Nomad Foods is seeking innovative equipment, processing technologies, or integrated solutions that enable the development of next-generation tempura batter-coated fish products.
By “conventional” battering and coating systems, we mean standard waterfall/curtain batter application combined with static frying or baking, which limits coating uniformity, consistency, and yield at scale. We are looking for solutions that demonstrably improve on this baseline by delivering: a more even and well-adhered batter coating across irregular fish portions, reduced batter loss/waste during application, and greater batch-to-batch consistency of coating weight and texture.
We expect proposals exclusively from commercial technology providers — equipment manufacturers, engineering firms, technology start-ups, and system integrators with deployable or near-deployable solutions. Academic institutions or research groups without a commercial product, prototype, or industrial partner are not the focus of this call.
By “improve robustness” we mean equipment and processes that maintain consistent coating performance despite normal variability in raw material (fish portion size and shape), batter viscosity, and line speed, with minimal downtime or operator intervention.
By “flexibility for integration” we mean compatibility with our existing battering/coating and freezing lines: solutions that can be retrofitted or integrated without requiring a full line replacement, and that can accommodate multiple product formats (fillets, portions, nuggets) on the same equipment.
Nomad Foods aims to explore advanced battering and coating technologies that move beyond conventional systems and enable future tempura product platforms. Solutions may involve novel application methods, equipment design, process control, or system integration that improve robustness, efficiency, and product performance across frozen fish supply chains.
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
• Ability to demonstrably enable next-generation tempura batter-coated fish products
• Industrial scalability and compatibility with frozen fish manufacturing
• Technology readiness level and maturity, and a credible path to industrial deployment
• Supplier track record and relevant industrial references
• Flexibility for integration within our existing manufacturing environments
Both ready-to-deploy solutions and technologies requiring limited co-development will be considered.
We are looking for ready to makert technology but also we are also open to both early-stage lab/pilot-scale proof of concept (TRL 3–4) and factory-ready, proven solutions (TRL 7+). Please state the current TRL of your proposed solution and the expected path to industrial deployment.
We welcome proposals from providers and solutions based in any region globally. Proposed solutions must comply with the food safety regulations applicable at the site of deployment, and the provider must be able to support installation, commissioning, and after-sales service at the relevant Nomad Foods manufacturing site (location to be confirmed during discussions).
Must-have:
• Suitable for frozen fish/seafood manufacturing environments
• Food-grade, hygienic design compliant with applicable food safety regulations at the deployment site
• Industrially scalable (pilot to full-scale factory application)
• Compatible with high-throughput, continuous processing lines
• Capable of maintaining batter temperature within during application
Nice-to-have:
• Able to operate across a range of tempura batter viscosities and formats
• Modular or retrofittable design compatible with existing line footprint
• Real-time process monitoring or automated coating-weight control
• Reduced batter consumption/waste versus conventional waterfall application
Operational ranges:
• Batter temperature during application: 4–8°C
• Product format/size range to be coated: 20-250g per piece
Standard waterfall/curtain tempura batter applicators — already trialled and do not meet our consistency and waste-reduction requirements.
We encourage submissions leveraging technologies such as electrostatic batter application, ultrasonic spray coating, rotary drum or curtain coating with adaptive control, vacuum-assisted batter pick-up, or other novel application and process-control methods relevant to tempura-style coatings. We are particularly interested in hearing from equipment manufacturers, process engineering firms, and technology integrators with experience in food or seafood coating lines.
Manufacturer of frozen foods, with 20 production plants, ~8000 employees.. A European Frozen pure play with a long runway for growth and value creation. Strong commitment to innovation with Central and Regional R&D capacity.
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