Ore-Ida
American frozen potato foods brand best known for Tater Tots and frozen fries.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Ore-Ida is an American frozen-food brand specializing in potato products, particularly frozen French fries, Tater Tots, hash browns, potato wedges, and related prepared foods. The brand originated in eastern Oregon and takes its name from the first syllables of Oregon and Idaho, the two states closely associated with its early agricultural and manufacturing operations. The business behind Ore-Ida grew out of the Grigg family's agricultural activities. Francis Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg began cultivating sweet corn in eastern Oregon in 1934, eventually building a substantial corn-distribution operation. In 1949, the brothers, with financial support from their brother-in-law Otis Williams, rented a frozen-food plant in Ontario, Oregon. They converted the facility from general frozen-food processing to potato processing, establishing the foundation of the company that later became known for the Ore-Ida name. The partners acquired the plant after it went into foreclosure, and the enterprise was formally organized as Oregon Frozen Foods Company around 1952. The company initially sold frozen corn and French fries. Its defining innovation arrived in 1953, when the Griggs and Williams developed a bite-sized potato product made from seasoned potato shavings left over from French-fry production. The product was named Tater Tots after a naming contest involving employees and acquaintances. The format turned an inexpensive processing by-product into a distinctive national consumer product and became Ore-Ida's best-known offering. Production expanded geographically during the 1960s. A second plant was built in Burley, Idaho, in 1960, while the Ore-Ida name and visual identity emphasized the connection between Oregon and Idaho. The company went public in 1961 and was acquired by the H. J. Heinz Company in 1965. Heinz developed the long-running advertising line “When it says Ore-Ida, it’s All Righta,” helping establish the brand as a familiar packaged-food name in the United States. Over subsequent decades, Ore-Ida operated within Heinz's frozen-food portfolio while its manufacturing and distribution structure changed. McCain Foods acquired Ore-Ida's foodservice division in 1997, including five facilities, among them the Burley plant. Ore-Ida's divisional headquarters had been in Boise before Heinz consolidated its frozen-food division at the company's Pittsburgh headquarters in 1999. The brand remains owned by Kraft Heinz following the 2015 merger of Kraft Foods Group and H. J. Heinz. In 2022, the Boise-based J.R. Simplot Company acquired the Ontario, Oregon facility. Kraft Heinz retained the Ore-Ida brand and arranged for production by Simplot under a long-term agreement. Thus, the brand continues to be associated with the Ontario site even though the facility is no longer owned by Kraft Heinz. Ore-Ida has also been used as a platform for adjacent convenience-food products. Just Crack an Egg, introduced in 2018, combined Ore-Ida potato pieces with other Kraft Heinz brands in microwaveable breakfast kits. Bagel Bites was formerly marketed through Ore-Ida and is now marketed by Kraft Heinz separately from the core potato portfolio. The brand has also appeared in sports sponsorships, including cycling and NASCAR, and in 2025 used a family connection to promote an NCAA basketball-related name adaptation, “Ore-Richie.”
History
Ore-Ida traces its origins to the Grigg family's agricultural and food-distribution activities in eastern Oregon. Francis Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg began growing sweet corn in 1934 and developed Grigg Brothers into a major distributor. In 1949, the brothers and their brother-in-law Otis Williams rented a frozen-food plant in Ontario, Oregon, near the Idaho border. They converted it into a potato-processing operation, later purchasing the plant after foreclosure. The company was formally established as Oregon Frozen Foods Company around 1952. The early business produced frozen corn and French fries. In 1953, Francis and Golden Grigg, Otis Williams, and Ross Grigg created a small, seasoned potato product from shavings left after cutting French fries. A naming contest led to the name Tater Tots. The product transformed a production remainder into a commercially important item and eventually became the brand's signature offering. Ore-Ida expanded in 1960 by constructing a second plant in Burley, Idaho. The brand name combined parts of Oregon and Idaho, and its early logo reinforced that geographic identity. The company became publicly traded in 1961 and was acquired by H. J. Heinz Company in 1965. Heinz integrated Ore-Ida into its frozen-food activities and promoted it with the slogan “When it says Ore-Ida, it’s All Righta.” The business later experienced changes in divisional organization and manufacturing ownership. McCain Foods bought the Ore-Ida foodservice division in 1997, including five plants and the Burley facility. Ore-Ida's divisional headquarters moved from Boise as Heinz established a frozen-food division based at its Pittsburgh corporate headquarters in 1999. Following the formation of Kraft Heinz in 2015, Ore-Ida continued as a Kraft Heinz-owned brand. The company broadened its use of the brand beyond core frozen potatoes, including the 2018 launch of Just Crack an Egg, a microwave breakfast kit built around Ore-Ida potato pieces and ingredients from other Kraft Heinz brands. Bagel Bites, once associated with Ore-Ida marketing and production, is now marketed by Kraft Heinz as a separate brand. In 2022, J.R. Simplot acquired the Ontario facility that had been central to Ore-Ida's history. The transaction did not transfer the Ore-Ida brand: Kraft Heinz retained ownership and arranged for Simplot to manufacture products under a long-term agreement. Ore-Ida therefore remains a Kraft Heinz brand with deep historical links to Ontario, Oregon, while its principal production relationship is now with Simplot. The brand has maintained visibility through food marketing and sports sponsorships, including cycling, NASCAR, and a 2025 NIL activation connected to BYU basketball player Richie Saunders.
- 2025
Ore-Richie basketball promotion
[1]Ore-Ida used an NIL partnership with BYU player Richie Saunders, a descendant of co-founder Francis Nephi Grigg, for a campaign tied to the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
- 2022
Simplot acquires Ontario production facility
[1]J.R. Simplot acquired the Ontario, Oregon plant, while Kraft Heinz retained the Ore-Ida brand and arranged continued production under a long-term agreement.
- 2018
Just Crack an Egg launches
[1]Kraft Heinz introduced a microwave breakfast kit combining Ore-Ida potatoes with meat and cheese ingredients.
- 1999
Frozen-food division is based in Pittsburgh
[1]Heinz established a new frozen-food division at its Pittsburgh corporate headquarters, ending the previous Boise-based divisional arrangement.
- 1997
McCain acquires the foodservice division
[1]McCain Foods purchased Ore-Ida's foodservice division and five plants, including the Burley facility.
- 1965
Heinz acquires Ore-Ida
[1]The H. J. Heinz Company acquired the Ore-Ida business and incorporated it into its branded food portfolio.
- 1961
Company goes public
[1]The company behind Ore-Ida became publicly traded.
- 1960
Burley, Idaho plant opens
[1]The company built a second production plant in Burley, Idaho, strengthening the Oregon-Idaho identity reflected in the Ore-Ida name.
- 1953
Tater Tots are created
[1]The company introduced bite-sized seasoned potato pieces made from leftovers of French-fry production. A contest produced the Tater Tots name.
- 1952
Oregon Frozen Foods Company is formally established
[1]The partners acquired the Ontario plant after foreclosure and formally established the company that developed the Ore-Ida brand.
Products and positioning
A mainstream American frozen-potato brand positioned around convenient, familiar, family-oriented side dishes and the distinctive Tater Tots format.
Frozen potato side dish · 1953
Tater Tots
Tater Tots are small cylindrical portions made from seasoned shredded or finely cut potato. Created in 1953 as a way to use potato remnants from French-fry production, they became Ore-Ida's defining product and one of the most recognizable branded frozen potato formats in the United States.
Frozen potato side dish · 1949
Frozen French fries
Frozen French fries were among the company's original products when the Ontario, Oregon operation shifted toward potato processing. Ore-Ida's consumer range has included prepared fries designed for home cooking, making the brand a convenience-oriented alternative to preparing potatoes from scratch.
Frozen potato foods
Hash browns and other frozen potato sides
Ore-Ida's broader frozen-potato portfolio includes hash browns, potato wedges, and related prepared side dishes. These products extend the brand's central proposition—ready-to-cook potato foods—across breakfast, meal accompaniment, and snack occasions.
Frozen breakfast kit · 2018
Just Crack an Egg
Just Crack an Egg was introduced under the Ore-Ida line as a microwaveable breakfast preparation kit. Its flagship format combined Ore-Ida cubed potatoes with Oscar Mayer breakfast meat and Kraft cheese; the consumer added an egg before stirring and heating the mixture.
Frozen snack
Bagel Bites
Bagel Bites are frozen pizza bagel snacks that were formerly marketed and manufactured in association with Ore-Ida. The product is now marketed by Kraft Heinz as a separate brand rather than as a core Ore-Ida potato offering.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025Ore-Richie
United States
Ore-Ida partnered with BYU basketball player Richie Saunders through an NIL arrangement. Because Saunders's great-grandfather was co-founder Francis Nephi Grigg, the brand planned to use the temporary “Ore-Richie” name during BYU's 2025 NCAA tournament participation.
Outcome. Created a family-history-led sports activation around the brand's Oregon roots.
- 2007Wood Brothers Racing sponsorship
United States
Ore-Ida and Heinz, together with Delimex, sponsored the number 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford in selected NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events driven by Jon Wood and Bill Elliott.
Outcome. Provided additional national exposure through motorsports.
- 2005NASCAR Busch Series sponsorship
United States
Ore-Ida sponsored Brian Vickers's number 57 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2005 and 2006.
Outcome. Expanded the brand's motorsports visibility.
- 1980Ore-Ida Women's Challenge
United States
Ore-Ida sponsored a women's road-cycling race during the 1980s and 1990s.
Outcome. Connected the brand with organized sports sponsorship.
- 1965When it says Ore-Ida, it’s All Righta
United States
Heinz developed the long-running slogan “When it says Ore-Ida, it’s All Righta” to reinforce the brand's name recognition and quality positioning after the acquisition.
Outcome. Became a durable part of the brand's advertising identity.
Brand decisions
2022
Ontario facility transferred to J.R. SimplotM&ABackground
The Ontario, Oregon facility had long been associated with Ore-Ida's history and production.
Action taken
J.R. Simplot acquired the facility, while Kraft Heinz retained the Ore-Ida trademark and brand ownership under a long-term manufacturing arrangement.
Aftermath
Ore-Ida remained a Kraft Heinz brand while manufacturing responsibility for the historic Ontario site moved to Simplot.
2018
Launch of Just Crack an EggProduct launchBackground
Kraft Heinz sought to extend Ore-Ida's potato expertise into a convenient, single-serve breakfast format.
Action taken
Kraft Heinz introduced microwaveable kits containing Ore-Ida potatoes and other Kraft Heinz branded ingredients.
Aftermath
The product reportedly sold 21.7 million cups and generated $50.7 million in first-year sales.
First-year sales. $50.7 million (First year after the 2018 launch)
1997
Sale of foodservice division to McCain FoodsM&ABackground
Heinz reorganized the business while retaining the consumer brand.
Action taken
McCain Foods purchased the Ore-Ida foodservice division and five plants, including the Burley facility.
Aftermath
The transaction separated the foodservice operations from the continuing consumer-facing Ore-Ida brand.
1965
Acquisition by H. J. Heinz CompanyM&ABackground
Ore-Ida had become an established frozen-food business after expanding production and becoming publicly traded.
Action taken
H. J. Heinz Company acquired the Ore-Ida business.
Aftermath
Ore-Ida became part of Heinz's branded frozen-food portfolio and received a long-running national advertising platform.
1953
Create Tater Tots from potato-processing remnantsProduct launchBackground
The company had potato shavings remaining after producing French fries and sought a commercially useful product format for them.
Action taken
The founders developed seasoned, bite-sized potato logs and introduced them under the Tater Tots name.
Aftermath
Tater Tots became Ore-Ida's signature product and the central symbol of its brand identity.
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