Freezing food is an excellent way to retain the freshness of your product for far longer than typical. Despite this, a great many industrial distributors and bulk buyers are unaware of the numerous benefits that frozen food has over fresh or stock cupboard produce.
This is particularly true of IQF, or Individually Quick Frozen foods.
IQF foods are different from other frozen foods because each individual component is frozen. Think of loose peas, or corn, where the vegetables are frozen individually, rather than frozen together as one icy slab.
Check out the top five benefits of utilizing IQF.
1. The Obvious Benefit: Preservation
In addition to maintaining freshness, a top benefit of frozen foods you’re likely aware of is the preservative quality of freezing.
Frozen foods last in storage considerably longer than fresh goods. This is a vital trait for a bulk buyer or distribution company, as it means that your products will be preserved for a longer period of time.
Take, for example, perishable fruits and berries, such as raspberries. Freezing them could increase their shelf life for up to six months. This is beneficial if they are preserved through IQF methods, as it can be easy to portion out single berries into orders.
Provided you have enough frozen storage space to keep your frozen foods, this preservative quality makes them more desirable than selling fresh goods. It also means you will be reducing your overall food waste.
2. Using Frozen Foods Can Make Your Food More Nutritious for Customers
If you’re a chain restaurant, industrial food manufacturer, or a foodservice distributor, you might be put off at the idea of using frozen produce because of myths surrounding frozen food nutrition.
But the truth is that certain foods are more nutritionally beneficial for your customers if they’ve been frozen.
This is because frozen food is still fresh. As long as it is defrosted appropriately, it is as healthy as using fresh produce.
This means that frozen foods are often free of other preservatives, excess salt, or sodium which can be found in certain fresh goods. Frozen foods also retain all vitamins and minerals. This makes frozen vegetables, in particular, a healthy option despite the freezing process.
At SunLeaf Foods we sell various IQF vegetable packs that retain their nutritional benefits. As above, the IQF freezing method also makes it far easier to portion out ingredients for restaurants during service!
3. IQF Foods Are Cheaper
Many publications have commented on how frozen food is a cheaper alternative than fresh for individuals. Well, the same is true for bulk buyers!
This is where IQF products also show how superior they are to frozen goods. The ability to separate frozen products makes the usually challenging process of portioning frozen goods infinitely easier, as it’s been done already!
This can be beneficial for distributors as well as restaurants. You’re able to purchase several different IQF products, then combine them together into your own distribution packs.
This can be a cost-effective way to create a frozen fruit salad mix or a batch of mixed IQF potatoes. Though regular frozen goods are still cheaper, there are numerous other benefits to IQF products that make them a better option for companies.
4. Frozen Fruits and Frozen Vegetables Are Always in Season
Thanks to the preservative qualities of frozen foods, you can keep them fresh no matter the season. This is essential for seasonal produce, such as fruit and vegetables.
Let’s say you’re a restaurant that operates the same menu all year round. Or, you could be a distributor that always deals in the same produce.
You need tomatoes for your dishes, but they are only fresh for four months of the year. If you’re relying on fresh food, that means for two-thirds of the year you have no tomatoes to use or sell.
With frozen foods, that’s no longer a concern. Tomatoes can be grown and picked in season, then frozen and preserved for months longer than they would normally. Then, once defrosted, they will retain their seasonal freshness.
You no longer have to cater your menu or trading to seasons, as you can get fresh produce through IQF produce year-round!
5. The Quality Is Maintained
The most glaring point that must be made about frozen food is that the quality is just as high as fresh food. Many now argue that buying frozen fish assures better quality than if you buy it fresh.
For restaurants who rely on the quality of their ingredients, many might shy away from using frozen produce. But thanks to new ways of freezing, like IQF, the argument of fresh being better is no longer a valid one.
Frozen blueberries, as another example, can have a boost in antioxidants when compared with eating fresh. This example is one of many that proves frozen goods are just as, if not more viable, of a quality option for companies today.
Where Can I Find High-Quality Frozen Foods?
You’re already in the right place if you’re looking for quality frozen foods. Here at SunLeaf, we’re a chain supplier of quality fruit and vegetables for restaurants, distributors, and other bulk buyers.
We specialize in IQF foods that retain their freshness, nutritional benefits, and taste.
If you’re interested in purchasing our products or finding out more about IQF and our product list, the best thing to do is contact us directly. Just fill in the simple online form on our webpage and we’ll be in touch to let you know just how SunLeaf can benefit your company.
