Comparison
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Gunpowder vs Chunmee
Gunpowder and Chunmee are both refined Chinese green teas but behave differently in the pot and in the contract. Gunpowder is rolled into tight pellets that release slowly across the three infusions of atay and attaya, which is why it dominates Morocco and Senegal. Chunmee is an open, slender leaf that opens faster, gives a lighter light-gold liquor and travels further — into Ghana, Uzbekistan and blending. Choose by preparation first, then price.
| Gunpowder | Chunmee | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf make | Tightly rolled pellet | Open, slender, slightly curved leaf |
| Reference grade | 3505 (sub-grades AAAAA to D) | 41022 |
| Other grades | 9375, 9475, 9575 | 9371, 9366, 9367, 9368, 9369 |
| Liquor | Bright yellow-green | Clear light gold |
| Re-infusion | Slow release — holds three rounds | Opens fast — lighter on later rounds |
| Origin | Pingshui belt, Shaoxing, Zhejiang | Zhejiang and Anhui |
| Principal markets | Morocco, Senegal, Mauritania | Ghana, Uzbekistan, Senegal, blending |
| Moisture spec | ≤ 7.0% | ≤ 7.0% |
| HS heading | 0902.20 bulk · 0902.10 ≤ 3 kg | 0902.20 bulk · 0902.10 ≤ 3 kg |
| Shelf life | Best-before set per contract; keep cool, dry, odour-free | Best-before set per contract; keep cool, dry, odour-free |
Versus
Which one does each market buy?
Morocco took 91,000 tonnes of Chinese tea in 2025, 99.85% of it green — mostly gunpowder and Chunmee grades. Senegal, at 24,000 tonnes and USD 4,024.6 per tonne, runs gunpowder 3505 with Chunmee 41022 alongside. Ghana and Uzbekistan lean to Chunmee — Uzbekistan took 29,217.4 tonnes in 2025, up 17.3%, mainly 41022 and 9371.
The dividing line is the pot. Where the same charge of leaf is brewed three times with sugar and mint, pellet tightness is a commercial variable and gunpowder wins. Where tea is bagged, blended or brewed once, the faster-opening Chunmee is the cheaper cup.
Which is cheaper?
Per kilogram, Chunmee grades usually land below the equivalent gunpowder grade because the make is less labour-intensive and the leaf is not rolled. Per cup, gunpowder can be cheaper in three-infusion markets because one charge of pellets goes further. Compare cost in use for the preparation, not price per tonne.
The 2025 numbers show the spread: China's average export price was USD 3,691.2 per tonne, Morocco paid USD 3,043.4 and Senegal USD 4,024.6. Grade and suffix move price more than the gunpowder-versus-Chunmee choice does.
What has to differ on the contract?
Almost nothing. Both need moisture at or below 7.0%, a broken-and-fannings ceiling, screen size, the residue standard named by destination, and packing net weight. The one difference is the grade family — 3505 needs its sub-grade suffix fixed; 41022 does not carry suffixes.
Frequently asked
Is gunpowder tea stronger than Chunmee?
Gunpowder releases more slowly and holds up across three infusions, so it reads as stronger in a multi-round preparation. In a single brew Chunmee opens faster and can taste fuller on the first cup.
Can Chunmee replace gunpowder in Morocco?
Rarely in the retail atay market, which is built on pellet tea. Chunmee appears in Morocco mainly for blending and bagging.
Which grade should a first order use?
Gunpowder 3505 with the suffix fixed, or Chunmee 41022. Both are the widest-traded reference grades in their families and the easiest to benchmark.
Next step
Deciding between Gunpowder and Chunmee?
Send the destination and the quantity. ODM Tea answers with the one that fits and the clauses that go with it.