In an apparatus for the cooling of softly packaged food-stuffs, such as pouches with foods, said pouches are immersed inside a tank (52) into a cooling liquid with a density that is lower than that of the pouches. A floor is arranged inside the tank above the tank bottom so as to support the pouches, which floor comprises a grid (14). At least one jet (15) is arranged between the tank floor and the grid, said jet being adapted to eject liquid in a generally upward direction, and said jet during the ejection being moved so as to vary the flow pattern inside the tank. The motion of the jet provides an exceptionally good cooling effect, which is believed to be attributable to a combination of advantageous circumstances, viz. that no pouch is constantly stationary and that the pouches do not cover the surfaces of other pouches.The motion of the jets can be provided by a mechanically relatively simple arrangement, in which the jets are mounted on arms (16), which arms are rotated around a vertical axis (17).