Kad Bnei Darom, Ltd., with more than a half century in herb and vegetable processing, launches a leap forward in fresh-frozen herbs. Kad has crafted a new line of frozen herbs in 200 ml containers. The herbs scoop effortlessly straight from the freezer. Kad also introduces popular spreads, traditionally sold in the refrigerated aisle, into the same frozen format. The new collection will be unveiled at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York on 28-30 June 2026.
Marketed under the brand Cuca™, this new line of scoopable freshly frozen herbs unites convenience with environmental consciousness while responding to the growing consumer demand for minimally processed, food solutions. The frozen herbs come in six varieties: cilantro, parsley, garlic, onion, white and red horseradish. The condiments line includes, sundried tomato spread and olive tapenade who’s quality, freshness and soft texture is maintained through freezing as opposed to refrigeration without the need for preservatives. All are available under private label.
Fresh herbs are culinary kitchen essentials. They are commonly sold frozen and cubed into portions in plastic trays to overcome the myriad of challenges in handling fresh ingredients. Freezing eliminates the preparation time spent washing, drying, and chopping herbs. Freezing also addresses the highly perishable nature and short shelf life of fresh green herbs, which leads to waste and frequent shopping trips. A recent study in the British Food Journal revealed that households only discard 6% of frozen foods compared to much higher rates for fresh produce.
As frozen herbs transition from niche specialty status to one of mainstream convenience, major European retailers and US giants are increasingly launching their own private-label versions. Yet the traditional frozen formats that are popped out of molds come with setbacks: Users often struggle with the packaging to extract the product, the herbs require defrosting due to unworkable hard textures, and the flavor profiles are compromised. Dried herbs, commonplace in the US, lose their volatile oils, impacting flavor, aroma, color, and nutritional value.
Smooth and creamy
Cuca™ frozen herbs and spreads were crafted by Kad in collaboration with Practical Innovation, Ltd., an innovation development firm dedicated to helping companies initiate next-generation solutions. The patent-protected technology involves the use of a plant-protein base combined with freezing-point lowering technology. This creates a soft, creamy texture that is sustained throughout freezing, without the addition of salt, sugar, or fat, and makes the herbs easy to work with even when completely frozen.
“Our Cuca™ frozen herbs are designed to elevate the user experience for the home chef,” proclaims David Ben-Ze’ev, CEO of Kad Bnei Darom. “The smooth, creamy herbs are ready to use straight from the freezer, delivering the precise desired portion with an effortless glide onto the spoon. The jar is then returned to the freezer where the herbs continue to preserve their freshness, flavor, and nutritional value as well as their creamy texture. No defrosting, chopping, or waste.” Cuca™ herbs are also cost-efficient, suitable for repeated, high-volume use and optimizing ingredient performance. Moreover, being able to freeze popular artisan spreads, significantly extends their shelf life while maintaining the same smooth texture and sensory enjoyment.
Farm-to-table
Kad is a veteran company, providing packaged gourmet delicacies for more than half a century. Founded in 1974, the company has long been a leading producer of premium, fresh agricultural produce, including pickled vegetables, olive oil, and condiments. Kad operates as part of the agricultural cooperative village (Kibbutz) Bnei Darom in southern Israel. This allows the company to run an almost vertically integrated operation, having nurtured decades-long partnerships with the farmers who cultivate their raw materials and serve as an integral part of Kad’s production process. Kad Bnei Darom exports its products to Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, Russia and Ukraine.
Bridging tradition and innovation
“While honoring our traditional operations, we firmly believe in combining time-proven methods with a forward-thinking approach to meet the evolving needs of the global market,” declares David Benzeev, CEO of Kad Bnei Darom. “This pursuit inspires us to keep innovating, using our know-how to make fresh, high-quality ingredients—like herbs and condiments—conveniently available year-round, while keeping their natural goodness intact.”
The fresh herbs market currently is valued at around USD4 billion and enjoys steady organic growth, forecast to reach USD5.5 billion by 2030. Within this segment, the global frozen herbs market was valued at USD466 million in 2024, and is projected to surpass USD800 million by 2033, expanding to a robust CAGR of 6.3%. This market growth is primarily driven by the rising demand for convenient, ready-to-use culinary ingredients, sided by increasing awareness about their nutritional benefits and efforts to extend the shelf-life of these daily kitchen features.
“Processors in the frozen food category are actively pursuing new technologies that deliver convenience, wellness, and sustainability,” adds Tal Leizer, CEO of Practical Innovation. “Kad’s collection of frozen herbs will open new culinary horizons for home cooks and professional chefs alike. The curation of Cuca™ frozen herbs is a culmination of Kad’s experience in transforming agricultural ingredients into premium retail products and our expertise in designing new concepts and bringing them to reality.”
Cuca™ scoopable frozen herbs and spreads will be showcased at the Fancy Food Show in New York on 28-30 June 2026, at the Segev Food International booth #144. Segev Food International, Inc., who specialize in bringing premium Mediterranean food products to the US serves as Kad’s official US distributor.
