German-based frozen food manufacturer FRoSTA AG has invested €10 million in new freezing technology from Starfrost that has led to a 20% increase in production capacity.
With production facilities in Germany and Poland, and sales and distribution subsidiaries in multiple European countries, FRoSTA specialises in a wide range of frozen products including fish, vegetables, fruits, herbs and ready meals.
As well as the increased production capacity, the new investment also presented the opportunity to revolutionise FRoSTA’s production process, with a primary focus on upgrading its freezing technology.
Starfrost was selected as the partner to deliver an individual quick freeze (IQF) solution, with cooling experts at Starfrost designing, manufacturing and integrating a Turbo IQF tunnel into FRoSTA AG’s existing production line. This tunnel incorporates fluidised technology that enables rapid freezing without compromising on product quality.
The newly-installed energy-efficient Turbo IQF tunnel has the capacity to freeze up to 10 tonnes per hour, together with marking a substantial improvement in overall efficiency and operating costs compared to the previous freezer used by FRoSTA AG.
The IQF tunnel installed for FRoSTA AG is specifically designed to freeze delicate and sensitive food products. The freezer fully, deep freezes small particles with fluidised technology that delivers no clumping or sticking. The freezing process preserves natural appearance and maintains volume and shape, resulting in a premium product with a high yield for the vegetable processor.
Dr Christian Paul, Plant Operations Manager at FRoSTA, said the company was pleased with its bespoke solution.
“The IQF freezer has not only delivered a 20% increase in production capacity, but we have also achieved a 4% improvement in product yield and reduced energy costs by 12%, with further expected improvements due to its recent installation. We have a 10,000kg/hr freezing volume combined with the lowest energy consumption compared to other freezer manufacturers. We also have the added feature of a sequential defrost on the freezer, which allows for longer operating phases without the need for frequent defrosting.”
