Alsum Farms & Produce celebrates 45 years in potato, onion business

Alsum Farms & Produce, Inc. celebrated 45 years as an innovative grower, packer and shipper of locally grown potatoes and onions, and provider of fresh, quality produce.

“We began 45 years ago with Wisconsin potatoes and onions,” says Alsum Farms & Produce President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Alsum. “Our success over the past 45 years is because of a great team of Alsum employees who are dedicated to serving our customers every day.”

In honor of its 45th anniversary, Alsum Farms & Produce hosted Farm Field Days, August 14-15, at the farm in Arena, Wisconsin.

According to chief operating officers Heidi Alsum-Randall and Wendy Alsum-Dykstra, company associates saw firsthand how red potatoes are harvested from farm fields.

For lunch, staff enjoyed roasted red potatoes with all the fixings in celebration of not only the 45th anniversary, but also the new crop Wisconsin potato harvest.

From humble beginnings in 1973, Glen Alsum started the family-owned and operated business in a 16x20-foot shed, repacking potatoes and onions and selling them to local grocery stores.

After Glen’s tragic death in February 1981, his cousin, Larry, became general manager and owner, and continues to serve as the company’s visionary leader.

Mere feet away

Today, Alsum Farms & Produce remains headquartered mere feet away from that original packing shed and has emerged from a one-person operation to a leading national grower, packer and shipper of russet, red, white, golden, fingerling and organic potatoes.

Alsum Farms & Produce is a national distributor of Wisconsin potatoes and onions, and Great Lakes region year-round distributor of over 300 kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which are locally grown in season.

Continued growth and expansion led Alsum Farms & Produce to its current 382,000 square feet of office, production, maintenance, transportation, cooler and potato storage space in Friesland and Arena, Wisconsin, as well as 200 full-time employees and nearly 2,500 acres of fresh potatoes.

The farm operation’s latest expansion includes adding a storage bin in Friesland. The new bin features a state-of-the-art air flow system, including in-floor circulation, that allows for an even air flow to potatoes throughout the storage bin, no matter if they are stored bulk or in macro bins.

Alsum continues to focus on innovation, sustainability, food safety and serving its people.

Alsum Farms & Produce, Inc. packs potatoes and onions under the Alsum Farms & Produce brand. Organic potatoes are packed under the Alsum Organics and Rainbow Organics labels.

Alsum also packs unclassified potatoes under the Family Favorite brand and repacks sweet potatoes and oranges under the Alsum Farms & Produce label.

To learn more about Alsum Farms & Produce, its full line of products or for delicious potato recipes, visit www.alsum.com.

Appeared in the November 2018 edition of the Common'Tater