Few foods inspire as much universal joy as a perfectly crisp French Fry. But behind that simple pleasure is a sophisticated production line—and Cornell® pumps move nearly every fry along the way. From the world’s best-known quick-service restaurants to major processors, our pumps keep the potato-to-fry journey flowing smoothly.
From Spud to Superstar: How Cornell Pumps Power the Process
Cornell pumps handle raw, unpeeled potatoes right from receiving—gently transferring whole tubers to wash and peel tanks, without causing damage.
- Gentle Transfer & Washing
• Stainless-steel pumps convey sliced potatoes through wash and blanch tanks without bruising. - Blanching & Par-Fry Circulation
• High-efficiency hydraulics maintain precise temperatures and flow rates, ensuring even cook and color. - Oil Filtration & Recirculation
• Cornell’s enclosed-impeller designs tolerate starch and crumb load while keeping oil clean for consistent flavor.
Why Processors Choose Cornell
- Efficiency That Pays – Greater energy savings versus typical food-industry pumps lowers operating costs across thousands of production hours.
- Durability Under Load – Heavy-wall volutes and investment-cast, 304/316 SS impellers resist erosion from starch and salt.
- Hygienic by Design – USDA- and FDA-compliant materials, optional gasketed casings, and readily drainable housings support stringent food-safety standards.
- Rapid Serviceability – Cartridge mechanical seals and back-pull-out construction keep downtime to an absolute minimum—vital during peak production seasons.
Did You Know? Fry-Day Facts
- The average American eats ~30 lb of French fries per year.
- A leading quick-service chain (hint: famous for golden arches) serves over 9 million pounds of fries every single day—all processed with Cornell pumps somewhere along the line.
- Thomas Jefferson helped popularize fries in the U.S.. He reportedly served “potatoes served in the French manner” at a White House dinner in the early 1800s after encountering them in France.
- J.R. Simplot pioneered the frozen French fry in 1946
- Today, food processors utilize thousands of Cornell RB and H-Series pumps for wash water, blancher circulation, and oil handling.
Keep Your Line Fry-Day-Ready
Whether you’re ramping up for seasonal demand or optimizing an existing plant, Cornell’s food-processing Industrial distributors can help you reduce energy consumption, extend component life, and safeguard product quality.
We’re writing this blog on the 11th—we’ll be enjoying them at home, ourselves on the official French Fry Day, July 13th.
Learn more about Cornell Food process and hot oil pumps: https://www.cornellpump.com/markets/food-process/
