BOISE, Idaho (Reuters) - J.R. Simplot, the billionaire founder of the Idaho-based agriculture business that bears his name and who helped make French fries a staple of the American diet and waistline, died on Sunday at the age of 99, officials said.
After pioneering the first commercial frozen French fry in the late 1940s, Simplot eventually became a major supplier of Idaho potatoes to McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's. His privately held company, where he was chairman emeritus, reported $3.3 billion in sales in 2006.
An official at the Ada County Coroner's office said Simplot died at home on Sunday morning of natural causes.
The king of french fries dead at 99
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Re: The king of french fries dead at 99
Nice editorializing, jerkweeds.who helped make French fries a staple of the American diet and waistline,
