Letter from the Benelux
The Belgian fry has its own museum in Brussels; its own temples – the legendary fritkots (fry stands) found throughout the kingdom; its own jokes ("A Belgian cannibal is someone who eats raw fries"); and, of course, its own legends. One such legend claims that french fries were actually invented in the 17th century by Walloons who, unable to fish during harsh winters, cut potatoes into small fish shapes and fried them in boiling fat. Today, fry production has become a lucrative business for former Flemish potato farmers, allowing them to build industrial empires and compete with the wealthiest fortunes in the country.
Clarebout, founded in 1987 in West Flanders by Raf Clarebout and his son Jan (who now runs the company), is the European leader and the third-largest global producer of frozen fries, behind the Canadian company McCain and the American Lamb Weston. According to a recent investigation by the Flemish daily De Standaard, Clarebout Potatoes' annual gross profit is close to €450 million and the company is valued between €4 billion and €6 billion. Agristo, also located in West Flanders, is ranked fifth in this sector.
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