Construction of Agristo’s US$1 billion potato processing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, is advancing, with the Belgium-based company having held the official groundbreaking for its first U.S. plant on 7 July 2026. The event marked the formal construction kickoff for a project that is already well underway and now stands as the largest single investment in the Grand Forks region.
Contacted by Construction Review Online, the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC) provided an update on the project’s progress and its wider economic significance to the region.
Construction progress
According to information shared by the EDC, site preparation actually began in September 2025 with the installation of foundation pilings, and crews resumed structural work through the spring after continuing progress through the winter despite weather conditions. Agristo Grand Forks Project Director Ruben Devos noted that the completed foundation work has positioned the project for its remaining construction milestones.
The facility represents a total investment of more than US$1 billion — a figure that has climbed from an original estimate of US$450 million as construction and equipment costs escalated — making it the largest single investment in the Grand Forks region. The 630,000-square-foot plant is being built by Miron Construction Co., with Excel Engineering handling design. Agristo is targeting the 2029 potato harvest as the first to be processed at the facility.
Capacity, jobs and economic impact
Once complete, the plant will process approximately 1.1 billion pounds of potatoes annually into 550 million pounds of finished products, including french fries, hashbrowns, tater tots, and other formed potato products for retail, foodservice, and private-label customers.
Beyond construction, Agristo has been building out its U.S. leadership and agronomy teams since the project was announced, hiring locally to prepare for facility commissioning. The company expects the facility to create more than 300 direct jobs at peak operation, with a projected total direct and indirect economic impact on the region of up to US$1.5 billion.
Potato sourcing and partnerships
Potato sourcing for the facility will draw from the Red River Valley across North Dakota and Minnesota, one of the most productive agricultural corridors in North America. At full capacity, the plant will require about 20,000 acres of contracted potato cropland annually and will work with more than 50 local growers. North Dakota is the fifth-largest potato-producing state in the country.
Walmart played a key role in the project, providing supply commitments as part of its U.S. manufacturing initiative that helped make the investment possible.
Project Factsheet: Agristo Grand Forks Potato Processing Facility
Project: Agristo potato processing facility (Agristo’s first U.S. plant)
Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
Developer / Owner: Agristo (Belgium)
General Contractor: Miron Construction Co.
Design / Engineering: Excel Engineering
Investment: More than US$1 billion (up from an original US$450 million estimate)
Facility size: 630,000 square feet
Groundbreaking: 7 July 2026 (site preparation began September 2025)
First processing: Targeting the 2029 potato harvest
Processing capacity: ~1.1 billion pounds of potatoes a year into 550 million pounds of finished products
Jobs: More than 300 direct jobs at peak operation
Economic impact: Up to US$1.5 billion (direct and indirect)
Potato sourcing: ~20,000 acres of contracted cropland, 50+ growers across the Red River Valley (North Dakota and Minnesota)
Key partner: Walmart (supply commitments under its U.S. manufacturing initiative)
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