Nepali Fries Maker to Ship Products to UK, Japan and Australia

Key Highlights

First Choice Foods to expand exports to three new regions
Ships to the US under Himalayan Crisp brand
Works with 35,000 farmers to grow more Nepali potatoes
Plans to help turn Tikapur into a potato hub

First Choice Foods, a potato processing company from Rupandehi, is getting ready to send its Himalayan Crisp fries to the UK, Japan and Australia. The company already exports to the United States and hopes to reach the new markets between mid-December and mid-February, said founder Krishna Prasad Paudel.

Exports built up fast

The plant began production in mid-June 2025 and moved into the US market only a few months later. Paudel said the team reached out to a possible US buyer through email in mid-September and sent a small batch of fries for testing. The samples went to the US Food and Drug Administration and once they passed the checks, the buyer placed an order.

Sample testing alone cost around Rs 500,000 to Rs 600,000. Under the deal, the company must deliver 40 containers by mid-February to mid-March. So far, 42 tonnes have been shipped.

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Growing at home but still facing gaps

While demand for fries is rising inside Nepal, the company says large buyers at home have been slow to sign up. After news broke about its US exports, more interest followed. The company now supplies some five-star hotels and KFC outlets.

Paudel said Nepal has not built a habit of promoting its own products even when they match global quality. He added that the company is not asking for limits on imported fries, only for proper lab checks so customers know what they are eating.

Working with farmers across districts

The plant currently uses mostly Nepali potatoes, along with some supply from India, but hopes to use only local potatoes from next year. It can produce 2.5 tonnes of fries per hour.

To make local supply stronger, the company is backing farmers in 26 districts. It works with 35,000 farmers, offering training on growing methods and the use of machines. The company buys their potatoes at a fixed rate, which Paudel says gives farmers steady confidence.

A new project in Tikapur, Kailali, uses machines for planting, which cuts labour costs. The company has leased land in Birendranagar Bidhya Mandir and Tikapur Multiple Campus to start mechanised farming. It has also begun training agriculture students on seed and crop production.

Plan for a potato hub in Tikapur

The company has spoken with Sudurpashchim officials about turning Tikapur into a potato hub. Paudel said they have proposed that the province set aside 400–500 bighas of land next year. The company would supply machines and buy the harvest at a fair price. The plant was built with an investment of Rs 2 billion and imports its machines from India.

If the company manages to enter all three new markets on time, it could open fresh demand for Nepali potatoes and support thousands of farmers.