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Israeli speciality food manufacturer Kad Bnei Darom has announced the launch of Cuca™, a new line of scoopable fresh-frozen herbs and gourmet spreads packaged in 200 ml containers.
The product range, developed to address the texture and handling limitations of traditional frozen condiments, will be officially unveiled to international retail buyers at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, scheduled from 28 to 30 June 2026.
The launch enters a rapidly growing global market for convenient, minimally processed ingredients. By maintaining a soft, creamier texture direct from the freezer, the brand aims to establish a premium position in the frozen convenience sector, with the entire portfolio made available for private-label partnerships.
Technical Innovation and Texture Control
While frozen herbs offer a practical alternative to highly perishable fresh options, conventional formats present clear operational hurdles. Traditional frozen herb cubes packaged in plastic blister trays are often rigid, difficult to portion, and require lengthy defrosting times. Conversely, dried herbs lose volatile oils during dehydration, which diminishes their natural aroma, colour, and nutritional value.
To resolve these processing bottlenecks, Kad Bnei Darom collaborated with Practical Innovation, Ltd., an innovation development firm specialising in next-generation food concepts.
The resulting patent-protected technology combines a plant-protein base with advanced freezing-point depression techniques. This formulation allows the herbs and spreads to retain a soft, scoopable texture at sub-zero temperatures, without relying on added sodium, sugar, or lipids.
The functional advantage enables domestic and commercial kitchen operators to slide a spoon easily into the container, extract the exact portion required, and immediately return the package to the freezer without defrosting the remaining contents.
Product Formulations
The Cuca™ portfolio is divided into fresh-frozen single-ingredient herbs and emulsified artisanal spreads. Sourced from fresh agricultural raw materials, the formulations do not contain artificial preservatives, and their quality is maintained through temperature-controlled storage.
The range comprises eight initial varieties, listed below:
🌿 Cilantro – A bright, fresh-cut herb formulation developed for immediate integration into hot or cold culinary applications.
🌿 Parsley – A classic, finely prepared green herb designed to preserve its volatile oils and natural colour.
🧄 Garlic – A smooth, pungent garlic paste engineered to eliminate standard peeling and chopping preparation steps.
🧅 Onion – A sweet, savoury onion base formulated to streamline recipe prep times.
🥬 White Horseradish – A sharp, zesty condiment utilising natural horseradish root to deliver a clean, heating kick.
🌶️ Red Horseradish – A robust variant combining natural horseradish with beetroot juice for a vibrant visual appeal.
🍅 Sundried Tomato Spread – A rich, savoury Mediterranean-style spread that remains soft and spreadable at low temperatures.
🫒 Olive Tapenade – A premium olive blend formulated to maintain its sensory characteristics and smooth mouthfeel throughout the freezing cycle.
Waste Reduction
The transition of frozen herbs from a niche import category to a mainstream convenience item is heavily supported by regional sustainability metrics and changing retail dynamics.
As grocery retailers look to minimise in-store shrinkage and consumers seek to cut down on domestic waste, frozen preservation provides a measurable solution. Data published in the British Food Journal indicates that average households discard only 6 per cent of purchased frozen foods, representing a stark contrast to the high spoilage rates associated with fresh botanical herbs.
This focus on shelf-life extension is driving volume growth across the segment. The global fresh herbs market is currently valued at approximately $4 billion, with projections indicating a steady expansion to $5.5 billion by 2030.
Within this broader sector, the frozen herbs segment represents a high-margin growth driver. Valued at $466 million in 2024, the global frozen herbs category is projected to surpass $800 million by 2033, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3 per cent.
Sourcing Integration and Cooperative Heritage
According to David Ben-Ze'ev, Chief Executive Officer of Kad Bnei Darom, the product line reflects a balance between traditional agricultural stewardship and modern food science. He noted that the scoopable format optimises ingredient performance and extends the shelf life of high-end spreads while maintaining sensory quality, making it highly cost-efficient for repeat, high-volume retail and foodservice applications.
Tal Leizer, Chief Executive Officer of Practical Innovation, added that processors in the frozen category are actively looking for technologies that combine convenience with clean labels. She stated that the Cuca™ platform has been designed to meet these exact parameters, allowing brands to standardise their recipes with natural, stable ingredients.
Established in 1974, Kad Bnei Darom operates within the Kibbutz Bnei Darom agricultural cooperative in southern Israel. The cooperative structure enables an almost entirely vertically integrated supply chain, supported by multi-generational relationships with regional farmers. This operational control ensures complete traceability from the field to the processing facility, supporting the company's established export networks across Europe, North America, and Australia.
