Freeze-dried and air-dried ingredients for the food industry – from fruits, vegetables and herbs to meat and cheese.
Freeze-Dry Foods GmbH
Greven (headquarters) · Greven (production, Gefriertrocknung Greven GmbH) · Illinois, USA · China · La Joya, PeruNew on Amplifa
About Freeze-Dry Foods
Freeze-Dry Foods GmbH, based in Greven (Westphalia), specializes in freeze-dried and air-dried ingredients for the food industry. The company processes fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, superfoods, cheese, meat and coffee in both conventional and organic quality. In addition to its own ingredient portfolio, Freeze-Dry Foods offers contract freeze-drying (contract drying) to customer specifications as well as co-manufacturing and private-label services: filling into glass, PET containers and doypacks in small to large batches including labeling and quality control. Production capacity is available at three sites in Germany, including Gefriertrocknung Greven GmbH, which in 2018 was expanded into one of the most modern freeze-drying facilities in Europe. Subsidiaries exist in the USA (Illinois), China (quality assurance) and Peru (production site La Joya). Since 2023, Freeze-Dry Foods has been part of THRIVE FREEZE DRY, the world market leader in freeze-drying; in 2024 Paradise Fruits was added as well. Customers range from start-ups and mid-sized companies to major players in the food industry.
- Site
- Greven
- Processes
- Freeze drying (Gefriertrocknung), Air drying (Lufttrocknung), Refinements (refinement of ingredients), Co-manufacturing / private label (filling and packaging), Contract drying (contract freeze-drying), Filling into glass containers, PET containers and doypacks, Freeze-drying (contract drying), Air-drying
- Materials
- Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, Spices, Superfoods, Cheese, Meat, Coffee
- Certificates
- Organic, FSSC 22000, IFS, Halal, Kosher
- Founded
- 1978
- Industries
- Food industry, Muesli & bars, Snacks, Outdoor food, Dairy & plant-based alternatives, Soups & sauces
- 01
Raw material sourcing via a global network of farmers and suppliers
- 02
Release and inspection of raw materials (specification and sample testing)
- 03
Freeze-drying or air-drying
- 04
Refinement of ingredients (refinements)
- 05
Filling and packaging (glass, PET, doypack)
- 06
Labeling
- 07
Quality control
- 08
Delivery to industry, retail or online shops
Materials & Processes
Freeze-drying
Gentle drying process for fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, superfoods, cheese, meat, coffee and confectionery – with full aroma and long shelf life.
Air-drying
Process for gentle drying of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices as a complement to freeze-drying.
Refinement (refinements)
Further processing and refinement of dried ingredients into customer-specific products.
Co-manufacturing / private label
Filling and packaging in glass, PET and doypacks in small and large batches, including labeling and quality control.
Contract drying (contract freeze-drying)
Freeze-drying of customer raw materials to specification at the German sites.
Sites
Greven (headquarters)
DEHeadquarters, sales and administration
- Materials
- Fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, superfoods, cheese, meat
- Sales offices
- Quality management
Greven (Gefriertrocknung Greven GmbH)
DEProduction: own freeze-drying facility
- Lot size
- Small to large batches
- Materials
- Fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, superfoods
- Freeze-drying facility (expanded in 2018 into one of the most modern in Europe)
Illinois, USA (FDI)
USSubsidiary, partner for the US and Canadian food industry
China
CNSubsidiary for on-site quality assurance
La Joya, Peru
PEProduction site (freeze-drying), favorable growing conditions for fruits, vegetables and herbs
- Materials
- Fruits, vegetables, herbs
- Freeze-drying facility
Products & Ingredients
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze drying (Gefriertrocknung)Drying/food processing | – | – | – | – | Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, Spices, Superfoods, Cheese, Meat, Coffee, Candy, Drops, Cnusper |
| Air drying (Lufttrocknung)Drying/food processing | – | – | – | – | Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, Spices, Superfoods |
| Refinements (refinement of ingredients)Food processing | – | – | – | – | Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, Spices |
| Co-manufacturing / private label (filling and packaging)Packaging | – | – | – | small batches – large batches | Herbs, Fruits, Candies, Drops |
| Contract drying (contract freeze-drying)Drying/food processing | – | – | – | – | Raw materials to customer specification |
| Filling into glass containers, PET containers and doypacksPackaging | – | – | – | – | Herbs, Fruits, Candies, Drops |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze-drying facility | – | – | – | – | Greven (Gefriertrocknung Greven GmbH, 2018 expanded into one of the most modern |
| Freeze-drying facility (production site) | – | – | – | 2013 | La Joya, Peru |
Additional services
Quality & Certifications
Freeze-Dry Foods controls the entire process along the supply chain seamlessly and works with internal measures as well as external certification bodies. Regular verifications, assessments and audits as well as strict supplier release procedures ensure quality and 100% traceability.
| Evidence | Greven |
|---|---|
| Organic | |
| FSSC 22000 | |
| IFS | |
| Halal | |
| Kosher |
History
- 1923
Founding of the grain and malt coffee factory Groneweg & Meintrup in Münster/Westphalia by the Groneweg family.
- 1950
Presentation of freeze-dried coffee – the first German instant coffee (brand VOX).
- 1978
Founding of Freeze-Dry Foods GmbH by Dieter and Ursula Groneweg; started with freeze-dried onions.
- 1988
Founding of Freeze-Dry Ingredients in Illinois, USA (FDI).
- 2000
Stake in Farm Direct Foods Latin America; market entry into Latin/South America with air-dried ingredients.
- 2001
Founding of Gefriertrocknung Greven GmbH and construction of an own freeze-drying facility in Greven.
- 2007
Founding of the subsidiary in China for on-site quality assurance.
- 2013
Establishment of the production site La Joya in Peru.
- 2018
Capacity expansion and conversion of Gefriertrocknung Greven into one of the most modern freeze-drying facilities in Europe.
- 2021
Capacity expansion in La Joya (Peru) and full acquisition of Farm Direct Foods Latin America (Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Brazil).
- 2023
Freeze-Dry Foods becomes part of THRIVE FREEZE DRY, the world market leader in freeze-drying.
- 2024
Paradise Fruits (Paradiesfrucht) also becomes part of THRIVE FREEZE DRY.