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The Rise of Frozen Chips in France: A Cultural Shift

Name: Frites surgelées.

I beg your pardon? That’s simply “frozen chips” in English.

Age: Over 75 years.

What’s with the French language? France is currently experiencing a surge in the popularity of frozen chips, leading local farmers to replace other crops with an increased planting of potatoes to keep up with this growing demand.

Mon dieu! You’re catching on!

So, who is buying all these frozen chips? Surprisingly, they aren’t primarily for export; the demand is coming from the French population themselves, who have developed a notable craving for this snack.

But this is France! A country renowned for its culinary excellence with dishes like bouillabaisse and boeuf bourguignon. Surely, these gastronomic aficionados wouldn’t indulge in frozen chips? Interestingly, the trend indicates that consumers are becoming increasingly fond of what is termed la malbouffe (junk food). Recent reports suggest that the frozen chip market in France has expanded by about 25% in recent years, including a growing affinity not only for the classic French fry but also for the thicker British-style oven chip.

Scandaleux! This trend appears to be spearheaded by the younger generation, who prefer convenience over cooking. “Young generations no longer peel much,” noted Ward Claerbout, legal and external affairs director for the Belgian frozen chip company Agristo.

Young people are once again to blame, it seems. Whatever the cause, this dramatic increase is also associated with Dutch and Belgian farmers investing in northern France due to limited opportunities in their home countries. In an area now fondly dubbed Chip Valley, farmland that was previously valued at €15,000 per hectare has nearly doubled in price within just three years.

Chip Valley? Where is that? It’s the playful name for La Vallée de la Frite, drawing a parallel to Silicon Valley, but focused on potatoes instead.

And the profitability? According to a report in the Times, the global market for frozen potato items is set to increase significantly, climbing from $7.27 billion in 2023 to a staggering $89.51 billion by 2029!

So, we could be consuming twelve times the amount of chips in just six years? Hold your horses—the Times may have miscalculated the figures! According to updated sources, the actual number for 2023 is projected to be $67.27 billion. While consumption will undoubtedly rise, it will not result in a extreme binge akin to a global version of Man v Food.

Do say: “Got any McCains to go with this duck à l’orange?”

Don’t say: “Je préfère le riz.”

Source
www.theguardian.com