When it comes to the frozen broccoli market, the top suppliers of frozen broccoli are China, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, Spain, Poland and Peru. Spain is the largest producer of frozen broccoli in the EU, almost doubling production in the last 14 years, bringing it to 111,000 tonnes.
Chinese production has been steadily on the rise over the past five years, with an estimated growth of 20%, accounting for half of the world’s broccoli production.
According to data released by the Spanish association of frozen vegetables producers (ASEVEC) in 2015, around 93% (103,000 tonnes) of the total frozen production was exported. Broccoli production ranked on top of the list of frozen vegetables followed by green peas (96,000 tonnes) peppers (83,300 tonnes), cauliflower (35,000 tonnes) and spinach (34,000). When it comes to frozen specialities, broccoli ranks second, right after mixed frozen products, taking a 13% volume share of the total production.
Frozen vegetables are especially important in the European market. Even though this sector is diversifying its pallet of frozen vegetables, the traditional favorites remain broccoli, green beans and peas.
"Demand for the frozen private label broccoli is on the rise, and producers are competing to supply the best quality products on the market, as well as complying with the high food safety regulations. In order to achieve excellent final results for products destined for supermarket sales, frozen broccoli producers need superior freezing equipment and techniques, capable of preserving the nutrients of the broccoli and its natural appearance," said Salina Liang from Octofrost Group.
Fragile vegetables like broccoli, are easily damaged and require gentle handling. The moment that broccoli is harvested, the respiration process begins, which means that the product will immediately start to lose water and release heat. This will have a negative impact on the nutritional values of the broccoli. Considering the entire time between transportation, quality control, handling and the moment the broccoli will reach the supermarket, it is highly possible that the product will lose more than half of the original amount of minerals and vitamins before it is consumed.
"It is no longer enough to just sell frozen vegetables to the market, but to offer a product that withholds its nutrients, natural appearance, premium quality, food safety and fair trade concerns, something which is especially important to European consumers. The EU is a major importer of frozen vegetables and even though the biggest consuming countries used to be Western Europeans, Eastern European countries are also picking up on this trend, due to the launch of more and more health-conscious and sustainable campaigns," Liang shared.
"This is why we at OctoFrost recommend IQF freezing on-site. IQF freezing is the most common method for freezing vegetables such as broccoli, with premium results, because the product will be individually quick frozen, preserving its natural shape, color and texture. By IQF freezing on-site, processors will achieve high quality IQF broccoli that will be sold at a premium price."
