A family farm in Kotowiecko, near Kalisz in the Greater Poland region, now grows chip potatoes for PepsiCo on about 550 hectares, according to a report by the Polish farm portal farmer.pl published on 28 September 2026. The farm harvests 19,000 to 20,000 tonnes of chip potatoes each year.

The farm is run by Błażej Kułton. It started with 11.5 hectares in 1993. Today it covers about 1,200 hectares. According to the report, the farm can store about 10,000 tonnes of potatoes. This includes a store of 2,000 tonnes for long-term storage. In the last three years the farm bought eight new tractors, new harvesters and two sprayers.

The season starts early. The first chip potatoes are lifted at the end of June or in early July. The farm uses pre-sprouted seed for this early period. Good storage then allows the farm to deliver potatoes to the factory almost all year.

A network of contract growers

Piotr Hnatów, head of agronomy at PepsiCo, told farmer.pl that more than 70 contract growers supply the company in Poland. Together they deliver more than 200,000 tonnes of potatoes to two production plants. According to the company, PepsiCo gives growers agronomic advice during the whole season. It also provides seed and helps with harvest checks and storage management.

The report says the company wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions from farming by 30% by 2030. The farm uses regenerative practices. These include cover crops, a five-year crop rotation, reduced tillage and drip irrigation. It also uses low-carbon fertilisers. According to the report, their carbon footprint is 80% lower than that of standard products.

The farm plans more investment. The list includes a self-propelled potato harvester, a self-propelled sprayer, more storage and a larger drip irrigation system.

Why it matters

Chip potatoes need stable quality, the right dry matter and low sugars all year. This is why processors in Poland work with a small group of large, well-equipped contract farms. The case shows how much capital such farms need: storage, irrigation and new machines.

The 2026 summer was hot and dry in much of Europe. Irrigation and good storage are now a key condition for contract supply. Growers who want to enter the chip segment should expect strict specifications and growing demands on emission reporting.

Photo: A potato field in Warsaw, Poland (illustrative). Panek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0