Buxton, North Dakota-based NoKota Packers Inc. celebrated its 45th anniversary as it closed out a successful year and launched a new logo on Jan. 1.
Founded in 1979, NoKota Packers shipped 220,000 hundredweight of potatoes and employed 18 employees in their first season. Forty-five years later, the company has more than doubled in size – working with nine different growing operations and shipping more than 600,000 hundredweight of potatoes.
“For 45 years, we have been known to provide the best spuds in our area. We decided that celebrating this important milestone is the right time to reveal a new logo that reflects the new ownership and the advancements NoKota Packers has made,” said Carissa Olsen, president and CEO.
“We simplified the look and added Buxton, North Dakota, to honor our location in the Red River Valley. The maroon/red color honors the tradition of our red potatoes, the green signifies the plant and sustainability and the updated font gives it a modern look and feel.”
Last year was pivotal for NoKota Packers, as the company completed significant projects, allowing it to produce more finished products each day while expanding its capacity for improved efficiencies, grower opportunities and profits. The projects included updating a 20-year-old packaging line, adding a robotic stacker to the end of the two main packing lines and updating the optical sorter on the wash line.
To continue growing and maintaining a supply of quality potatoes, NoKota plans to invest in technology and automation while exploring opportunities for possible expansion in the future. In addition to the success of these projects, NoKota reported that 2024 was an ideal growing season in the Red River Valley, with average and above-average yields and quality after several dry years.
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About NoKota Packers
NoKota Packers is a third-generation packer and shipper of red potatoes in the Red River Valley with a reputation for superior quality and service. With a state-of-the-art facility in Buxton, North Dakota, and sales connections in the Red River Valley, Central Minnesota and Fresh Solutions Network national partner locations, NoKota Packers’ customers span all segments of the potato category, from retail to wholesale, food service and re-packers.