A recent official announcement reveals that Lamb Weston Oceania is welcoming Crackerjack Foods to its Australian operations.

“Crackerjack is a Victorian-based manufacturer and supplier of frozen potato-based products for the national food services industry, synonymous with potato cakes and battered snacks. As part of the acquisition, Crackerjack’s current employees will join our team. We will also acquire Crackerjack’s two processing lines, one in Keilor and a highly automated and purpose-built new facility constructed at Campbellfield. The acquisition offers Lamb Weston Oceania a new range of products that complement our current portfolio and increase the options available to our existing and new customers. We’re thrilled to strengthen our business here in Australia, drive further growth and innovation, and create more value for our employees, growers, customers, and stakeholders,” according to a Lamb Weston Australia LinkedIn report.

The announcement is supported by a recent Financial Review article that reports US French fries giant Lamb Weston has acquired privately held Melbourne potato cake manufacturer Crackerjack Foods. Lamb Weston is backing the potato cakes and hash browns market to grow strongly as Australians show a preference for pub dining over restaurants. As part of the agreement, Lamb Weston will take on Crackerjack’s USD20m in yearly revenue.

“Crackerjack supplies thousands of fish and chip shops, clubs, pubs, accommodation venues, and cafes with frozen processed potato varieties. Earlier this year, it featured in a limited edition menu for fast-food chain McDonald’s, which offered potato scallops,” FR wrote.

In addition to 400-piece cartons of nugget-shaped bites promoted for pub meals, Crackerjack has added a large double-battered potato cake, 120-piece cartons of premium potato cakes that are inconsistently formed to appear hand carved, and 120-piece cartons of regular potato cakes.

The market in Australia for “potato cakes,” as they are known in Victoria, is estimated to be worth USD100m annually. They are known as potato fritters in South Australia and as potato scallops in New South Wales.

Based in Idaho, Lamb Weston has a market value of roughly USD14bn. One of the largest producers of french fries in the US, its overall sales rose by 62% in the year that concluded on May 31.

Its third acquisition in Australia in the previous five years is Crackerjack. In 2018 and 2019, respectively, Lamb Weston bought Marvel Packers and Ready Meals, both of which had processing plants in the Melbourne suburb of Hallam. The Harvest Choice brand of frozen potatoes is run by Ready Meals.