Where Is the “Silicon Valley of Food”? – Livability

The food industry in Twin Falls and Southern Idaho has grown into a national leader in food production, processing and advancements.

By Kim Madlom on January 19, 2024

Idaho’s agriculture roots run deep, and the state has attracted investment from food companies around the globe, making the food industry in Twin Falls and Southern Idaho a major player. Major food companies in Southern Idaho include: 

• Chobani, which opened the world’s largest yogurt plant in Twin Falls. 
• Ireland-based Glanbia Nutritionals, the world’s largest American-style cheese manufacturer and one of the largest whey ingredient producers. 
• Canada-based McCain Foods Ltd., the world’s largest producer of french fries and potato specialties. 
• Idaho-based Lamb Weston, a leading supplier of frozen potato, sweet potato, appetizer and vegetable products to restaurants and retailers around the world. 
• Clif Bar and Co. which operates a bakery in Twin Falls that produces energy and nutrition bars. 

Leading Cheese Producer 

Glanbia (which in Gaelic means “Pure Food”) plays a pivotal role for Idaho dairy farmers looking for markets. The company processes more than 23 million pounds of milk daily into cheese and 170 million pounds of value-added whey marketed to more than 30 nations. 

Southern Idaho is home to one of Glanbia’s corporate offices, two state-of-the-art innovation and R&D centers, four manufacturing plants, a transportation fleet and the Cheese Marketplace located in downtown Twin Falls. 

The collaboration and innovation centers provide an ideal location for developing new ingredients and food products. Customers collaborate with scientists in developing products aligned with market trends and nutritional insights. 

“The bench top and pilot plant capabilities make it easy to go from concept to commercialization, and the rapid prototyping decreases the amount of time to bring a new product to market,” says Loren Ward, chief innovation officer of Glanbia. “We research and develop new types of cheese, nutritional bars, bakery items, confectionary, fresh dairy, handheld snacks and high-protein cold cereals.” 

Another example of innovation at work: Glanbia has a proud track record in environmental sustainability. Most recently, the company’s Pure Food + Pure Planet sustainability strategy, launched in 2021, set ambitious targets for energy, greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste. 

“We are committed to a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in our manufacturing by 2030, a 10% reduction in freshwater use and zero waste certification for our plants by 2025,” says John Dardis, senior vice president of sustainability.

“In 2022, we developed detailed roadmaps for achieving those targets and reported an 8.6% reduction in greenhouse gases and a 2% reduction in freshwater use. We closely partner with our dairy farm suppliers, ensuring the highest dairy animal welfare and sustainability standards.” 

A Billion Pounds of Fries 

Dairy is Idaho’s top agricultural business, but potatoes help define the state’s identity. 

The enticing scent of fries sometimes wafts through the air in the Rock Creek area. Lamb Weston produces more than 1 billion pounds of french fries annually and has a positive economic impact on the region well beyond the Twin Falls factory. 

“We are proud partners with potato growers, who supply the potatoes we need to make french fries that people enjoy worldwide,” says Andy Gardner, plant manager at Lamb Weston Twin Falls. “In many cases, our agricultural partnerships support multigenerational family farming operations right here in Southern Idaho. Our potato growers economically stimulate the region through their own sustainable farming operations.” 

Great fries start with great potatoes, and Idaho’s products are world-famous. 

“The Magic Valley and surrounding Snake River Plain offers a terrific potato-growing climate,” Gardner says. “Of course, an ideal potato-growing country complements skilled potato farmers. Growing potatoes requires committed farmers, who highly regard sustainable agricultural practices and stewardship of the land.” 

Sustainability is part of the company’s culture, as Lamb Weston embarks on numerous initiatives to decrease consumption of water, energy and carbon emissions. The Twin Falls factory is regarded as a Zero Waste Champion, acknowledging its efforts to divert 98.5% of waste from landfills. 

“We are always looking to make progress for our people, the planet and the food we make,” says Tom Werner, president and CEO of Lamb Weston. 

Werner adds that Twin Falls offers many benefits to any business. 

“As you hear around here, it’s all about potatoes and people,” he says. “First, in the Magic Valley, we enjoy access to a talented labor pool. At Lamb Weston, we regard our people as our most important asset. We invest in them, and they are the lifeblood of our business. The Twin Falls area has provided us with talented, skilled people for decades. As a result, we enjoy the benefits of a very high retention rate and employee tenure within our workforce. We have several team members with over 45 years of service to Lamb Weston.” 

Dairy-Fresh Delights

Idaho is one of the largest dairy-producing states in the nation, and Southern Idaho is responsible for about 80% of the state’s entire dairy processing output. Excellent cow-feed resources, plenty of water for great pastures and a generally cool year-round climate helps the Magic Valley rank No. 4 in U.S. milk production and No. 3 in cheese production. 

Residents and visitors have a number of good opportunities to try locally produced dairy products from a variety of area establishments, including Glanbia Cheese Marketplace in Twin Falls. The store opened in 2015 and specializes in selling only one product – delicious fresh cheeses – in varieties such as cheddar, Gouda, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, provolone and Swiss. The marketplace also has a gift shop with cutting boards, graters, cheese baskets, knives, T-shirts and cheese platters. 

Ice cream is what CloverLeaf Creamery is all about in Buhl, which serves all-natural milk and cream, produced by its small herd of registered pedigree Holsteins. The company also has a CloverLeaf Farm Market in Twin Falls, and the long list of ice cream flavors sold to the public at the market ranges from vanilla, chocolate and strawberry to unusual selections like cherry amaretto, raspberry truffle, cotton candy, huckleberry, eggnog and pumpkin pie. 

For bottles of ice-cold milk, visit Gallup Family Farms, a shop that features Jersey cows producing raw, creamy and unpasteurized milk. The farm also raises grain-fed Angus cattle and sells several quality beef products at their small store in Gooding. 

– Writers Kevin Litwin and Wesley Broome contributed to this article.