The demand for herbs and spices is so high in the current world economy. Since increasing numbers of buyers prefer digital platforms to procuring raw materials, accessing reliable partners of high-quality herbs and spices online has been regarded as a strategic opportunity and a key challenge-encountered particularly by B2B buyers in the food manufacturing, distribution, and retail arena.
Vietnam is one of the most promising sources of herbs and spices being yet another place that offers reliable and quality supply of the herbs and spices that are also certified. This article describes the online sourcing requirements of professional buyers, the threats that these professionals face and why Vietnam, in particular and Greatfoods among exporters, is emerging as a leading destination when it comes to bulk sourcing.
The real challenge of buying herbs and spices online as a business
Sourcing on-line, yet to international buyers of herbs and spices, onlining is usually a high stakes game. Poor quality, uncertified sources and poor packaging may transform a growing business into an expensive fiasco.
The International Trade Centre (ITC) reported that buyers ranked such aspects like bad matching of samples, lack of needed quantity of essential oils and bad post-harvest practices as being some of the major challenges when acquiring herbs and spices from unfamiliar suppliers.
Some of the risks that B2B buyers encounter are:
- Sample-handover error: the first samples contrast with the real delivery
- A absence of traceability – lack of knowledge or variety of ingredients
- Risks of contamination: pesticide, molds, or heavy metals
- Poor packaging- causing loss of flavour or clumping or spoilage
- No certifications – which makes reaching such regulated markets as EU/U.S. impossible.
This is why quality oriented buyers are paying more than prices, they are interested in relationships, in partners they can grow with, in assurances of standards as well as in the ability to trace their food sources.
What experienced importers look for when sourcing herbs and spices online
There is a long list of non-negotiables operated by professional buyers who take herbs and spices online at large. The first is traceability, or the capacity to ensure the source of the spice on the farm. This should not be done just to be in position to be able to give quality assurance but also comply with the requirements as regards pesticides, heavy metals as well as microbial contamination.
Other important requirements are certifications. Customers also require that the suppliers report internationally recognised certification like the USDA Organic, EU Organic, HACCP or the ISO 220 000. These criteria are an indication that the manufacturing and the processing systems ensure international food safety standards are adhered to.
It is of essence that there is consistency in shipments. A quality supplier keeps all the batches on the same specifications; the percentage of oil in cinnamon or the percentage of curcumin in turmeric or the size of the flower in star anise or the aroma of the star anise flower. On the buyer side, there is also a demand of flexibility in package formats i.e. whole vs ground spice, flexible custom vide variety of packaging solutions, i.e. 25kg sack to 25kg resealable package industrial OEM pack (retail packing).
Lastly, the exporters must also familiarize themselves with international trade, as people like us need international traders. This would not only mean selling the product, but also the provision of correct export paper work, customs arrangements and offering such Incoterm terms as FOB, CIF or even DDP. A World Bank report on spice trade research reveals that buyers favor those exporters who make shipments as smooth as possible by streamlining these processes and also provides the documentation in compliance format.
Vietnam’s herbs and spices sector: What global buyers should know
Although other countries such as India and Indonesia monopolize the spice discussion, Vietnam has found its solace in becoming one of the vibrant spice exporters in the Asian region. In 2023, Vietnam sold over 270,000 tons of spices and the total export was over USD 1.1 billion. The main export is cinnamon, star anise, black pepper, turmeric, ginger and lemongrass.
What most buyers in the international market do not find is that it is not only the quantity that Vietnam excels in but also its quality. An array of different herbs and spices grows well in tropical climates and varied microclimates of this country. As an example, cinnamon bark harvested in the highlands of Quang Nam can contain up to 4% of the essential oil whereas Lang Son star anise is famous for its large yet consistent yellow flowers and intense anethole smell.
The Vietnamese spice farms are also becoming industrialized as well. A large number are turning towards organic farming; NGO and government schemes are helping cooperatives in processing and traceability. Blockchain traceability systems have been tested in other areas such as the province of Lao Cai and Quang Tri where buyers can follow goods throughout their cultivation to packaging processes.
How Vietnam leads in exporting 5 popular herbs and spices
The prices of the Vietnam export herbs and spices online are not merely competitive but of the best quality in Vietnam. Specifically five products have been resonating well in the foreign market which include cinnamon, star anise, black pepper, turmeric and lemongrass.
- In Vietnam, cinnamon (also called cassia) is valued because of high oil concentration, which is between 2.5 and 4 percent. This increases its aroma when compared to cassia that is produced in other parts of the world such as China or Indonesia that mainly yielded between 1.5 percent to 2 percent oil contents. The cinnamon bark of Vietnam is also thinner and is easy to grind to be used either in cooking or extraction.
- The other high value export is star anise of northern Vietnam. The fine grades have large, symmetrical eight-pointed terribly aromatized flowers. In addition to being used in cooking, Vietnamese star anise is an essential component of the pharmaceutical sector, especially in the manufacture of shikimic acid, precursor of the antiviral agent Tamiflu.
- Vietnamese black pepper takes over the world market and not without any reason. The nation is the greatest exporter of pepper in the world giving different grades of pepper such as ASTA 570 that checks on very low moisture levels and low contamination. To the upscale markets, sterilized pepper by steam or irradiated pepper can be obtained.
- Dak Lak and Bac Kan Sources are renowned in providing a bright turmeric whose curcumin level is high (usually more than 3%). This would be ideal as not only a spice combination but it would be used in the success of the health food and cosmetic industries as turmeric is being used because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Lemongrass is produced mostly in the Mekong delta and exported as dried as well as powdered lemongrass. The refreshing citrus scent and its clear flavor are used as an ingredient in teas, essential oils, and seasoning blends. The Vietnamese lemongrass is mostly dried in the sun, and there is no chemical addition to preserve the aroma and color.
What makes a reliable herbs and spices online exporter?
In the case of online-based businesses associated with the sourcing of herbs and spices online, the supplier of this source will either build your product or junk your product and the name. A reputed exporter is not a mere dealer rather he is a solutions provider who knows what your industry needs.
Reliable exporters make available complete traceability of their ingredients, such as harvest reports, farmer information, quality assurance papers. Their products are not only sent as beautiful samples, but the final delivery would be specific and amount to the product in the aspect of aroma, flavor color and cleanliness.
Certification is necessary. Respectable exporters possess globally acceptable certifications and constantly keep them updated. They must also be ready to provide them with third party lab test results of the essential oil levels, moisture and microbial count and heavy metals residues.
Flexible packaging also ensures that the exporter is good to serve various markets. You should be able to customize it whether you require 25kg sacks to use in the industry or packs in your own brand under retailing. Besides, there are consistent exporters who assist one in the filling of documentation such as the Certificates of Origin, Phytosanitary Certificates, and Health Certificates- documents that may generally be necessary by the customs officers in the U.S, EU and the Gulf nations.
Lastly, it is experience in logistics. An experienced exporter will know how to liaise with freight forwarders, shipping line and customs brokers to prevent unwanted delays or additional expenses.
Greatfoods – Your trust partner for supplying herbs and spices online
Greatfoods is the company which deals with the sourcing and export of the best Vietnamese herbs and spices online adjusted to the requirements of the B2B customers all over the globe. Directly operating with farmer cooperatives and authorized processing facilities in Vietnam, we are ready to provide the products of the highest international standards.
We have full traceability of all our products and they come in both organic and conventional formats. Our products are available as whole, ground or sliced as per the application of the customer. Our packs can be as bulky as vacuum packed sacks or built to OEM specification retail packaging uses.
Our services to the clients are involved in full export documentation, phytosanitary certification, certificate of origin, and lab test reports. You need FOB delivery at a Vietnam port or CIF shipping into your warehouse across the ocean-our shipment logistics fit your demands.
It has clients in more than 30 countries, including the US, Japan, Germany, EU. and South Korea. Our capability to be able to deliver products constantly in a quality manner and be on time is what they appreciate the most.
For inquiries and orders, please contact us at:
- Facebook: Greatfoods
- Youtube: Greatfoodsvn
- Email: [email protected]
We are happy to partner with you in the future!