Herbafrost's frozen Purple and Thai Basil increasingly make European Cuisine scene.

Move over Sweet Basil. It's time to make room for Purple and Thai varieties to command a bigger presence in the frozen food sector, as they increasingly accentuate the flavor and aromatic qualities of ready meals, soups and sauces. Both herbs are now cultivated in the Antwerpian Campine region of Belgium, and are being packed and marketed by Hulshout-headquartered Herbafrost NV.

Purple basil (opal basil, or Ocimum basilicum purpurea), a member of the mint family and native to India, has a flavor profile described as "heightened in intensity" in comparison with sweet basil. The purple color comes from anthocyanins, which have a lot of beneficial attributes.

The Thai variety (Ocimum basilicum, also known as "Siam Queen"), featuring small leaves and purple stems, also has a strong flavor imparting a subtle licorice taste.

"We have sent samples to a number of food processors and menu developers who have responded quite favorably," said Peter Van Asten, managing director of Herbafrost. "Purple and Thai Basil both grow very well in the sandy soil of this region, in part because of its good drainage characteristics."

Offering a wide assortment of free-flowing, IQF culinary herbs ranging from diced chives, oregano and savory to sage, rosemary and thyme, the company sources a great deal of its raw materials from contract farmers working plots of land in Belgium stretching from the Dutch border to France. Herbafrost operates a second processing plant in Vladso (West Flanders) which specializes in dill and parsley, while most other output stems from the flagship factory in Hulshout.

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"It is very important to have our processing and freezing facilities as close to the fields as possible. This assures that a minimum period of time elapses between harvest and freezing, and makes for a high-quality, fresher than fresh end product," said Klarine Cabezon, sales manager.

The company produces mixes and blends as well as mono products, and offers specialty-cut sizes as well as standard presentations. In addition to conventionally-grown herbs, an organic range is offered, though supplies are scarce at the moment.

"Last year's growing season presented problems for many varieties, as it was both too dry and too wet," recalled Mr. Van Asten. "We are hoping for better weather in 2008, but in January one never knows what will be in stock the following August."