Aiming to diversify into air drying, adding capacities in freeze drying and strengthening backward integration, Saraf Foods Ltd., a freeze-dried specialist food processing company, said it will invest ₹60 crore to set up a new unit at Vaghodia, near Vadodara.

“We have set a target to roll out the air drying operations by end-November, 2017,” said Suresh Saraf, Chairman and Managing Director, here on Thursday.

The investment comes through an equal mix of debt and equity while the Vadodara-based company also qualifies for ₹10 crore as cold chain subsidy from the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Individual Quick Freeze (IQF) at the new facility is expected to start functioning by mid-January, 2018. The new freeze-drying unit will commence operation by end of April, 2018.

Freeze-dried food has made steady inroads given the fast paced lifestyle globally that has pushed up the demand for instant foods with a longer shelf life to save on time.

Set up by the first generation technocrat entrepreneur in 1993, Saraf Foods was a 100% export oriented unit (EOU) in the field of freeze dried products.

All the agriculture produce used for the production is mainly grown through contract farming.

Saraf Foods’ freeze drying plant near Vadodara makes it ideal site for sourcing prime quality fruits, vegetables and herbs from the neighbouring region.

Freeze drying is the premium technology for food preservation and is the most preferred food preservation technique the world over, particularly in the advanced countries.