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V O L . X X I I N O. V I M A R C H 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 16 Joined by several other Aroostook potato farmers, they created Naturally Potatoes in 1995. Two years and $15 mil- lion later they opened a state-of-the- art production facility in Mars Hill on the property McCrum had purchased with his father and brother two decades earlier. But just as the business was set for liftoff , it almost failed to get off the ground. e company's fi rst major cus- tomer, which had promised to buy fi ve truckloads of fresh-cut potatoes a week, backed out at the last minute. With bankruptcy a distinct possibil- ity, McCrum immediately hit the road in search of other customers. He eventually landed Hannaford as a buyer, saying it kept the company alive — but just barely. "Everyone has a plan," he says, "but things don't always go according to the plan. So you have to be willing to change. We're constantly pivoting in this company. We wouldn't be here today if we hadn't." Arguably the company's most important pivot — switching from cut potatoes to refrigerated mashed pota- toes as its chief product — came about with a timely investment from the Portland-based Libra Foundation that enabled Naturally Potatoes to retool its production line to capitalize on the greater consumer demand for mashed potatoes. At roughly the same time, Libra brought in former Bath Iron Works President Bill Haggett as CEO, telling McCrum to focus on sales and let them worry about the money. Between 2000 and 2005, the com- pany became profi table, posting double- digit increases in yearly sales, largely on the strength of national accounts. at success led to the 2005 acquisi- tion by Basic American Foods. But the California-based new owner soon became impatient with lagging sales and by 2010 sold Naturally Potatoes » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 1 8 » P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Rodney McCrum, president and COO of Pineland Farms Potoato Co., in his offi ce in Mars Hill. Pineland Farms Potato Co., Inc. 115 Presque Isle Road, Mars Hill Founded: 1995; production plant opened in 1997 President and COO: Rodney McCrum Employees: Just over 200 Sales: $50 million-plus in 2015, up 38% Contact: (800) 393-8126 www.pinelandpotatoes.com