Iconic Australian brand Edgell celebrates its centenary!

Edgell is not only one of Simplot Australia’s best‑known brands – it’s also a genuine home‑grown Aussie icon, one which this year is celebrating its centenary!

That’s right, for the past 100 years the Edgell brand has been synonymous with vegetable growers around the nation, with some of these relationships extending back across multiple generations. It’s a brand which has proudly stood the test of time in both retail and foodservice – and which today is recognised as standing for trusted quality, consistency and reliability of supply.

David White
Simplot Australia Head of Culinary Asia Pacific

“The brand was founded by Gordon Edgell, who established operations in Bathurst in Northern NSW,” Simplot Australia Head of Culinary Asia Pacific David White tells us. “He was the first to can asparagus, founding a thriving business which built a strong presence in the local community.”

Simplot’s Bathurst site, once the original Edgell plant, is still in operation and recently benefited from a multimillion‑dollar upgrade, underscoring Simplot’s ongoing commitment to the site, the Edgell brand, and regional Australia.

“It’s secured the lifespan of the plant for potentially the next hundred years,” David says, “and even though it’s been thoroughly modernised, I think Gordon Edgell would still recognise it as the new buildings have gone up around the original infrastructure.

“Here we are, 100 years on, and while Edgell is now a proud Simplot brand, our Bathurst plant remains a major employer in the region. Located in the heart of NSW’s corn‑growing region, the site sources corn from all over the state and almost up to Queensland, and we process it all there, along with legumes like beans, chickpeas and lentils. It’s also the home of another great Aussie icon, the Chiko roll!”

EDGELL BOASTS A LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH AUSTRALIA’S FARMERS AND GROWERS

Supporting agriculture and farming across the nation

Today, Edgell products are made at three Simplot plants, including two in Tasmania. Devonport focuses on processing vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and brussels sprouts, while the Ulverstone plant manufactures Edgell’s extensive range of potato products including its famous fries.

“We are the last remaining major supplier of Australian‑grown frozen vegetable products. We have proudly maintained the Edgell tradition of supporting agriculture and farming right across the nation,” David affirms.

According to David, the reputation of the Edgell brand played an important role in drawing the attention of J.R. Simplot, founder of the US‑based, family‑owned Simplot Company, as the business prepared to enter the Australian market in 1995. J.R. was originally a farmer himself, and although much has changed over the years, his vision endures: work hard, give honest value, be good partners and — today more than ever — treat the Earth as a resource to be respected and protected. Though J.R. has passed, his family still leads the company, honouring his legacy and maintaining a strong, ongoing connection to the Australian operations that first drew his interest three decades ago.

Simplot Founder Jack Simplot

It’s a legacy grounded in farming, and it shows up in the way the Edgell brand thinks about the future. Sustainability is a key focus — “it’s at the core of all we do,” David says.

“It’s important to our farmers and also to our foodservice customers, and goes hand in hand with our commitment to the highest quality assurance standards. I often visit the plants in Tassie and ask myself, is there anywhere better on the planet to grow vegies? We’re very lucky in this country to have such a pristine growing environment.

“As we hit that 100‑year milestone, our Edgell brand proudly embodies all those attributes that chefs are looking for – consistency, reliability and trust. A lot of R&D and innovation goes into ensuring the quality of our range. We have over 30 food technologists constantly working on refining our products, along with our agronomists and agricultural services team who work with our farmers out in the field to make sure they’re supported and have access to all the knowledge they need to grow the best crops.

Edgell Supa Crunch Skin on 10mm

Birthday celebrations begin with launch of five new products

Edgell is celebrating its 100 year anniversary with five new products set to join its already extensive range.

Thunder Crunch, as the name suggests, is a coated potato fry product which heralds the next level in crunch! The combination of a thick, textured batter with a thin‑cut 9mm chip creates strong visual appeal as well as ensuring a quick cook time and attractive plate presentation.

“Edgell was first to market with a coated fry back in 1995,” David says, “and we’ve pretty much led the market in coated capability since. This new product builds on our heritage of market‑leading products like Supa Crunch, with Thunder Crunch the next evolution. This product is unashamedly focused around the crunch and rustic look – it’s thick‑battered, it’s moreish and your customers are going to eat them by the handful.”

Skin‑On Chips are returning to the Edgell range, with production having ceased during COVID lockdowns. “We’re bringing them back all guns blazing,” David says, “with that great rustic presentation that makes them look handmade in back of house, and the strong potato flavour.” The popular 9mm cut (chunky cut) has long been popular in the pub, club and bistro market and makes a great accompaniment to steaks.

Frozen Potato Mash is a new product for Edgell and has already attracted a lot of attention from customers. “I think this will be a really well‑received addition to the range because it’s so simple and convenient,” David says. “It’s a pelletized frozen product – you can measure out the pellets by weight, which makes it ideal for portion control and storage while minimising wastage. There’s no need to add anything: simply put the frozen mash pellets in a pot or bowl, heat and whisk and you have classic mashed potato ready to serve. You can microwave them or put them on a steam roast in a combi oven.”

Edgell Frozen Mash Potato

The Mash is made from real dairy ingredients and has been pre‑seasoned, but you can easily stir through additional ingredients such as sour cream, chopped chives or caramelised onion and garlic. “It’s ideal for health and aged care providers where staff are often struggling to make potato mash from scratch,” David points out. “And with fresh potatoes subject to seasonal variation in starch levels, using a premade product like this is not only a great time‑saver, it also ensures consistent presentation.”

The final two products are two varieties of Hash Browns – Mini Triangles and Ovals. “Chefs are always looking for more variety of shapes, especially for breakfast buffets, and these are something interesting and new to put on the breakfast menu,” David says. “It’s a great way to differentiate the menu, and because Hash Brown Mini Triangles are smaller than a regular Hash Brown, they make a great bar snack when served in a bowl or a bucket to eat on the go. You can also use them as a canape base by adding a dollop of sour cream or a twirl of smoked salmon, some capers and dill.”

 The new Hash Brown Ovals are replacing the standard Edgell Hash Brown which was more rectangular in shape. “At Edgell we pride ourselves on taking customer feedback on board, and in response to that feedback we’ve made these a little thicker, more moist in the centre and with greater visible particulates,” David says. “They are the classic Hash Brown in terms of presentation and shape with a tender texture and distinctive potato taste.”

For full details of the new products visit www.simplotfoodservice.com.au