Zi-Com hits the jackpot with IQF

From metal to butter to fruit; Zi-Com's tale began seven years ago. Back then Jacco Geleijnse was mainly in the business of recycling metal and delivering steel billets in Egypt. The Armenian interpreter who they used saw a lot potential in all the contacts being made. Between them, they then brought a blended butter onto the Egyptian market. "We were market leaders in the area. Due to this product's success, we recruited a good Egyptian Export Manager. He used to work at Dirafrost (a Belgian frozen fruit supplier). Thanks to his input we have taken major steps toward exporting Individual Quick Freezing (IQF-)products from Egypt", says Martijn Geleijnse.

Icehouse in Egypt

"Two years ago we actively started with Egyptian exports. We made contact with a lot of growers whom we guided from the planting phase right through to the end product. This is to ensure that they met the high quality requirements and European regulations. The first year was more of a starter year. This season, for the first time, we have received products from our affiliated growers. We also have our own sorting plant and Icehouse in Egypt. This means we manage all the processes ourselves." Besides the Icehouse in Egypt with space for 15,000 pallets, the company has, since the beginning of the year, Icehouse in Russia, with space for more than 10,000 pallets, too. "We can offer cold storage to third parties in these Icehouses. We aim to export more products from Egypt and, in the future, also to export products from South America to Russia."

IQF strawberries

During the IQF process, each individual piece of food is frozen, entirely independently from any other bit of food. A bag of IQF strawberries, therefore, is not just one massive block of frozen strawberries; each strawberry is loose in the bag. This makes IQF products easier to work with. Another benefit of this quick freezing is that smaller ice crystals are formed than when something is frozen over a more extended period of time. Larger ice crystals damage the food's fibres which then makes them limp and dehydrated. Quick freezing ensures that the products are not damaged in any way.

IQF mixed vegetables

"We offer a wide range of products in various forms: strawberries, pomegranates, apricots, figs, mangoes, artichokes, okra, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and peas. We can also provide calibrated and uncalibrated, sliced, cubed, and pureed strawberries. In addition to IQF, we are also focusing on citrus juice concentrates which we also export to various countries. Our buyers also have the choice of having this frozen."

Icehouse in Russia

The broadly orientated company is still working on making a complete range of products available. "At the moment, in South America, we are in talks about exporting limes, avocado, and pineapple to Russia. India might get on board too. Our goal is to reach a market position in IQF fruit, purees, and concentrates in a few years", concludes Martijn.

For more information:
Zicom BV
Martijn Geleijnse
20 Industrieweg
4301 RS Zierikzee
T: +31 111 41 11 99
W: www.zi-com.com
E:martijn@zi-com.com