IQF Lychee Longan Guide: Iqf Lychee: Vietnam Is the World’s Second-Largest Lychee Producer
Vietnam produces approximately 300,000–350,000 tonnes of lychee annually, making it the world’s second-largest producer behind China. Longan production is even larger — over 500,000 tonnes per year — with Vietnam ranking among the top three global producers alongside China and Thailand. Combined, these two fruits represent over 800,000 tonnes of annual output from Vietnam alone.
Despite this massive production, fresh lychee and longan have extremely short shelf lives — 3–5 days at ambient temperature. This limits fresh export to air freight channels, which are expensive and capacity-constrained. IQF processing transforms these seasonal, perishable fruits into year-round ingredients with 24-month shelf life — opening access to food manufacturers, beverage companies, and retail distributors in markets that fresh fruit cannot reach cost-effectively.
This guide covers both IQF lychee and IQF longan from Vietnam: product forms, specifications, pricing, seasonal sourcing strategies, and a buyer checklist for importers targeting the US, European, and Asian markets.
IQF Lychee: Product Forms and Specifications
Available Product Forms
| Form | Description | Primary Application |
|---|---|---|
| Whole peeled (deseeded) | Complete lychee flesh, shell and seed removed | Desserts, cocktails, fruit platters, retail packs |
| Whole peeled (with seed) | Shell removed, seed intact | Foodservice, Asian dessert, direct consumption |
| Halves | Peeled and halved, seed removed | Bakery, yogurt, ice cream toppings |
| Puree | Blended lychee flesh, smooth | Beverage, cocktail mix, sorbet, baby food |
Specifications — IQF Lychee Whole Peeled (Deseeded)
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Variety | Thieu (Bac Giang), Hai Duong, or equivalent |
| Color | Translucent white to pinkish white |
| Texture | Firm, juicy, intact shape |
| Brix | ≥16° |
| Size | 25–35mm diameter per piece |
| Shell fragments | None |
| Seed fragments | None (deseeded grade) |
| Broken pieces | ≤5% |
| Freezing | IQF at –35°C to –40°C |
| Storage | –18°C or below |
| Shelf life | 24 months |
| Packaging | 500g / 1kg retail or 10kg bulk |
Vietnamese Thieu lychee — the dominant variety from Bac Giang and Hai Duong provinces in the North — is prized for its floral aroma, high sweetness, and small seed. The Thieu variety consistently tests 16–22° Brix during peak season, producing IQF lychee with excellent flavor intensity.
Seasonality — Critical for Sourcing
As covered in this IQF lychee longan guide, Vietnamese lychee has one of the shortest harvest windows of any major fruit: approximately 6–8 weeks from mid-May through early July. All IQF lychee must be processed during this narrow window and stored frozen for year-round supply. This means:
- Orders placed before the season (March–April) secure the best pricing and first-pick quality
- Prices increase 10–20% for orders placed mid-season or after season ends
- Available inventory decreases progressively throughout the year — by Q1 of the following year, suppliers may be sold out of premium grades
If IQF lychee is a year-round product for your business, plan ahead. Place orders in Q1 for June–July processing, and book enough volume to last until the next season.
IQF Longan: Product Forms and Specifications
Available Product Forms
| Form | Description | Primary Application |
|---|---|---|
| Whole peeled (deseeded) | Longan flesh, shell and seed removed | Desserts, soup, traditional Chinese medicine applications |
| Whole peeled (with seed) | Shell removed, seed intact | Foodservice, snacking, Asian grocery retail |
| Puree | Blended longan flesh | Beverage, syrup, flavoring base |
Specifications — IQF Longan Whole Peeled (Deseeded)
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Variety | Xuong Com Vang, Idor, or equivalent |
| Color | Translucent white to light amber |
| Texture | Firm, smooth, slightly chewy |
| Brix | ≥18° |
| Size | 18–25mm diameter per piece |
| Shell fragments | None |
| Seed fragments | None (deseeded grade) |
| Broken pieces | ≤8% |
| Freezing | IQF at –35°C to –40°C |
| Storage | –18°C or below |
| Shelf life | 24 months |
| Packaging | 500g / 1kg retail or 10kg bulk |
Vietnamese longan has a longer harvest season than lychee — roughly July through October in the North (Hung Yen province) and nearly year-round in the South (Mekong Delta). Southern longan allows processors to offer more consistent year-round supply compared to lychee.
IQF Lychee vs IQF Longan: Comparison
| Factor | IQF Lychee | IQF Longan |
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Floral, perfumed, distinctly aromatic | Honey-like, mild, subtly sweet |
| Texture | Juicy, soft-firm | Firmer, slightly chewy |
| Brix | 16–22° | 18–24° |
| Harvest season (North VN) | 6–8 weeks (May–July) | 3–4 months (July–Oct) |
| Year-round supply | Limited — seasonal processing only | Better — South VN production extends supply |
| FOB price | $2.00 – $3.50/kg | $1.80 – $3.00/kg |
| Peeling difficulty | Moderate (rough shell) | Easier (smooth shell) |
| Consumer recognition (Western) | Higher — lychee martini, lychee flavor well-known | Lower — primarily Asian consumer base |
Lychee has stronger brand recognition in Western markets — driven by lychee martinis, lychee-flavored drinks, and lychee’s appearance on Asian restaurant menus. Longan is less known outside Asian communities but has a larger addressable market within them, particularly in Chinese communities where longan is considered a medicinal food with warming properties.
Processing Challenges Specific to Lychee and Longan
Both fruits present unique processing challenges that affect IQF quality:
Peeling. Unlike pineapple or mango which can be peeled by machine, lychee and longan are peeled by hand or semi-automated systems. Each fruit is individually cracked and peeled — a labor-intensive process that limits throughput. Processing speed: one worker handles approximately 15–25 kg of raw fruit per hour (before peel removal).
Deseeding. Seeds must be carefully removed without crushing the flesh. Crushed or torn pieces downgrade from “whole” to “broken” — which commands 30–40% lower pricing. Skilled workers achieve 90–95% whole piece yield; unskilled workers may produce 70–80% whole pieces.
Browning. Both fruits brown rapidly when exposed to air. The window from peeling to freezing must be under 2 hours — ideally under 1 hour. Some processors apply a mild citric acid or ascorbic acid dip immediately after peeling to inhibit enzymatic browning. If your product must be additive-free, specify “no anti-browning treatment” and accept slightly more color variation.
Shell and seed fragment contamination. Small pieces of shell or seed left in the finished product are the most common quality complaint. Lychee shell fragments are particularly problematic because they are sharp. Premium suppliers use multiple sorting stages — manual visual inspection, sieving, and sometimes optical sorting — to minimize fragments. Specify “zero shell fragment tolerance” for retail-grade product.
IQF Lychee Longan Guide: Pricing
| Product | FOB Price (USD/kg) | Net Weight per 20’RF |
|---|---|---|
| IQF lychee whole peeled (deseeded) | $2.50 – $3.50 | ~15,000 kg |
| IQF lychee whole peeled (with seed) | $2.00 – $2.80 | ~16,000 kg |
| IQF lychee puree | $1.80 – $2.50 | ~18,000 kg |
| IQF longan whole peeled (deseeded) | $2.00 – $3.00 | ~15,000 kg |
| IQF longan whole peeled (with seed) | $1.80 – $2.50 | ~16,000 kg |
| IQF longan puree | $1.50 – $2.20 | ~18,000 kg |
Both IQF lychee and longan are premium-priced compared to IQF mango or pineapple — reflecting the labor-intensive peeling process, seasonal availability (especially lychee), and the premium positioning of these fruits in consumer markets. A container of deseeded IQF lychee at $3.00/kg represents approximately $45,000 in product value.
Applications and End Markets
Beverage and cocktail industry. Lychee martinis, lychee juice, lychee-flavored water, and lychee bubble tea are established products in Western markets. IQF lychee puree and whole pieces serve as ingredients. The global flavored water market alone exceeds $30 billion, and lychee is a trending flavor.
Dessert and bakery. Both fruits are used in Asian-inspired desserts — lychee panna cotta, longan jelly, lychee cheesecake, and longan sweet soup. IQF pieces provide convenience and year-round availability for pastry chefs and bakeries.
Ice cream and frozen desserts. Lychee sorbet and longan ice cream are premium offerings in artisan ice cream shops and Asian dessert chains. IQF puree is the preferred format for smooth, consistent ice cream bases.
Asian grocery retail. Frozen lychee and longan in 500g–1kg packs are staple freezer products in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai grocery stores. Demand is year-round but peaks around Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and summer months.
Ready meal and foodservice. Longan is used in Chinese herbal soups and dessert soups served at dim sum restaurants. Lychee appears in stir-fry dishes (lychee duck, lychee shrimp) at upscale Asian restaurants.
Certifications and Compliance
Standard import requirements:
FDA facility registration — required for US market.
ISO 22000 or HACCP — factory-level food safety management.
Sulfite declaration. Some processors use sulfur dioxide (SO2) to prevent browning during processing. If used, it must be declared on the label and the product must comply with US FDA sulfite limits (≤10 ppm for “sulfite-free” claim, mandatory declaration above 10 ppm). Specify “no sulfite treatment” if your market requires it and accept slightly more natural color variation.
Pesticide residue testing. Lychee is sometimes treated with sulfur-based fungicides post-harvest to extend shelf life (for fresh market). For IQF processing, this treatment should not be applied. Require COA with pesticide residue panel per FDA tolerance levels.
IQF Lychee Longan Guide: Buyer Checklist
- Plan around lychee season. Orders for IQF lychee should be placed by March–April for June–July processing. Late orders risk price premiums or stockouts.
- Decide: deseeded or with seed? Deseeded costs more but eliminates processing at destination. With-seed is cheaper and preferred by Asian retail consumers.
- Request samples during season. The best time to evaluate quality is June–July for lychee, August–October for longan — when product is freshly processed.
- Specify broken piece tolerance. ≤5% for premium grade, ≤10% for standard. This directly affects per-piece presentation in desserts and cocktails.
- Verify shell fragment controls. Ask about the supplier’s sorting and detection systems. Zero tolerance for shell fragments in retail product.
- Confirm sulfite status. Get written confirmation and COA testing if required for your market.
- Consider combining lychee + longan. Mixed containers reduce per-product risk and give you two complementary products to offer your customers.
- Negotiate annual volumes. Lychee pricing fluctuates with season yield. Locking in annual pricing based on pre-season volume commitment gives cost predictability.
IQF Lychee Longan Guide: Market Outlook
IQF lychee and longan occupy a premium niche in the frozen fruit market. Demand is driven by three converging trends: the global popularity of Asian cuisine and beverages, the expansion of Asian diaspora communities in Western countries, and the growing consumer interest in exotic and tropical flavors.
Vietnam’s position as the world’s second-largest lychee producer and a top longan producer provides the production base to serve this demand. The key constraint is the narrow lychee harvest window — which also serves as a natural barrier to competition, rewarding importers who plan ahead and maintain long-term supplier relationships.
For buyers looking to add lychee and longan to their product portfolios, Vietnam offers the best combination of quality (high Brix Thieu lychee), competitive pricing (below Thai equivalents), and export infrastructure. Start with the upcoming season — place your sample orders now and position to buy at scale in June.
Vietfrost is a Vietnamese manufacturer and exporter of IQF frozen fruits and vegetables, including IQF lychee and longan in whole peeled, halved, and puree formats. ISO 22000 and HACCP certified. FOB Ho Chi Minh City. Minimum order: 1×20’RF container. Contact: vietfrost.com/contact