A buyer comparing quotes for the same fruit will often find two very different numbers, and the gap is usually not price negotiation. It is the freezing method written into the specification.
IQF freezes each piece separately. Block frozen freezes product into a solid mass. The difference shows up later, at your line.
IQF pours. A hopper, a dosing head, or a weighing station can handle it directly. Block frozen has to be tempered or mechanically broken before use, which adds labor, floor space, and a thaw step that IQF never requires.
Where block frozen still wins is density and freight. A block holds more product per cubic meter, so ocean freight per ton is lower, and for buyers who will crush, mill, or cook the entire block at once, that density is the whole point.
The question is not which method is better. It is which method your downstream process can absorb without adding a step.
At NewsourceFoods, we supply IQF for lines that portion, blend, or refill retail packs, because flowable product removes a tempering step from your schedule. For customers who process entire units and prioritize freight per ton, we will discuss block formats instead of pushing one answer. Our certifications cover ISO, HACCP, BRC, IFS, KOSHER, and HALAL.
If you are weighing the two, send us your line layout and your monthly volume. We will tell you which format fits, including the case where the answer is not IQF.
NewsourceFoods ｜ yulian@qdnewsource.com ｜ Tel / WhatsApp: 0086 13687623173
