An IQF ginger supplier freezes each piece of ginger, diced, sliced or minced, individually and separately rather than in a solid block. The process (individually quick freezing) locks the ginger at very low temperature within minutes of cutting, which keeps the pieces free-flowing in the bag and limits the texture loss and drip loss that come with slower, block-style freezing.
Before comparing suppliers, most procurement teams are really asking five things: how the freezing process actually works, where the ginger comes from and how traceable it is, what certification backs an "organic" claim, what sizes and packaging are available, and what determines price. This guide answers each in order, using our own supply chain as the working example.
1. What is IQF ginger, and how does the freezing process work?
IQF stands for individually quick frozen. Fresh ginger is washed, peeled and cut into the required format (dices, strips or slices), then passed through a freezing tunnel that brings each piece down to a hard-frozen state within minutes rather than hours. Because the pieces freeze separately, they don't clump into a block, so a buyer can portion out exactly the volume needed for a batch without thawing the whole pack.
The speed of the freeze also matters for quality: a fast freeze forms small ice crystals inside the cell structure, which cause less cell-wall rupture than the larger crystals that form during slower freezing. In practice that means less liquid loss (drip loss) once the ginger thaws, and a firmer texture in the finished dish or drink.
2. Where does the ginger come from, and how far back can you trace it?
NOW Organic has sourced organic ginger from Peru and China since 2006, working directly with growers rather than through anonymous trading intermediaries. We've documented that relationship first-hand: read about our visit to our ginger suppliers in Peru during harvest season.
Roots pass through our own automated wash line and are individually graded for size, appearance and damage before cutting and freezing, so the chain from field to frozen dice (sourcing, washing, grading, cutting, freezing) stays under our control rather than being split across multiple third parties.
What to ask any IQF ginger supplier: do they own the cutting and freezing step, or only the trading relationship? A supplier that controls its own packing station can guarantee consistent piece size and freezing speed; a trader reselling someone else's frozen stock usually can't.
3. Is it certified organic, and what does that certification actually cover?
NOW Organic products are certified EU Organic by SKAL Bio Controle, certificate number 027851. Specific products and facilities also carry BCS and BRC certification, covering food safety and traceability standards used across global wholesale. Full certification detail is available on our FAQ page.
A certificate confirms the ginger was grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers under audited conditions. It doesn't, by itself, tell a buyer whether the same company also controls the cutting and freezing step, which is a separate operational question worth asking directly.
4. What sizes, formats and specs should you expect?
Format and size depend on the intended use in your production line:
- IQF dices are the most common format for food processing and beverage manufacturing, standardly produced from 4mm to 10mm.
- Ginger puree, our frozen puree format, suits recipes that need a smooth base rather than distinct pieces.
Ask any supplier for moisture content, freezing temperature and time-to-freeze, and shelf life at their stated storage temperature.
5. What packaging, MOQs and cold-chain requirements apply?
IQF ginger needs an unbroken cold chain from freezer to buyer, typically at -18°C or below, to protect the piece integrity the freezing process is designed to preserve. Industry-standard packaging is polyethylene-lined cartons or polybags in the 10kg to 20kg range, with bulk bags available for larger contracts.
NOW Organic supplies at scale, with 3,000 MT of capacity to meet the growing demand of the European food industry without disruption, and year-round availability rather than a single seasonal harvest window.
6. What determines price, and how do you get a quote?
Price is driven by format (dices vs. strips vs. puree), order volume and incoterm, harvest seasonality, and the level of traceability documentation requested.
The fastest way to get a firm number is to request a quote directly through our organic IQF ginger dices product page, where our team typically responds within 12 hours. If you're earlier in the evaluation process, our organic buyers guide walks through the full sourcing framework before you request pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
IQF stands for individually quick frozen. Each piece of ginger, whether diced, sliced or minced, is frozen separately at very low temperature within minutes, rather than frozen together as a solid block. The pieces stay free-flowing so a buyer can scoop out exactly the volume needed, and the fast freeze limits the ice-crystal damage that causes texture loss and drip loss during thawing.
Yes. NOW Organic products are certified EU Organic by SKAL Bio Controle, certificate number 027851. Specific facilities also hold BCS and BRC certification for food safety and traceability.
Standard IQF organic ginger dices are produced from 4mm to 10mm, individually frozen and graded for size and appearance at our own packing station before freezing.
NOW Organic has sourced organic ginger from Peru and China since 2006, working directly with growers rather than through anonymous trading intermediaries, so the chain from field to frozen dice stays under our control.
Yes, private label is available for qualifying order volumes. Contact us with your target format and volume to receive a tailored proposal.
