Ore-Ida Turns Ski Slopes Into French Fry Territory

From pizza to French fries, Ore-Ida celebrates skiing’s most iconic milestone with a playful new collaboration built for the slopes and the lodge

As winter sports take over the season and attention shifts to the slopes, Ore-Ida is tapping into that iconic ski phrase and transporting its famous crinkle-cut fries from the freezer aisle to the frozen mountains. Ore-Ida has partnered with premium ski brand Fischer Sports to launch Ore-Ida French Fry Skis, a limited-edition collaboration inspired by the brand’s unmistakable fries and a term every skier knows by heart.

Ski culture comes with its own set of unofficial rites of passage. From surviving that first chairlift ride without panic to confidently dropping into a black diamond, every skier remembers the moment they graduate from “pizza” to “French fry.” That transition marks the leap from beginner to confident cruiser, when parallel skis replace the wedge and the mountain suddenly feels far less intimidating.

Personally, I am firmly in the après-ski camp. Let the thrill seekers hike uphill, weave through trees, and dodge other skiers at top speed. I will be settled comfortably inside the lodge with a hot cup of coffee, happily borrowing the free Wi-Fi, and cheering from a safe, heated distance. In my ideal winter setup, there are fries on the table, plenty of ketchup for dipping, and a clear view of loved ones skiing their hearts out.

Created to bring Ore-Ida’s signature crisp to the mountain, the skis feature bold crinkle-cut ridges, a golden fry-inspired design, and a ketchup-red backdrop that feels equally at home on the slopes, in the lodge, or across social media. Built with Fischer’s trusted performance engineering, the skis balance playful food branding with real downhill capability. Since “French fry” is already part of everyday ski language as shorthand for parallel skiing, Ore-Ida is celebrating this milestone with a design inspired by the real thing.

“For over 70 years, Ore-Ida has set the standard in the freezer aisle and has remained focused on always getting potatoes right,” said Claire Lukaszewski, Senior Brand Manager at Ore-Ida. “French Fry Skis are a fun, unexpected way to take our golden, crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside fries from the frozen aisle to the frozen slopes and celebrate a moment every skier remembers.”

Skiing has a long and fascinating history that stretches back more than 8,000 years, tracing its roots to the Old Norse word meaning “split wood.” Originally developed as a practical method of winter transportation, skiing gradually evolved into one of the world’s most popular winter sports. Today, modern skiing pushes the limits of speed and performance, with downhill records exceeding 158 miles per hour.

The sport even carries a quirky linguistic distinction. “Skiing” is the only six-letter word in the English language with a double “i” in the middle, a result of “ski” being a loanword from Norwegian combined with the standard English suffix “-ing.” It is a small detail that reflects skiing’s deep Scandinavian origins.

Skiing’s rise in Europe owes much to Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, who was an enthusiastic skier and helped popularize the sport in the Swiss Alps. His 1894 article, An Alpine Pass on Ski, introduced many English readers to skiing and framed it as both an adventurous and accessible winter pursuit. Adding to skiing’s cultural lore, St. Bernard of Montjoux became the patron saint of skiers, inspiring the iconic rescue dogs that remain synonymous with alpine safety.

Today, France stands at the center of global ski tourism, home to the world’s largest interconnected ski areas and consistently ranking among the most visited ski destinations worldwide. From ancient transportation to high-speed competition and modern resort culture, skiing’s evolution continues to shape how people experience winter on the slopes.

So what better mascot for a perfectly crinkled French fry than an Ore-Ida potato on skis? Hailing from the Oregon-Idaho border, where powder days and potatoes are basically a lifestyle, Ore-Ida’s collaboration with Fischer Sports slides straight back to its roots. With French Fry Skis hitting the slopes in the very states where Ore-Ida was born, the message is as clear as a fresh snowfall. Whether you’re carving turns like a pro or parked in the lodge with a basket of fries, winter skiing is always better with a generous side of ketchup. Honestly, it’s elementary—ski, fry, repeat.