Truly Frozen Strawberries

Truly Frozen Strawberries · IQF Separation · Export Supply

Truly Frozen Strawberries Defined by Product, Lot and Cold-Chain Evidence

We supply individually quick frozen strawberries by product form, size, grade, crop, Brix, packing and destination-market specification. Whole fruit, halves, slices, dices and processing-grade pieces are controlled as separate commercial products because their usable yield, visual performance and defect tolerances are different.

For us, truly frozen strawberries are not defined by a marketing phrase. They are defined by individually separated fruit, a written grade and defect standard, lot-specific test results, correct frozen packing and an uninterrupted cold chain. We serve importers, distributors, beverage and dairy processors, bakeries, jam factories, foodservice operators and private-label frozen fruit brands. We connect the signed specification, approved sample, production lot, COA, carton mark and shipment record so the delivered product can be assessed against one purchase standard.

Whole IQF berries showing frozen separation, hulling condition, color and size variation.

Compare the same usable form

Record the percentage of intact whole berries, broken fruit, fines and clumps. If one 22 MT container contains 5% more unusable pieces than another, that equals 1.10 MT of product that may not serve the intended presentation. Processing programs may accept those pieces, while retail whole-fruit programs may not.

Normalize pack and net weight

Compare net kilograms per carton, inner-bag count, carton dimensions, pallet status and quantity per reefer. A 10 kg bulk liner uses less packaging than ten 1 kg bags. Retail film, printing, coding and added seals should appear as defined cost elements rather than hidden specification differences.

Use one Incoterm and port

FOB Qingdao, CFR Rotterdam and CIF Jebel Ali are not comparable unit prices. Record the named port, included freight, insurance basis, free-time assumptions and quote validity. Ocean freight can change independently of strawberry crop cost, so the product and logistics portions should remain visible.

Price the required testing route

List the microbiological panel, residue analytes, heavy metals, virus tests, laboratory status, sampling frequency and certificate scope. An offer without the mandatory destination-market file is not equivalent to an offer that includes the test and release route.

Calculate exposure, not only product value

As a simple illustration, 22 MT at USD 1,500/MT equals USD 33,000 of FOB product value before freight, insurance, duties and destination handling. This arithmetic is not a current offer. Add the financial effect of rejection, rework, underweight packs, excessive drip, delayed documents or missed production before choosing the lowest quoted rate.

Lock the repeat-order reference

Store the signed specification, approved sample identification, artwork revision, COA format, carton mark and acceptance method together. Repeat pricing can then be discussed against the same product standard, making crop and freight movements visible without silently changing grade or packing.

Whole IQF

15–25 mm, 25–35 mm, 35 mm+ or uncalibrated. Whole berries command more when color, intact shape, hulling and uniform calibration are tight. Use for retail packs, foodservice, visible toppings and premium frozen fruit blends.

Halves

Cut lengthwise from suitable whole fruit. Halves provide visible fruit with lower unit size and more predictable portioning for desserts, yogurt cups, bakery toppings and foodservice.

Slices

7–9 mm, 8–10 mm, 10 mm or 12 mm thickness. Slice integrity and fines matter for bakery decoration, fruit preparations and visible layers.

Dices

10×10×10, 12×12×12 or 15×15×15 mm. Dices improve dosing into yogurt, ice cream, bakery fillings, beverages and industrial fruit systems; the order defines cut tolerance and fines.

Whole and broken

A controlled mix for smoothies, jam, sauce and puree where intact appearance is secondary. Define the whole/broken ratio, minimum particle size and allowable fines.

Crumbles / puree grade

Cost-focused material for further comminution. It remains sound fruit and free from decay and foreign material; it is not a disposal grade. Brix, seed level and particle range can be specified.

Whole hulled IQF strawberries showing fruit integrity, frozen separation and normal crop variation.

Frozen strawberry halves showing cut direction, internal color and fruit integrity.

A caliper check shows how whole-berry diameter can be assessed against the contracted range.

Size acceptance

For calibrated whole fruit, our baseline is at least 90% by count within the stated diameter band. Up to 10% may fall outside the band unless the signed specification is tighter. For dices and slices, conformity is assessed by weight and the order states the nominal cut, acceptable dimension range and fines limit.

The sample approval should use the same grade, crop direction and pack as the proposed bulk supply. A photograph alone cannot define drip loss, softness, Brix or hidden cut damage.

Strawberries shown in a stainless steel washing stage before freezing and final grading.

Chemical and residue limits

Lead: ≤0.20 mg/kg wet weight for the EU-oriented strawberry baseline

Cadmium: ≤0.030 mg/kg wet weight for the EU-oriented strawberry baseline

Pesticide residues: each active substance must comply with the destination-market MRL. For EU orders, the default 0.01 mg/kg applies where no specific MRL is set.

A residue report lists the tested analytes and the result for each one. We do not replace analyte-level reporting with a blanket marketing claim. Norovirus and hepatitis A testing can be added when the buyer's risk plan or market program requires it.

Manual strawberry inspection for color, hulling condition, damaged fruit and visible foreign material.

Detection does not replace sorting

Optical sorting can help identify color or shape differences, while metal detection or X-ray addresses defined physical hazards. Manual inspection, washing, hulling and process hygiene remain necessary because one machine does not control every strawberry defect.

The quotation identifies the requested detection standard and test-piece sizes when the buyer has a private requirement. The release record links that control to the production lot.

Certificate scope matters to price and route

BRCGS, HACCP, ISO, Kosher, Halal, organic project documents or FDA-related compliance files are supplied only within the selected facility and product scope. Organic price is quoted against a certified product route and available crop, not by adding an organic word to a conventional lot.

State mandatory certificates and customer audit requirements in the first RFQ. Changing the required factory route after price agreement can alter availability, testing cost and lead time.

A bulk strawberry carton shown during a net-weight check near the 10 kg packing target.

General frozen-fruit container loading; the image is not represented as a strawberry-only shipment.

Retail frozen fruit

Whole calibration, bright color, low breakage, low clumping and clean hulling justify the cost. Printed film, retail net weight and visual bag presentation also enter the quote.

Yogurt and dairy

Dices or fruit-preparation pieces reduce cutting loss. Brix, pH, particle size, drip and microbiological limits matter more than whole-berry appearance.

Beverage and smoothie

Whole-and-broken or processing grade can provide better ingredient economics when the fruit is blended. Define Brix, color and usable yield.

Bakery and dessert

Halves, slices or dices should be selected by visible piece requirement, bake stability, drip, fines and pack size instead of by the lowest whole-fruit price.

Jam, sauce and puree

Processing-grade pieces can reduce raw-material cost. Soundness, Brix, acidity, color, foreign material and puree yield remain contractual controls.

Foodservice

1 kg or 2.5 kg working bags balance labor, portioning and open-pack handling. Whole, half or sliced form is priced against presentation needs.

1. What information is needed to quote IQF strawberries?

State form, size, grade, Brix, defect limits, pack, quantity, destination, Incoterm, shipment period, test panel and certificate scope. We return a dated specification-linked quotation with a validity period.

2. How is whole IQF strawberry grade defined?

We define whole-fruit grade through diameter, intact-fruit percentage, hulling, red color, Brix, blemishes, underripe and overripe fruit, clumps, calyx pieces and foreign-material limits. Numeric criteria matter more than the grade name alone.

3. Which whole strawberry sizes are available?

Common bands are 15–25 mm, 25–35 mm and 35 mm+. Uncalibrated whole fruit is also available for applications that do not need a narrow visual size.

4. Can you quote diced and sliced frozen strawberries?

Yes. Dices include 10×10×10, 12×12×12 and 15×15×15 mm. Slice options include 10 and 12 mm thickness, with cut tolerance and fines written into the offer.

5. What Brix, pH and acidity ranges apply?

Our standard unsweetened range is 7–11° Brix, with a 7.5° minimum option. Formula programs can use pH 3.0–4.0 and titratable acidity 0.6–1.2% as citric acid. The COA shows the corresponding production-lot Actual Result when these lines are contracted.

6. Is Grade A the same for every supplier?

No. We attach Grade A to measurable limits for intact fruit, broken fruit, blemishes, uncolored fruit, clumps, calyx/stalk and foreign material. Use those figures when comparing offers.

7. Can processing-grade strawberry lower ingredient cost?

Yes, when the finished process crushes, blends or purees the fruit. Processing grade still excludes decay, mould, fermentation and hazardous foreign material and uses an agreed particle or whole/broken range.

8. Do you provide a lot-specific COA?

Yes. The COA identifies the production lot and separates each contractual limit from the actual physical, Brix, pH, microbiological or chemical result measured for that lot.

9. What residue and heavy-metal limits are used?

Each pesticide analyte follows the destination-market MRL; for EU orders the default is 0.01 mg/kg where no specific MRL is set. Our EU-oriented strawberry baseline is Pb ≤0.20 mg/kg and Cd ≤0.030 mg/kg wet weight. A stricter private standard can be added to the contract.

10. What bulk and retail packs can you quote?

Common formats are 1×10 kg, 4×2.5 kg, 10×1 kg and 20×500 g. We also quote 20 lb, 40 lb and approved private-label bag configurations.

11. What is the MOQ and lead time?

The standard MOQ is 10 MT. Normal lead time is 15–21 days after deposit and release of product and packing files; printed retail material or special testing can require more time.

12. Can strawberries be mixed with other frozen fruit in one container?

Yes, compatible frozen products can be planned from approximately 3–5 MT per SKU. Carton dimensions, stock, facility route, temperature and document requirements must fit the same loading plan.

13. Do you offer private-label frozen strawberries?

Yes. We price product, printed film, inner-pack count, artwork, barcode, carton marks, label language, inspection level and packing-material MOQ as one controlled OEM program.

14. What storage and shelf life apply?

Keep IQF strawberries continuously frozen at or below −18°C. Shelf life is 24 months from production under the agreed frozen chain; thawing and refreezing can increase clumping, drip and texture damage.

Request an IQF Strawberry Specification and Quote

Send: whole/half/slice/dice/broken form; size; Premium A+, Grade A or processing grade; Brix/pH target; defect limits; pack; quantity; destination port; FOB/CFR/CIF basis; shipment month; required certificates and reports; private-label details; pallet or mixed-load plan.

We will return a specification-linked quotation with unit basis, packing, MOQ, indicative loading, lead time, payment term, price validity and document scope.