How a McDonald's Potato Supplier Became the Savior of America's DRAM Industry
DynamicWebPaige · x · 2026-08-07
A historical tech recap highlights how Jack Simplot, a tycoon who once supplied over half of McDonald's potatoes, unexpectedly became a key figure in reviving America's memory chip industry.
When Silicon Valley pioneers like Andy Grove and Gordon Moore thought the memory business was completely over, Simplot—relying on his understanding of commodity cycles—invested $1 million into Micron during the industry's darkest hour, later pouring in millions more to successfully back DRAM chips.
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