Sales Teams or our major Customers. His ability to pass on knowledge is a real advantage for Farm Frites Australia.

POTATOES

Alongside our trusted Innovator potatoes, we’re proud to include Edison as a key player in our potato portfolio.

Edison is a high-performing main crop variety, delivering consistently excellent frying results – even after storage. It handles tough conditions like drought and heat with ease, making it well suited to the demands of the harsh Australian summer.

Producing uniform, long oval tubers with light yellow flesh, Edison is ideal for crafting high-quality French fries. Typically harvested in the early to mid-growing season, it offers both reliability and performance where it counts.

We’re excited to bring Edison from paddock to plate, transforming it into premium French Fries for our customers right across Australia.

PRODUCT

To complement our market-leading Crispy Coated Fries, we’ve launched our new Lightly Coated Fries.

With a more traditional look and a lighter coating, they offer a classic alternative to the bold, rustic style of our Crispy Coated range. Now available nationally, they’re already gaining strong traction with customers.

PROMOTION

To ensure the team at Civeo Corporation’s Head Office stays up to date with our product range, Farm Frites team members Nick Lowien and Greg Manning recently hosted a lunch, partnering with a local food truck to serve up fresh fries and burgers.

Civeo Corporation is a global workforce accommodation specialist that helps people maintain healthy and productive lives while living and working away from home. Civeo Australia has over 9,000 permanent rooms throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia. Providing accommodation for Mining Operations is one of the key areas for Civeo.

Meanwhile, new Queensland Sales team member Danial McBey hit the ground running, hosting one of his first major activations with the team at Superior Brisbane. The event was a clear success, with Danial collaborating with partners Tip Top and Masterfoods to supply buns, sauces, mayo and relishes – perfectly complementing the fries and burgers on offer.

A great result – strong engagement, great food, and an opportunity for both teams to experience a broad range of products firsthand.

RECONCILIATION WEEK

Farm Frites Australia is proud to be part of the Wimmera community and acknowledges the rich Aboriginal heritage and enduring cultural connections that have shaped the region for generations.

We are committed to supporting reconciliation and building meaningful relationships with Aboriginal communities across the Wimmera, grounded in respect, inclusion and genuine collaboration.

Awards

Kieran Prestidge and Richard Laffy recently attended the Annual KFC Supplier Awards Dinner at Crown Sydney. While Adam Bell was unable to join on the night, Farm Frites Australia was proudly recognised with the top honour for quality – the “Trust in Every Bite Award”.

This award highlights the strength of the partnership, recognising the effective account management led by Adam Bell and the Farm Frites Australia team, alongside the ongoing support from Farm Frites International. KFC values the consistent product quality and reliable supply they receive, and trusts that any issues are addressed promptly and thoroughly.

It’s a significant achievement and one the entire Farm Frites Australia team can be genuinely proud of.

Migaloo's Seafood & Ice Creamery

Continuing on with the Awards, as you will see from these photos, Migaloos Seafood & Ice Creamery have just been voted Queensland's Best Fish and Chips Shop 2026, with the Queensland Premier, David Crisafulli, presenting the award to the Team. This is fantastic recognition for the team at Migaloo's, who were runners up in 2025.

The exciting part for Farm Frites is that Migaloo exclusively uses our Farm Frites Crispy Coated 10mm Fries. They’re such strong advocates of the brand that our logo even features on the back of their shirts – regularly popping up in their TikTok videos.