From the fields to the French fry factories, the potato crisis hits northern France
Without warning or explanation, workers at the Clarebout potato processing facility in Mouscron, Belgium were ordered to leave their workstations at 1 pm on September 7, 2026. Security guards immediately locked down the entrances to the plant, which has operated on the French-Belgian border since 1988, sending shocked employees home with no information about their fate.
The 392 workers at the facility, operated by Clarebout subsidiary Mydibel SA, only learned the following day that their workplace would progressively reduce and then halt production. The announcement came under a hastily erected marquee in front of the factory gates.
Chems Mabrouk, a representative from the Fédération générale du travail de Belgique (FGTB), condemned the manner of notification.
Learning that you might lose your job is already extremely traumatic. They added insult to injury by almost physically expelling people from their own site.
The Mouscron facility is the smallest and oldest in the Clarebout network, relying on outdated equipment that results in higher production costs per tonne and lower operational efficiency compared to the company's other sites. Since the US-based J.R. Simplot Company completed its acquisition of Clarebout on October 31, 2025, union representatives say communication has deteriorated sharply.
Since Clarebout came under American ownership, we ask questions, but get extremely vague answers. We expected something, but not on this scale,Mabrouk added. The company has initiated the Belgian information and consultation procedure with staff representatives regarding the proposed closure.
The abrupt lockout followed months of labor tensions. Workers had engaged in strike action in October 2025 demanding bonuses after the Simplot takeover, with management ultimately offering between 500 and 1,000 euros depending on seniority.
Industry-wide overcapacity drives closures
The Mouscron situation reflects broader turmoil in Europe's potato processing sector. Clarebout's production capacity currently exceeds expected market demand by 14% to 20%, according to company statements, forcing difficult decisions about which facilities to maintain.
The European frozen potato processing industry faces persistent challenges including overcapacity, rising costs, and intensifying global competition from producers in China, India, and Egypt. Industry estimates indicate the European potato sector confronted a surplus of approximately 3.3 million tonnes across Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands in early 2026. Belgium alone held around 800,000 tonnes in storage without buyers.
Simplot, a privately held, family-owned food and agriculture company headquartered in Boise, Idaho, operates across nine countries and acquired Clarebout's five European production sites to expand its global footprint. The acquisition brought Simplot's total number of food production facilities to 23 worldwide, adding the five European locations to its existing 18 sites.
Clarebout Group operates five production sites in Europe and directly employs more than 3,000 people across Belgium and France. The potential closure of the Mouscron facility represents a significant blow to the local workforce and highlights the ongoing restructuring pressures facing European food processors as they adapt to changing market conditions and increased international competition.
