Katya Schwenk

In this moment of frustration, he's like, it's happening in this way that looks really a lot like price fixing. I'm going to go online and write some tweets about it. The tweets go viral. And then no one really talks about it for, you know, a couple of years.

Two years later, Josh's tweets show up cited in this, like, series of private lawsuits calling out price fixing in this frozen potato industry. Huh. So, you know, but, you know, he was not the only one to have been harmed by this because all of these lawsuits are being brought with the help of, you know, these...

Two years later, Josh's tweets show up cited in this, like, series of private lawsuits calling out price fixing in this frozen potato industry. Huh. So, you know, but, you know, he was not the only one to have been harmed by this because all of these lawsuits are being brought with the help of, you know, these...

Two years later, Josh's tweets show up cited in this, like, series of private lawsuits calling out price fixing in this frozen potato industry. Huh. So, you know, but, you know, he was not the only one to have been harmed by this because all of these lawsuits are being brought with the help of, you know, these...

Antitrust lawyers buy grocery store chains, restaurants, food suppliers all around the country who are saying, like, these prices are going up, they're going up in lockstep, and it's hurting our bottom lines.

Antitrust lawyers buy grocery store chains, restaurants, food suppliers all around the country who are saying, like, these prices are going up, they're going up in lockstep, and it's hurting our bottom lines.

Antitrust lawyers buy grocery store chains, restaurants, food suppliers all around the country who are saying, like, these prices are going up, they're going up in lockstep, and it's hurting our bottom lines.

These are companies that are a little bit behind the scenes. Their names are Lamb Weston Holdings, Cavendish Farms. Probably you're unfamiliar with them if you are a layperson.

These are companies that are a little bit behind the scenes. Their names are Lamb Weston Holdings, Cavendish Farms. Probably you're unfamiliar with them if you are a layperson.

These are companies that are a little bit behind the scenes. Their names are Lamb Weston Holdings, Cavendish Farms. Probably you're unfamiliar with them if you are a layperson.

OK, yeah. You know, like they are often part of bigger agricultural conglomerates. in the case of Cavendish Farms. But, you know, these are not big brand name companies because they're not usually selling their products to consumers at the grocery store. You're not going to be going to buy your frozen French fries.

OK, yeah. You know, like they are often part of bigger agricultural conglomerates. in the case of Cavendish Farms. But, you know, these are not big brand name companies because they're not usually selling their products to consumers at the grocery store. You're not going to be going to buy your frozen French fries.

OK, yeah. You know, like they are often part of bigger agricultural conglomerates. in the case of Cavendish Farms. But, you know, these are not big brand name companies because they're not usually selling their products to consumers at the grocery store. You're not going to be going to buy your frozen French fries.

They have sort of this niche of the market where they are buying potatoes from growers and then they are preparing those, pre-preparing those potatoes and selling them mostly to big restaurant chains. Presumably this is, you know, free market. They're competing with each other.

They have sort of this niche of the market where they are buying potatoes from growers and then they are preparing those, pre-preparing those potatoes and selling them mostly to big restaurant chains. Presumably this is, you know, free market. They're competing with each other.

They have sort of this niche of the market where they are buying potatoes from growers and then they are preparing those, pre-preparing those potatoes and selling them mostly to big restaurant chains. Presumably this is, you know, free market. They're competing with each other.

In reality, what the lawsuits allege is that because this market is so, so consolidated, it sort of allowed these companies to sort of collude tacitly to fix prices by feeding their information into this data sharing platform that allows them to share confidential information about prices. Yes, it's actually called Potato Track, if you can believe that.

In reality, what the lawsuits allege is that because this market is so, so consolidated, it sort of allowed these companies to sort of collude tacitly to fix prices by feeding their information into this data sharing platform that allows them to share confidential information about prices. Yes, it's actually called Potato Track, if you can believe that.

In reality, what the lawsuits allege is that because this market is so, so consolidated, it sort of allowed these companies to sort of collude tacitly to fix prices by feeding their information into this data sharing platform that allows them to share confidential information about prices. Yes, it's actually called Potato Track, if you can believe that.

Yeah, so that has done a lot to reduce competition in this market.