When a major soup manufacturer in Ontario looked to scale production of bean-based soups, its line cooks were spending hours soaking and cooking dried legumes. Even with canned beans, staff were opening cases of product, draining, rinsing and re-heating—draining labour budgets and producing spoilage from partially used cans. Switching to Seenergy Foods’ ready-to-eat individually quick frozen (IQF) beans and grains changed the equation.
The old process: 12-hour soak, inconsistent yields
Before adopting IQF, our customer followed a classic workflow: soak dried beans overnight, boil them in kettles and cool them for inclusion in soups. Every batch required constant monitoring, and variations in bean hydration meant inconsistent texture. A single mis-timed batch could create waste. When the kitchen used canned beans, things weren’t much better—staff had to manage pallet loads of cans, and open cases yielded leftover cans that were often discarded.
Why IQF solves the problem
Seenergy Foods’ IQF products are fully cooked and flash-frozen at peak quality. They arrive in portioned bags from 10 oz to 6 lb or bulk cases up to 45 lb and totes up to 1,500 lblocalhost. Because they are ready to eat, operators eliminate soaking, cooking and draining tasks, freeing up hours of labour per batch. Shelf-life is up to 18 months at –18 °Clocalhost, so there is no rush to use a whole pallet at once. Each product is Non-GMO, Kosher and produced in a GFSI/HACCP-approved facility, simplifying allergen control and audit compliance.
Real-world results
After switching to IQF black beans, navy beans and brown rice, the soup manufacturer reported:
- Labour savings: elimination of a 12-hour soak and 2-hour cook reduced prep time by 14 hours per batch, allowing one FTE to be re-allocated.
- Waste reduction: portion control meant only the exact amount of beans and grains were thawed for each run. No more leftover cans or under-hydrated beans to discard.
- Throughput gains: kettle capacity previously used for boiling beans could be used to cook more soup base, increasing throughput by 18 %.
- Consistent quality: IQF beans maintained their shape and bite through heating and freezing cycles; soups had uniform texture and appearance.
Financial impact
Over a one-year horizon, the plant calculated a 12 % reduction in ingredient waste and a 9 % drop in direct labour costs. Because IQF products are portioned, the team was able to fine-tune recipes and reduce over-formulation, saving on high-value spices. The extended shelf life also enabled just-in-time inventory, minimizing freezer space.
Takeaways for processors
If you’re still soaking or draining bulk legumes, IQF beans and grains offer a simple path to efficiency. Ready-to-eat products free up equipment, provide uniform yields and support clean-label claims thanks to Non-GMO, Kosher and GFSI/HACCP certifications. They’re available in portion bags for R&D trials or bulk totes for commercial runslocalhost. To see how IQF beans and grains can streamline your soups, chilies or grain bowls, contact Seenergy Foods for samples and a custom cost-savings analysis.