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By Chokkapan S | IMAWS
A state-of-the-art — and undoubtedly sprawling — vegetable pre-processing facility, employing cutting-edge Individual Quick Freezing (IQF) technology, was inaugurated at Pochampalli in Krishnagiri district by Collector C. Dinesh Kumar recently. Envisaged as a private venture under the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board’s (TNSAMB) supply chain management scheme, the ultramodern facility marks a transformative step in linking local agriculture with contemporary food service demands.
The centre is operated by Vendum — an emerging player in the daily essentials supply chain — which has now taken a huge leap with advanced vegetable pre-processing. The IQF method, a benchmark in food preservation, rapidly freezes individual pieces of vegetables at extremely low temperatures ensuring each piece retains its texture, flavour and nutritional value. Unlike conventional freezing, IQF prevents clumping and does not require preservatives, offering ready-to-cook convenience with extended shelf life.
“Vendum is focused on solving people’s everyday issues,” Rajesh Vridachalam, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vendum, observed. “With our new IQF preprocessing facility, we want to cater to the HoReCa (Hotel, Restaurant and Catering) segment by addressing three issues: price volatility, quality availability and labour-intensive tasks in vegetable usage.”
A One-of-its-kind Facility in India
Vendum, which has leased the pre-processing unit from the Tamil Nadu Agri Marketing Department, has transformed it into a high-capacity plant dedicated to fresh vegetable processing and storage for the domestic market. The facility can process one tonne of vegetables per hour and has a current storage capacity of 800 metric tonnes, soon to be expanded by another 1,200 metric tonnes.
“We have leased the Pochampalli pre-processing unit, which lay abandoned for 3–4 years, from the state government,” informed Rajesh, adding, “The unit can process 240 metric tonnes of vegetables in a month. Our goal is to bring consistency, quality and efficiency to the way India consumes vegetables.”
“This facility is quite unique in India — it’s the first of its kind focusing entirely on vegetables for domestic use, leveraging world-class IQF technology. It’s not just a business initiative; it’s a movement to modernise how we handle fresh produce in India,” he emphasised.
Frozen Freshness for Long
During the new facility’s inauguration, Collector Dinesh toured its entire processing line, observing each stage — from washing and precision cutting to rapid freezing and storage. The new plant processes 17 SKUs (stock-keeping units) of vegetables, divided into four major categories: Mains, Essentials, Sides, and Exotics. These include staples like potatoes, onions, carrots and beans, as well as ginger, garlic, beetroot, cauliflower, drumstick, radish and others vital to commercial kitchens of the HoReCa segment, said Rajesh.
These vegetables are chopped into uniform 10 mm pieces and rapidly frozen at -35°C using IQF technology, then packed into 5 kg vacuum-sealed ready-to-use bags and stored at -18°C. The products are dispatched in insulated boxes that retain their temperature for up to 24 hours — ensuring premium quality upon delivery.
The Power of IQF Technology
IQF technology is widely regarded as the most effective method for preserving vegetables. It locks in freshness, flavour and nutrition without the use of chemical preservatives. “IQF is the best-in-class technology and the pinnacle of freezing, which far outstrips the benefits of blast freezing or any similar method. We are the pioneers in India employing this technology to process fresh vegetables,” asserted Rajesh.
In the words of a senior Vendum executive, Kannan Srinivasan, “With IQF, we’re freezing vegetables as nature made them — preserving their integrity and quality without compromise. Furthermore, the shelf life of these frozen vegetables is two years, which will help us to insulate farmers from price inflation and prevent wastage as well.”
Empowering Local Community
The Pochampalli region, dubbed the vegetable basket of South India, is ideally located for such a venture. Most vegetables are sourced from within a 60-kilometre radius, providing farmers with a consistent market for their produce throughout the year.
The facility is expected to be a game-changer for the local farming community by providing them a year-round, dependable procurement channel. Rajesh emphasised the economic cascade effect of the initiative: “This facility helps farmers secure steady income as well as creates over 120 local jobs — most of them for women from the neighbouring villages. It’s a strong push for both rural livelihood and women’s empowerment.”
From Pochampalli to Metro Markets
Currently, Vendum supplies daily essentials — including vegetables, edible oil, LPG cylinders, spices, sugar, maida, atta and rice — to over 600 restaurant clients across Thanjavur, Tiruchirapalli and Puducherry, and other key markets. The company’s frozen vegetable line will first serve its existing HoReCa clientele in and around Bangalore and Hosur, with plans to expand distribution to Chennai, Vellore and Salem in the near future.
With this launch, Vendum is strengthening its footprint in the essential supplies segment as well as championing innovation in food processing. As Kannan summed up, “Everything we do at Vendum leads back to our core belief — making every meal a better meal. And this IQF facility is a big step in realising that belief.”
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