Nepali French Fries Company to Expand Exports to UK, Japan and Australia

First Choice Foods Ltd, a Rupandehi-based potato processing company currently exporting French fries to the United States, is preparing to expand its export market to the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.

The company began production in mid-June 2025 and started exporting to the US within a few months. Encouraged by this progress, it is now planning to enter three additional markets by February, founder and executive chairperson Krishna Prasad Paudel told New Business Age. “We aim to begin shipments to the UK within mid-December, and to Japan and Australia by mid-February,” he said.

The company exports its products under the Himalayan Crisp brand. Its processing plant is located in Shuddhodhan–4, Rupandehi, and produces premium-quality French fries and other potato-based items.

Entry into the US market

Paudel said the company contacted a potential importer in the US through email in mid-September. To initiate the process, it sent around 2 kg of French fries to the United States for sample testing.

“The samples were sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for quality testing, and once they passed, we received the export order,” he said.

The sample testing alone cost around Rs 500,000–600,000. Under the agreement with the US importer, the company must supply 40 containers by mid-February to mid-March. So far, it has exported 42 tonnes, Paudel said.

Domestic market expansion

Although domestic demand for French fries is growing, the company has not yet found adequate institutional buyers. Interest in the product increased after news of its US exports surfaced, Paudel said. “We have now begun supplying to some five-star hotels and KFC outlets,” he added. He said Nepal lacks a culture of promoting locally-made products.

“Our products meet international quality standards, yet expanding in the domestic market remains challenging,” he said. “We are not demanding a ban on imported fries. We only want proper lab testing to ensure imported products are safe for consumption.”

The company currently uses mostly Nepali potatoes with some Indian supply. Paudel said that beginning next year, the plant aims to use only Nepali potatoes. The factory currently produces 2.5 tonnes of French fries per hour.

Initiative to increase domestic potato production

The company has launched an initiative to increase the supply of Nepali potatoes by supporting farmers in 26 districts. It is working with 35,000 farmers, providing training on potato cultivation, production methods and the use of machinery. “We buy the potatoes they produce, and since they are assured of both market and price, farmers are eager to join us,” Paudel said.

He said a new technology-driven potato farming project has begun in Tikapur, Kailali. With mechanized planting, labour costs decrease by 80 percent, he claimed. The company has taken 22 bighas of land belonging to Birendranagar Bidhya Mandir on lease to begin mechanized potato cultivation and has leased another 15 bighas from Tikapur Multiple Campus. From Tuesday, the company launched a campaign to train agriculture students in technology-based potato farming and seed production.

Proposal to develop Tikapur as a ‘potato hub’

Paudel said discussions have been held with the Sudurpashchim Province chief minister, vice-chair of the provincial planning commission and other officials on developing Tikapur as a “potato hub.” “We have proposed that the province provide 400–500 bighas of land from next year,” he said. “We will provide the technology and machinery, and we guarantee to purchase the potatoes at a fair price.”

The company currently imports machinery and technology from India. Paudel said the plant has been set up with an investment of Rs 2 billion.