Frozen Fruit, Juice, and Vegetable Manufacturing
Description
Establishments within the frozen fruit, juice, and vegetable manufacturing sector focus on converting fresh produce into shelf-stable products through rapid freezing techniques. These operations typically harvest, clean, sort, and process raw agricultural materials to create a diverse range of consumer goods. Common outputs include ice cream bases, frozen sauces, and concentrated fruit juices intended for reconstitution or direct consumption. The business model relies heavily on food safety regulations and precise temperature control to preserve nutrient content and texture throughout the supply chain. Operators in this field vary from small independent processors serving local markets to massive industrial facilities serving national and global distributors. Large-scale manufacturers often control vertical integration, managing everything from farming partnerships to distribution networks, while smaller firms may specialize in niche ingredients for the culinary industry. The sector includes companies producing frozen fruit desserts, vegetable sides, and fruit-based beverages. Capacity ranges from modest batch processing units to continuous-flow systems capable of handling millions of units annually. This industry plays a critical role in stabilizing agricultural markets and providing consistent quality ingredients for restaurants, retailers, and the casual dining sector during off-seasons.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Manufacturing 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Manufacturing sector comprises establishments engaged in the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products. The assembling of component parts of manufactured products is considered manufacturing, except in cases where the activity is appropriately classified in Sector 23, Construction. Establishments in the Manufacturing sector are often described as plants, factories, or mills and characteristically use power-driven machines and material handling equipment. However, establishments that transform materials or substances into new products by hand or in the worker's home and those engaged in selling to the general public products made on the same premises from which they are sold, such as bakeries, candy stores, and custom tailors, may also be included in this sector. Manufacturing establishments may process materials or may contract with other establishments to process their materials for them. Both types of establishments are included in manufacturing. Selected industries in the Manufacturing sector are comprised solely of establishments that process materials for other establishments on a contract or fee basis. Beyond these dedicated contract manufacturing industries, establishments that process materials for other establishments are generally classified in the Manufacturing industry of the processed materials. The materials, substances, or components transformed by manufacturing establishments are raw materials that are products of agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, or quarrying as well as products of other manufacturing establishments. The materials used may be purchased directly from producers, obtained through customary trade channels, or secured without recourse to the market by transferring the product from one establishment to another, under the same ownership. The new product of a manufacturing establishment may be finished in the sense that it is ready for utilization or consumption, or it may be semi-finished to become an input for an establishment engaged in further manufacturing. For example, the product of the alumina refinery is the input used in the primary production of aluminum; primary aluminum is the input to an aluminum wire drawing plant; and aluminum wire is the input for a fabricated wire product manufacturing establishment. The subsectors in the Manufacturing sector generally reflect distinct production processes related to material inputs, production equipment, and employee skills. In the machinery area, where assembling is a key activity, parts and accessories for manufactured products are classified in the industry of the finished manufactured item when they are made for separate sale. For example, an attachment for a piece of metalworking machinery would be classified with metalworking machinery. However, component inputs from other manufacturing establishments are classified based on the production function of the component manufacturer. For example, electronic components are classified in Subsector 334, Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing, and stampings are classified in Subsector 332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing. Manufacturing establishments often perform one or more activities that are classified outside the Manufacturing sector of NAICS. For instance, almost all manufacturing has some captive research and development or administrative operations, such as accounting, payroll, or management. These captive services are treated the same as captive manufacturing activities. When the services are provided by separate establishments, they are classified in the NAICS sector where such services are primary, not in manufacturing. The boundaries of manufacturing and the other sectors of the classification system can be somewhat blurry. The establishments in the Manufacturing sector are engaged in the transformation of materials into new products. Their output is a new product. However, the definition of what constitutes a new product can be somewhat subjective. As clarification, the following activities are considered manufacturing in NAICS: <table width=100%><tr><td width=10%> </td><td><dl><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Milk bottling and pasteurizing;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Water bottling and processing;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Fresh fish packaging (oyster<br/> shucking, fish filleting);</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Apparel jobbing (assigning<br/> materials to contract<br/> factories or shops for<br/> fabrication or other contract<br/> operations) as well as<br/> contracting on materials<br/> owned by others;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Printing and related activities;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Ready-mix concrete production;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Leather converting;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Grinding lenses to<br/> prescription;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Wood preserving;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Lapidary work for the trade;</dt></dl></td><td width=10%> </td><td><dl><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Electroplating, plating, metal<br/> heat treating, and<br/> polishing for the trade;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Fabricating signs and<br/> advertising displays;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Rebuilding or remanufacturing<br/> machinery (i.e., automotive<br/> parts);</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Making manufactured homes<br/> (i.e., mobile homes) or<br/> prefabricated buildings,<br/> whether or not assembling/<br/> erecting at the customers'<br/> site;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Ship repair and renovation;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Machine shops; and</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Tire retreading.</dt></dl></td><td width=10%> </td></tr></table> Conversely, there are activities that are sometimes considered manufacturing, but which for NAICS are classified in another sector (i.e., not classified as manufacturing). They include: 1. Logging, classified in Sector 11, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, is considered a harvesting operation; 2. Beneficiating ores and other minerals, classified in Sector 21, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction, is considered part of the activity of mining; 3. Constructing structures, assembling prefabricated buildings, and fabricating at the construction site by contractors are classified in Sector 23, Construction; 4. Breaking bulk and reselling in smaller lots, including packaging, repackaging, or bottling products, such as liquors or chemicals; assembling and selling computers on a custom basis; sorting and reselling scrap; mixing and selling paints to customer order; and cutting metals to customer order for resale are classified in Sector 42, Wholesale Trade, or Sector 44-45, Retail Trade; and 5. Publishing and the combined activity of publishing and printing, classified in Sector 51, Information, transform information into a product for which the value to the consumer lies in the information content, not in the format in which it is distributed (i.e., the book or software compact disc). |
| 311 | Food Manufacturing 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Food Manufacturing subsector transform livestock and agricultural products into products for intermediate or final consumption. The industry groups are distinguished by the raw materials (generally of animal or vegetable origin) processed into food products. The food products manufactured in these establishments are typically sold to wholesalers or retailers for distribution to consumers, but establishments primarily engaged in retailing bakery and candy products made on the premises not for immediate consumption are included. Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing beverages are classified in Subsector 312, Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing. |
| 3114 | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | This industry group includes (1) establishments that freeze food and (2) establishments that use preservation processes, such as pickling, canning, and dehydrating. Both types begin their production process with inputs of vegetable or animal origin. |
| 31141 | Frozen Food Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing frozen fruit, frozen juices, frozen vegetables, and frozen specialty foods (except seafood), such as frozen dinners, entrees, and side dishes; frozen pizza; frozen whipped toppings; and frozen waffles, pancakes, and French toast. |
| 311411 | Frozen Fruit, Juice, and Vegetable Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | Establishments within the frozen fruit, juice, and vegetable manufacturing sector focus on converting fresh produce into shelf-stable products through rapid freezing techniques. These operations typically harvest, clean, sort, and process raw agricultural materials to create a diverse range of consumer goods. Common outputs include ice cream bases, frozen sauces, and concentrated fruit juices intended for reconstitution or direct consumption. The business model relies heavily on food safety regulations and precise temperature control to preserve nutrient content and texture throughout the supply chain. Operators in this field vary from small independent processors serving local markets to massive industrial facilities serving national and global distributors. Large-scale manufacturers often control vertical integration, managing everything from farming partnerships to distribution networks, while smaller firms may specialize in niche ingredients for the culinary industry. The sector includes companies producing frozen fruit desserts, vegetable sides, and fruit-based beverages. Capacity ranges from modest batch processing units to continuous-flow systems capable of handling millions of units annually. This industry plays a critical role in stabilizing agricultural markets and providing consistent quality ingredients for restaurants, retailers, and the casual dining sector during off-seasons. |
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Classification References
- 01Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing frozen specialty foods are classified in U.S. Industry 311412, Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing.
Index Items
Blast freezing on a contract basis
Citrus pulp, frozen, manufacturing
Concentrates, frozen fruit juice, manufacturing
French fries, frozen, pre-cooked, manufacturing
Frozen ades, drinks and cocktail mixes, manufacturing
Frozen citrus pulp manufacturing
Frozen fruit and vegetable processing
Frozen fruits, fruit juices, and vegetables, manufacturing
Fruit juice concentrates, frozen, manufacturing
Fruits, frozen, manufacturing
Juices, fruit or vegetable concentrates, frozen, manufacturing
Juices, fruit or vegetable, frozen, manufacturing
Vegetable juice concentrates, frozen, manufacturing
Vegetables, frozen, manufacturing
How Item Can Help
Item.com's Warehouse Management System optimizes cold chain storage to maintain precise temperature controls for perishable frozen goods and prevents spoilage during high-volume harvest seasons.
The Order Management System integrates real-time inventory data with sales channels to reduce lead times and ensure accurate fulfillment of complex B2B and e-commerce frozen food orders.
Advanced analytics tools analyze historical consumption patterns and weather forecasts to predict ingredient availability, allowing manufacturers to dynamically adjust production schedules and minimize waste.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 311411.
National Frozen Food Association
Trade association representing frozen food manufacturers including fruit, vegetable, and juice producers.
United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service
Government agency providing regulatory guidelines and safety standards for the frozen food manufacturing industry.
Frozen Food Distributors Association
Industry directory facilitating connections between frozen food manufacturers and national distributors.
