About Eckert: IQF Vegetable Supplier

Our History

From humble beginnings, Eckert has become the leader in the IQF pepper (Individually Quick Frozen) processing industry and a trusted IQF Vegetable Supplier. Lee Eckert started the company in 1936 as Eckert-Etienne Engineering Corp. of San Francisco, California, installing refrigeration equipment for breweries. Over time, the company evolved into Eckert Cold Storage, where processing peppers became our primary business.

Today, we are focused on IQF processing of bell peppers, roasted peppers, jalapenos, poblanos, and cabbage. We are the largest supplier of IQF bell peppers in U.S.A. Based out of Escalon, California in the heart of the fertile San Joaquin Valley, we are still family owned and operated. You can find our peppers in retail products such as stuffed pepper cups, pizza toppings, soups, and salsas for some of the largest food companies in the world.

Eckert is a trusted IQF Vegetable Supplier dedicated to delivering high-quality, non-GMO fruit through a safe, transparent, and reliable supply chain. Our commitment begins at the source, working closely with experienced growers who meet strict agricultural and food safety standards. By maintaining long-standing relationships with our growers, we ensure consistency, traceability, and dependable supply throughout the year.

To preserve freshness and nutritional integrity, all products are flash-frozen using our IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) process at one of three strategically located processing plants in the U.S.A. and Mexico. This rapid freezing method captures fruits and vegetables at peak ripeness, locking in natural flavor, texture, color, and water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and B. Unlike conventional “fresh” produce that can spend weeks in storage and transportation, Eckert’s IQF process minimizes time between harvest and freezing, delivering superior quality and extended shelf life without preservatives.

As an established IQF Vegetable Supplier, Eckert prioritizes food safety, quality assurance, and operational efficiency at every stage of production. Our vertically integrated approach allows us to oversee sourcing, processing, freezing, and packaging, ensuring our customers receive a consistent, dependable product they can trust.

Eckert offers extensive processing capabilities designed to meet the evolving needs of food manufacturers, foodservice operators, and distributors. As a leading IQF Vegetable Supplier, we select only the best-quality fruit from a diversified network of growers, allowing us to mitigate risk and maintain supply stability across seasons and regions.

Our individually quick-frozen pepper products are available in a wide range of cuts, including diced, sliced, and custom specifications. We produce both conventional and organic options, providing flexibility for customers with varying formulation, labeling, and sourcing requirements. In addition to IQF peppers, we also offer roasted peppers, delivering added value and convenience for culinary applications that require enhanced flavor and visual appeal.

What truly sets Eckert apart is our unique ownership and operation of processing plants in both Mexico and the U.S.A. We are the only IQF pepper company with this dual-country, contra-seasonal production capability. This structure allows us to harvest and process peppers at optimal times throughout the year, reduce lead times, and respond quickly to customer demand. As a result, our customers benefit from faster turnaround, improved inventory management, and a more resilient supply chain.

By combining grower partnerships, advanced freezing technology, and vertically integrated operations, Eckert continues to raise the standard for what customers expect from an IQF Vegetable Supplier.