Welcome back to the Tater Talk podcast! We’re diving deep into the fascinating world of food manufacturing, and today, we have an incredible story of resilience, rapid growth, and strategic pivots from a true industry veteran.

In this episode, host Mike DeLong chats with Eyal Pauker from Green Frost Foods in Israel. Eyal’s career journey is nothing short of extraordinary, transitioning from building and scaling complex manufacturing operations in the pharmaceutical sector to leading a major, rapid expansion of a French fry factory in Israel. Many listeners might not even realize that Israel boasts a significant French fry processing industry, and Eyal is at the forefront of its evolution.

We’ll explore Eyal’s unique background, how the Israeli industry is developing, Green Frost’s remarkable growth story, and the critical elements required to accelerate major industrial projects, even in the most challenging times.

From Student to Strategic Leader: Eyal Pauker’s Journey

Eyal Pauker, 44, is a Bachelor of Science graduate in Industrial Engineering and Management from the Technion in Israel, also holding PMP and PMI certifications. His career began as a student at Strauss Group, a multi-billion dollar global Israeli food corporation. There, he started as a junior PMO officer, optimizing dry food and confectionery products, and quickly moved into production management and project management roles.

Eyal’s early experiences included establishing strategic relationships with international suppliers, managing mass production of bakery products, optimizing outsourced production processes, and executing large-scale cost reduction projects using OPEX methodologies. After almost three and a half years and several roles at Strauss Group, Eyal ventured into independent consultancy, focusing on cost reduction for smaller clients in the industry.

It was through family connections that Eyal found his way to Green Frost Foods, but his ties to the fries industry run even deeper. Eyal shares that his father was a chief technologist in the frozen vegetables and fries industry, a pioneer in Israel’s relatively young food processing sector. Eyal recalls being a teenager in the 80s and 90s, running through machinery with his father, witnessing the early days of French fry production in Israel.

“Back in the 90s they started the second Fry’s production line here in Israel,” Eyal recounts, highlighting the nascent stages of local potato processing. This period coincided with McDonald’s establishing its first branches in Israel, marking a fascinating time for the industry. It was then that Eyal first grasped the intricate processes and technology behind producing frozen food, not just consuming it.

Green Frost Foods: A Phoenix Rising

Eyal officially joined Green Frost Foods in 2020 as Chief of Operations. The company, known by its brand Milutal, has a rich history tied to kibbutz cooperatives and Israel’s economic past. Originally, Milutal focused on processing frozen vegetables like chickpeas, corn, and other mixes. The production of frozen fries only began in the 90s.

Around 2000, financial crises led to changes in ownership. The most recent and pivotal change occurred between 2019-2020 when RJM company, a major tahini paste processor and exporter to the US, acquired the old Milutal facility. This facility, almost 40 years old, was in dire need of an overhaul.

Eyal explains that under the new ownership, a strategic decision was made to cut less profitable frozen vegetable commodity activities and focus almost entirely on the more profitable frozen fries products. Eyal dived into building the foundational operations, from logistics and raw material reception (working closely with potato agriculturists) to establishing the company’s first planning basics.

The Fire and the Rebirth

Then, disaster struck. At the end of 2021, a major fire consumed nearly 90% of Green Frost’s equipment and facility. “Statistically, we’re part of the statistics actually,” Eyal muses, noting the unfortunate frequency of such incidents in the industry. The fire, caused by a new thermal system combined with the old infrastructure, brought the entire company to a halt.

“One day everything was shut down. The whole company was shut down. We shrank into a startup company,” Eyal recalls. This catastrophic event, however, presented an unprecedented opportunity. Eyal and the owners embarked on an “aggressive and intensive journey of building up almost greenfield, from scratch, from nothing into a new facility.” They had to manage existing stock, fulfill customer orders, and care for thousands of tons of potatoes, all while embarking on a massive reconstruction project.

Scaling from Scratch: The French Fry Revolution

While Green Frost did have a small, old 2.5 tons/hour frozen fries line when Eyal joined, the strategic shift meant transforming an aging IQF vegetable business into a modern, high-capacity French fry powerhouse. Eyal was tasked with not just upgrading, but essentially standing up a robust frozen French fry business with a complete supply chain and infrastructure from the ground up.

This journey required immense dedication, rapid decision-making, and an unwavering focus on efficiency and innovation. Eyal’s background in complex manufacturing, even from the pharmaceutical sector, proved invaluable in navigating the intricacies of food processing, supply chain management, and accelerating industrial projects under extreme pressure.

Listen to the Full Story!

Eyal Pauker’s story with Green Frost Foods is a testament to vision, resilience, and the power of strategic transformation. From optimizing production lines at Strauss to spearheading a greenfield French fry factory after a devastating fire, his journey is packed with lessons for anyone in manufacturing, agriculture, or food processing.

Don’t miss the full conversation with Eyal Pauker on the Tater Talk podcast. He shares invaluable insights into navigating crises, accelerating growth, and building a thriving food business in a unique global market. Tune in to hear more about how Green Frost Foods rose from the ashes to become a leader in the Israeli French fry industry!

About Our Guest

Eyal Pauker is a high-impact Industrial Engineer and PMP-certified project leader with over 15 years of experience in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Currently serving as a strategic leader at Green Frost Food Ltd, Eyal has built a career around transforming “sketches” into high-capacity, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. With a background from the prestigious Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, he combines rigorous technical “know-how” with a holistic vision of the entire production chain, from starch recovery to global market expansion.

Connect with Eyal on LinkedIn.