Popkoff’s, a long-established maker of Russian dumplings in the United States, is opening a new, state-of-the-art frozen food production facility in City of Industry, California, to meet growing demand for its “old world fare.” An official ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the event will take place on February 5.
The 40,000-square-foot factory will be able to produce about 40,000 pounds of pelmeni (pronounced pel-MEN-ee) and vareniki (pronounced va-REN-ik-ee) per day.
Pelmeni, similar in appearance to Italian tortellini, are available with chicken, farmer’s cheese, beef, veal, pork and sour cream fillings. Served as either main course, side dish or appetizer, the stuffed pouch treats are based on recipes that originated in Serbia and have been a staple of Eastern European cuisine for generations.
Vareniki, comparable to crescent-shaped Italian ravioli, are filled with either potato and onion or cabbage and carrot. Also known as stuffed pierogis, they can be conveniently prepared in five minutes.
The facility has a Safe Quality Food (SQF) Level 2 certification, which is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a group of food safety experts that promote a harmonized approach to managing food safety across the industry and across the world. It will be able to accommodate private label food production, as well.
“As more and more retail chains sought out our products, we recognized the need to increase our production capabilities. We take great pride in the quality of our product, and have taken care to make sure that we can continue to grow and meet consumer demand without compromising quality or food safety, said President Alex Meseonznik.
The products are made exclusively with ingredients sourced from suppliers in the United States. Vegetables and fruits are procured locally, and meat components are free of antibiotics and hormones. No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives of any kind are used in formulating the all-natural range.
Dumpling casings are made with unbleached and unbromated, non-GMO King Arthur flours. Free-range chicken produced by Pitman Farms under the Mary’s Chicken brand are cooled in an air chilled system that inhibits the spread of bacteria. Among other key suppliers are Meyer Natural Angus Beef, Marcho Farms Veal and Good Nature All-Natural Pork.
The company was founded by Peter Popkoff as Popkoff’s Frozen Foods in San Francisco in 1965, initially to provide Russian dishes to customers in the Bay area. The operation has grown considerable during the past half century, as Popkoff’s has expanded its branded business with private label production. It offers clients a full range of logistics services including cross docking, case packing, palletizing and other cold storage.
