Skip to main content

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Frozen Squid Packaging —
Every Format, Every Specification

From IQF polybags to industrial block frozen cartons — First Squid supplies frozen squid in all standard commercial packaging formats, with custom specifications available on request.

Request a Quote Contact Us

IQF & Block

Freezing Formats

1kg / 2kg / 5kg

Block Sizes

10% to 20%

Glazing Range

Custom

Private Label Available

Why Packaging Specification Matters in the Frozen Squid Trade

Packaging is not an afterthought in the frozen squid trade — it is a commercial specification as important as species, cut or origin. The packaging format determines how your product is stored, handled, portioned and presented. It affects your cold store efficiency, your processing line throughput, your yield calculation and your end-product cost per kilogram of usable squid flesh.

A buyer who specifies the wrong packaging format for their application pays for it in yield loss, handling inefficiency or customer complaints. A buyer who understands packaging specification — glazing percentage, net weight, block size, inner pack, master carton dimensions and pallet configuration — is a buyer who controls their costs and their quality from purchase order to production line.

At First Squid, we treat packaging specification as a commercial conversation, not a technical footnote. We work with every buyer to understand their downstream application and specify the packaging format that delivers the best outcome for their operation — whether that is a free-flowing IQF polybag for retail portioning or a 5kg block frozen slab for a high-volume breading line.

IQF Packaging — Individually Quick Frozen Format

IQF frozen squid is packed in polythene bags — polybags — inside a corrugated cardboard master carton. Each polybag contains a specified net weight of free-flowing IQF squid pieces, sealed and labelled with product name, species, origin, net weight, glazing percentage, production date and best before date.

The polybag is the primary packaging unit for IQF squid — it is what the end user opens and portions from. For retail applications, the polybag may be a consumer retail pack of 300g to 1kg. For foodservice and wholesale, the standard polybag is 1kg, 2kg or 5kg net weight. For bulk industrial supply, polybags of 10kg net weight are used.

Multiple polybags are packed inside a master carton — typically a wax-coated or poly-lined corrugated carton designed to withstand cold store conditions and handling. Standard master carton net weights are 10kg, 15kg and 20kg. Master cartons are palletised on standard EUR or ISO pallets for container loading.

IQF Packaging Specifications

Inner Pack 1kg / 2kg / 5kg polybag
Master Carton Net Weight 10kg / 15kg / 20kg net
Glazing Percentage 10% / 15% / 20% (specified on PO)
Storage Temp -18°C or below
Shelf Life 18-24 months from freeze date
Pallet Config EUR 80×120cm · ISO 100×120cm
Container Loading 20ft: ~18-20T · 40ft: ~24-26T

Block Frozen Packaging — Industrial Format

Block frozen squid is produced in solid rectangular blocks — typically 1kg, 2kg or 5kg — formed by pressing squid pieces into flat trays in a plate freezer. Each block is a compact, uniform slab of frozen squid flesh, wrapped or unwrapped depending on specification, then packed into a master carton.

The block format is the backbone of industrial squid processing. A breading line running at full capacity needs to defrost blocks quickly and continuously — the uniform size and shape of frozen blocks makes this process efficient and predictable. Block frozen squid stacks perfectly in cold store racking, maximises container volume utilisation and delivers the lowest cost per kilogram of any frozen squid packaging format.

Block size selection is driven by the buyer's defrost process and batch size requirements: 1kg blocks are used by smaller processors and food manufacturers who work in small batches. 2kg blocks are the standard for most industrial processing operations — the default specification in international trade. 5kg blocks are used by large-volume processors and breading lines where maximum throughput and minimum handling are the priority.

Block Frozen Specifications

Block Sizes 1kg / 2kg / 5kg
Block Dimensions Variable by size and species
Master Carton Net Weight 10kg / 20kg net
Glaze Minimal / none (water bind only)
Storage Temp -18°C or below
Shelf Life 18-24 months
Container Loading 20ft: ~18-20T · 40ft: ~24-26T

IQF vs Block Frozen — Packaging Comparison

Frozen squid packaging specifications differ by format. Use this table to align your purchase order with the right block frozen squid carton or IQF squid polybag programme.

Specification ❄️ IQF 📦 Block Frozen
Primary unit IQF squid polybag (free-flowing pieces) Solid frozen block slab
Inner pack sizes 1kg / 2kg / 5kg (up to 10kg bulk) 1kg / 2kg / 5kg blocks
Master carton 10kg / 15kg / 20kg net 10kg / 20kg net
Glazing 10% / 15% / 20% contract glaze Minimal / none
Best for Retail, foodservice, portion control Industrial processing, breading lines
Cold store handling Flexible portioning, zero waste Maximum stack density, lowest cost/kg

Understanding Glazing — The Hidden Variable in Frozen Squid Pricing

Glazing percentage is the single most important hidden variable in frozen squid pricing. Every professional buyer must understand it.

PREMIUM

10% Glaze

  • 10kg gross = 9kg squid
  • Highest yield
  • Maximum net flesh content
  • Premium specification
  • Higher unit cost
  • Retail & premium foodservice
STANDARD

15% Glaze

  • 10kg gross = 8.5kg squid
  • Standard commercial grade
  • Most widely traded specification
  • Balanced yield and cost
  • Suitable for all applications
INDUSTRIAL

20% Glaze

  • 10kg gross = 8kg squid
  • Industrial processing grade
  • Maximum cost efficiency
  • Lower yield per kg gross
  • Food manufacturing & bulk

At First Squid, we specify glazing percentage contractually on every purchase order and verify it on arrival documentation. We do not supply overglazed product — product where the actual glaze applied exceeds the contracted specification. Overglaze is a significant commercial risk for buyers: on a 25-tonne container of squid, the difference between 15% and 25% glaze is over 2.5 tonnes of squid flesh — equivalent to thousands of euros of product the buyer has paid for but not received.

If you have experienced overglaze problems with other suppliers, talk to us. Transparent glazing specification is a commercial commitment we make to every buyer.

Learn more about freezing methods: IQF · block frozen

What Appears on Every First Squid Label

Every master carton and inner pack supplied by First Squid carries the following mandatory information:

  • Product name (common and scientific)
  • Species (scientific name)
  • Country of origin / fishing area (FAO zone)
  • Production date and best before date
  • Net weight and gross weight
  • Glazing percentage
  • Freezing method (IQF or Block Frozen)
  • Storage instructions (-18°C or below)
  • Lot/batch number for full traceability
  • Processing plant approval number
  • Exporter name and address

Export Documentation Package

Every First Squid shipment is accompanied by a complete documentation package:

  • Commercial Invoice
  • Packing List
  • Bill of Lading (Ocean B/L)
  • Health Certificate (issued by competent authority)
  • Catch Certificate (IUU Regulation compliance for EU)
  • Certificate of Origin
  • Phytosanitary / Sanitary Certificate (where required by destination)
  • Cold chain temperature records
  • Processing plant approval documentation
  • Halal Certificate (Middle East markets)
  • FDA Prior Notice (USA shipments)

Private Label Frozen Squid — Your Brand, Our Product

First Squid works with retail buyers, distributors and foodservice operators who want to market frozen squid under their own brand. We supply the product — the species, the cut, the freezing format, the quality — and your packaging team applies your own label, artwork and brand identity.

Private label frozen squid programmes with First Squid deliver:

  • Consistent quality to your exact specification
  • Species and origin transparency for your own customer communication
  • Flexible pack sizes — from consumer retail to foodservice
  • Full regulatory documentation for your market
  • Competitive pricing on committed volume programmes
  • Dedicated account management

Whether you are launching a new frozen squid range or looking to bring an existing range to a new specification — contact First Squid to discuss your private label programme.

Discuss Private Label

Size Grading — Commercial Standards for Frozen Squid

Size grading is a critical specification for most frozen squid products. Different applications require different size grades — a retail baby squid product needs precise piece count per kilogram, while a breading operation needs calibrated tube diameter for consistent ring width.

Tubes

U/3 Under 3cm diameter — Baby tubes
3/5 Small tubes
5/8 Medium tubes
8/12 Large tubes
12/16 Extra large tubes
16/U Jumbo tubes

Baby Squid (by count/kg)

100/200 pcs/kg — Very small
200/300 pcs/kg — Small
300/500 pcs/kg — Medium small
500/U pcs/kg — Mixed/ungraded

Whole Round (by weight)

U/100g Very small
100/200g Small
200/300g Medium
300/500g Large
500/U Extra large / Jumbo

All size gradings are specified contractually and verified by our quality team before shipment. Non-standard gradings available on request for committed programmes.

Need a specific packaging format or size grading?

Send us your full product specification — we will confirm availability and pricing within 24 hours.

WhatsApp Request a Quote

Specify Your Frozen Squid Packaging Requirements

Tell us your product, species, origin, freezing format, block size, glazing percentage, inner pack weight and master carton requirement — First Squid will confirm the exact specification and pricing for your programme.

Request a Quote WhatsApp Become a Supplier