Kad Bnei Darom Unveils Frozen Cuca™ Herb Pops

Innovative flash frozen herb spheres by Kad Bnei Darom raise fresh herb accessibility and lower prep time and costs for chefs and home cooks

Key takeaways:

• All-new frozen herb format preserves fresh flavor, boosts convenience
• Flash frozen herbs spheres reduce prep time, labor costs, and waste
• Herb pops are suitable for home or commercial cooking kitchens
• Retail or private label-ready

B'NEI DAROM, Israel, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --  Agrifood company Kad Bnei Darom introduces Cuca™ Herb Pops, its fresh contribution to the culinary domain. These highly practical, innovative herb pops present a new format for flash-frozen fresh herbs that merge convenience with eco-consciousness. The company will reveal the new product line at the Fancy Food Show in New York, 28-30 June 2026.

In a paradigm shift from pre-portioned frozen herbs in rigid molded plastic trays, Kad's refashioned minced herbs are transitioned into uniform spheres sealed in flexible pouches that require no individual wrapping. Each pop delivers 15g of frozen fresh herbs.

Beyond their role in saving valuable freezer space, the novel nearly packaging-free delivery system is designed to be environmentally friendly by eliminating the need for plastic trays, including the plastic films that seal the frozen produce. This cuts packaging costs as well as waste of highly perishable herbs.

Freeze, pop, and drop

Developed in collaboration with Practical Innovation, an innovation development firm dedicated to helping companies create next-generation products and solutions, Cuca™ frozen pops help cooks and chefs in homes or commercial kitchens save time and labor washing and chopping fresh herbs. They can simply pop and drop the frozen herbs straight into the recipe with ease. There's no compromise on quality or having to struggle with complex packaging to access the herbs. Kad's herb pops provide precise portion control, and maintain the herbs' texture, flavor, and nutritional value even after defrosting.

"We have been in the business of growing fresh produce and creating artisan products for more than 50 years," proclaims David Ben-Ze'ev, CEO of Kad Bnei Darom. "While honoring our traditional roots, Cuca Pops mark Kad's expanding foothold in food innovation, bringing vibrancy, ease, and environmental consciousness into every kitchen. Our product is creating a new category in the global fresh herbs market, valued at tens of billions of dollars."

Kad operates a near-fully vertically integrated operation, growing herbs with partner farmers in the Arava desert. The herbs go from field to frozen at the source soon after harvest, without any intermediary packaging. This serves to lock in "just-picked" flavor, aroma, color, and nutritional value of the fresh produce.

The fresh herbs are frozen using advanced IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) technology for the creation of perfect spheres that do not stick to each other inside the pouch. This allows for seamless extraction and prevents rapid thawing while ensuring structural stability throughout freeze/thaw cycles. The herb pops maintain their form even when left outside the freezer.

The herbs pops currently come in six varieties: garlic, onion, parsley, cilantro, dill, and basil. They are 100% natural and contain no added or artificial ingredients. The pouches are designed to be user-friendly and sustainable.

"These individual, quick-use frozen herb balls were crafted to respond to demands for top quality natural ingredients that provide convenience, precision, and flexibility while solving the overuse of plastic packaging and food waste," informs Tal Leizer, CEO of Practical Innovation. "Fresh green herbs are highly perishable by nature and known to be particularly prone to degradation."

Home cooking revival

Since the Covid Pandemic, consumers have rekindled a connection with the kitchen. They are increasingly embracing home cooking in pursuit of healthier and more harmonious lifestyles, as well as to balance living expenses. At the same time, daily hectic schedules compel them to seek simple, time-saving solutions that deliver quality, enjoyment, and sustainability without compromise.

Innova Market Insights reports a 30% net global shift toward eating at home vs. eating out, with more individuals opting for home-cooked meals. Another likely contributing factor to this trend is that 45% of consumers globally work from home at least once a week.

According to Kad Bnei Darom, the new product is intended for both the retail CPG food market and the foodservice sector. The company also is open to private label requests internationally. 

The Cuca™ herb pops mark the company's first release of a line of  innovative frozen minced herb solutions designed to bring ease and resourcefulness into the kitchen. "The pops represent the first creation in our collection of advanced flash-frozen formats, offering cooks versatile and smarter ways to store, prepare, and enjoy fresh herbs in their everyday cooking routines," concludes Ben-Ze'ev.

Cuca herb pops will be showcased at the PLMA trade show on 19-20 May in Amsterdam and at the Fancy Food Show in New York on 28-30 June 2026, at the Segev Food International Booth #144.

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SOURCE Kad Bnei Darom