Lamb Weston, a major US french fry supply company announced that it will be closing a Washington factory due to decreased demand. The company supplies french fries to grocery stores, restaurants, and fast food chains. Restaurant prices have increased in past years and this has pushed consumers to choose fast food, but consumers are buying smaller portions of fries at fast food chains as fast food prices have increased as well. Consumers are also much less likely to buy french fries at the grocery store and make fries at home, so overall demand for french fries has lowered. Lamb Weston will also cut four hundred workers, reducing the company’s headcount by around four percent. The company’s biggest customer is McDonald’s, and recent declines in McDonald’s sales have hurt the company’s revenue.
See "French fry supplier Lamb Weston announces closure of plant and major layoffs", Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, October 8, 2024