Frozen Herbs Study30th May 2012

Eng. Omar Salah

Introduction:

• The main objective of the project is to develop the frozen herbs product in order to increase the added value of the produced herbs.

• Processing beyond the drying stage is usually undertaken in the consuming country (grinding, chopping, crushing..etc)

• Frozen Herbs Brings the Freshness and benefits of fresh herbs and the Availability and shelf-life of dry spices.

• Frozen herbs have developed market as replacements for the dried form and as a complement to fresh herbs.

Frozen Herbs List:

# Name

1 Anise يانسون

2 Basil ريحان

3 Bay Leaf(whole or

chopped)

الغارورق

4 Caraway ويةاكر

5 Chervil البقدونس

الفرنساوي

6 Chives اوراق البصل

7 Coriander كزبرة

8 Cress رشاد

9 Curry Leaves الكاريأوراق

10 Dill شبت

11 Fennel شمر

12 Fenugreek نباتحلبة

13 Lemongrass الليمون

# Name

14 Marjoram ردقوشب

15 Mint نعناع

16 Oregano توابل

17 Parsley البقدونس

18 Rosemary الجبلندى

19 Saffron زعفران

20 Sage المريمية

21 Savory صعتر

22 Sorrel حميض

23 Mustard خردل

24 Star anise الينسون

25 Tarragon الطرخوننبات

26 Thyme زعتر

Herbs List

• Egypt has a comparative advantage of produced herbs which is exported as raw material.

# Name

1 Anise يانسون

2 Basil ريحان

3 Parsley البقدونس

4 Caraway ويةاكر

5 Chervil البقدونس

الفرنساوي

6 Mint النعناع

7 Marjoram ردقوشب

8 Thymes زعتر

9 Dill شبت

10 Fennel شمر

Technological Freezing Methods

• Three main Technologies

1. Contact Freezing: After freezing product gets embedded inside ice. Freezing process takes hours.

2. Flash (IQF) Freezing: Freezing time is cut down only to few minutes.

3. Cryogenic Freezing: Most efficient freezing method, Liquid Nitrogen is used as refrigerant.

Scientific background of Quick Freezing

• During Freezing Process water freezes it expands and crystallizes.

• Quick freezing can freeze live viable cells in a state of suspended life.

Individual Quick Freezing

• Using IQF process each individual piece, slice, cube of herb is frozen separately so that even after attaining a temperature range from – 30 ◦C to – 40 ◦C in few minutes.

• The IQF method ensures the quality of the end product as it as does not lead to any loss of nutrients, flavors, colors, shape or texture.

• The process also results in a longer shelf life (up to 24 months).

Process Flow Sheet:

1-) RAW MATERIAL RECEPTION AND SORTING

• Unripe, decayed product is separated manually from the input herbs.

• The raw material store is equipped with a ripening chamber where the products can be stored in controlled conditions.

2-)PNEUMATIC CLEANING

• Light foreign materials from the farms as leaves, twigs land particulate matter are separated out.

3-)HYDRAULIC WASHER AND DE-STONER

• The heavy foreign bodies and stones are removed by means of hydraulic de-stoner.

• Combined with this unit is the washer with rinsing and flotation chambers to give the product a through wash in order to remove soil or secretions.

4-)INSPECTION

• The product undergoes visual check.

• The product is discharged over a non-toxic plastic material belt.

5-)PREPARATION

• Different functions are performed according to the type of product herb being handled. Peelings, trimming to size, Chopping, cutting florets…etc

6-)BLANCHING

• Inactivate the enzymatic reaction in order to increase the product shelf life.

• Blancher heats the product in a definite time cycle up to a certain temperature for a certain time.

• Temperatures and holding time is controlled automatically.

• The process of Blanching may not be required for certain products.

7-)COOLING

• Cooling down the herb ends Blanching step

• Cooling stops the deactivation process of the enzymes.

• Counter current cooling system is used.

8-)INDIVIDUAL QUICK FREEZING Step (IQF)

• Chopped herbs is uniformly loaded and distributed across the IQF belt

• This method of freezing each individual part of the herb is frozen separately so that even after attaining a temperature of – 40 ◦C the pieces remain separated and do not form a block.

9-)GRADING

• Grading after freezing is required in some for the products to sort them according to their physical dimensions as the market demand and prices for various sizes are different.

10-)PACKAGING

• Two Types of packing:

1. Retail Packing

2. Bulk Packing

Transportation

• Transportation of raw material from the field, and the final product to the customers is an essential link in the food chain process.

• The produced frozen herbs should be maintain at -18 C till it consumed.

• Refrigerated wagons should be used in transportation of raw material and the final product.

Market Analysis:

• Demand for Frozen Herbs comes mainly from three sectors.

I. Food manufacturing → (50-60 %)

II. The food service sector →(30-40 %)

III. The retail or household sector →(10-15 %)

• There is no national producer of Frozen Herbal.

Factors of Success:

• To be successful in this sector, a number of principles are suggested

1. Price, quantity and quality must be regular, reliable, and repeatable over the year

2. Demonstrate the superiority of the product to ensure that the product supplied is what is required.

3. Package size is critical.4. A range of frozen culinary herbs must be offered5. As consumer education is critical.6. it’sbetterfortheproductherbstobeorganic.

Certificates:

• GMP ( Good Manufacturing Process)

• BRC Global Standard for Food Safety (British retail consortium )

• HACCP Food Safety (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)

• ISO ( International Standards Organization)

• IFS (International Food Standard)

Main Competitors in the International Market :

• Daregal (France ) Flash Frozen http://www.daregalgourmet.com/shop/index.html• Rosemary and Thyme (United Kingdom ) Flash Frozen Herbs

http://www.rosemaryandthyme.co.uk/• Birds Eye (United Kingdom ) Flash Frozen Herbs

http://www.birdseye.co.uk/default.aspx• Herba Frost ( Belgium ) Flash Frozen Herbs http://www.herbafrost.be/index.html• Crops ( Belgium ) http://www.crops.be/• Tibulim (Israel) Flash Frozen, Ice Cube Herbs http://www.tibulim.biz/• Dorot (Israel ) Flash Frozen, Ice Cube Herbs http://www.dorot.co.il/• Cap Herb (South Africa) http://www.capeherb.com/index.php• Lite House (United States ) www.litehousefoods.com• Sup Herb Farms (United States )Fresh, Dried and paste Frozen herbs

http://www.supherbfarms.com/fm_home.html

Major Markets :

1. European Union (EU).

France.

Germany.

The Netherlands.

United Kingdom.

2. United States.

1-)European Union (EU)

• The main importers of Herbs in general.

• Total Herbs imports in 2009 was around 390,000 Tons more than $ 1 Billion.

• The developing countries supplied more than 60% of total imports.

2-)France

• France is amongst the five largest markets in the world for organic food.

• Important market for herbs and a major importer from developing countries.

• Large producer and exporter of culinary frozen herbs.

Importers & Traders→ France:

Arcadie SA (http://www.arcadie-sa.fr ) Retailers and Wholesalers.Herbier du Diois (http://www.herbier-du-

diois.com)Sanoflore (http://www.sanoflore.net ) Suppliers Weleda (Germany, France, Switzerland)

(http://www.weleda.de ) DistributorsDistriborg(http://www.distriborg.com)

Distributors.

3-)Germany

• TheWorld’sSecondLargestMarketFororganic food.

• The largest spice and herb market in Europe.

Importers & Traders→ Germany:

Golden Temple (http://www.goldentemple.de ) Importer and Distributor.

Improplant (www.inproplant.de) broker. Tiefkühlprodukte Frozen Food

Horns(http://www.tkhorns.de/) Importing and Exporting Lebensbaum U. Walter GmbH

(http://www.lebensbaum.de) Hamburger Gewuerzemuehle

(http://www.gewuerzmuehle.de) Importer and Distributors

Rapunzel Naturkost AG (http://www.rapunzel.de)Weleda (http://www.weleda.de )

4-) Netherlands

• Its Trading companies are among the largest EU importers.

• The Dutch Market for frozen herbs has increased over the last years.

Importers & Traders→ Netherlands:

Doens Food Ingredients BV (http://www.doensfood.com) Importer and Supplier.

Forestrade (http://www.forestrade.com)

Organic Flavour Company (formerly Euroherb) (http://www.ofc.nl) Importers and Suppliers.

Usselerriet BV (http://www.usselerriet.com) Suppliers.

5-) United Kingdom:

• The United Kingdom is the third largest market in the world for organic food

• A major market for spices and herbs.

• Supermarket chains account for the majority of organic retail sales. They carries range of organic Frozen herbs.

Importers & Traders→ United Kingdom:

Barts Spices (http://www.bartspices.com ) Beacon Foods (http://www.beaconfoods.co.uk)Fresh/frozen suppliers Community Foods Ltd. Major wholesaler and importer

(http://www.communityfoods.co.uk) Infinity Foods Ltd. Major whole foods/organic wholesaler and bulk importer

(http://www.infinityfoods.co.uk) Kitchen Garden Organics (http://www.kitchen- garden.co.uk ) Steenbergs (http://www.steenbergs.co.uk) Organic Herb Trading Co. Traders (http://www.organicherbtrading.com) Rasanco Ltd. (http://www.rasanco.com) Importer Norgrow (www.norgrow.com ) Steng Ingredients (www.steng.co.uk )Processor and importer Queenswood Natural Foods

(http://www.queenswoodfoods.co.uk/trading1.htm )wholesaler.

6-) United States:

• Thisistheworld’slargestorganicmarket.

• Natural food stores, dominated by the two chains Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats still are the largest sellers of organic food.

• The USA is a major producer of some organic herbs and a large importer of organic herbs.

Importers & Traders→ United States:

Forestrade, Inc( http://www.forestrade.com )Importer and Distributor

Frontier Coop (http://www.frontiercoop.com ) supplier and Importer.

Global Organics, Ltd. (http://www.global-organics.com/index.shtml ).

Herb Trade, Inc.( http://www.organicherbtrade.com) Importer. Marroquin International (http://www.marroquin-organics.com

)Trader. Mountain Rose Herbs (http://www.mountainroseherbs.com ) Organic Planet (http://www.organic-planet.com )Importer . Tree of Life (http://www.treeoflife.com ) Distributor. United Natural Foods (http://www.unfi.com ) Distributor .

Importers & Traders→ Others:

• Japan :

Altertrade (http://www.altertrade.co.jp) Importers and Distributors.

Alishan (http://www.alishan-organic-center.com) Distributors.

• Canada :

Bianca International Organic Inc.(http://www.biorganic.ca ) Importers .

Horizon Distributors (http://www.horizondistributors.com)Importer and Distributor.

Ontario Natural Food Co-Op(http://www.onfc.ca )Distributor

Sunopta(http://www.sunopta.com/consumer.html) Distribution.

• Italy:

Prodotti_Tecniche_Moderne_srl (http://www.tecnichemoderne.it/) Production and Distribution

Preliminary Feasibility study

• IQF production line capacity of 1000 kg/hr , it consumes about 2,500 Ton/year.

• The frozen herb production will be around 2000 Ton/year.

• Fixed Cost includes :

I. Land and Buildings

II. Equipment

III. Cold room storage

Preliminary Feasibility study (Cont.)

• Production Cost

Includes:

I. raw material

II. Labor wages

III. Utilities

IV. Packaging

V. Depreciation

Fixed cost Building &Equipment 7 Million EGP

Production Cost Raw materials 4,375,000

Other costs 500,000

Total Working capital ≈ 1.5 Million EGP

Total Revenue[33]7,000,000 up to 9,000,000

Depending on sales market

Net profit 1.33-3.33Million EGP

Payback period 2-5 years

Working schedule

• production schedule plan

for each herb to make the

production plant working all

year long.

Name

Production

season

Anise ينسون May-Aug

Basil ريحان Apr- Oct

Parsley بقدونس Nov- May

Caraway كراوية Dec-Feb

Chervil فرنساوي بقدونس Feb- Nov

Mint نعناع May-Oct

Marjoram بردقوش Mar- Oct

Thymes زعتر Feb-Nov

Dill شبت Nov-Mar

Fennel شمر Nov-Mar

Conclusion:

• Egypt is in ground level stage in frozen herbs industry.

• Egypt has a comparative advantage due to low wage labor and the availability of herbs.

• IQF is the optimum method of production of frozen herbs.

• Demand for frozen herbs comes mainly from three sectors e.g. Food manufacturing, food services and retail sectors.

• The payback period of production of frozen herbs was estimated to be between 2 to 5 years.

Recommendations:

• This study is preliminary feasibility study serves as a guide line for frozen herbs production.

• The project is recommended for Investors who are already dealing and/or interested in herbs.

• Ten herbs are recommended such as Anise, Basil, Parsley, Caraway, Chervil, Marjoram, Thyme, Mint, Dill and Fennel

Recommendations: (Cont.)

• More accurate market study is recommended

• Direct contact with equipment manufacturers, product wholesalers, retailers and importers is highly recommended.

Thank You