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Twelve questions that separate a tea supplier from a tea trader
Most disputes in the Chinese tea trade start before the contract, in what was never asked. These twelve questions cover the points where a lot can be substituted, under-specified or refused at the border. A supplier who answers all twelve plainly is describing a system; one who answers with a brochure is describing a hope. We publish our own answers beside each question.
| Question | What a good answer contains | ODM Tea |
|---|---|---|
| Where is this tea grown? | County and, for gunpowder, the admission that it is Zhejiang | Fujian origins named; gunpowder and Chunmee disclosed as Zhejiang and Anhui |
| What does the grade code fix, and what does it not? | Make only; moisture, screen, residue and packing are separate clauses | Stated on every grade page |
| Which 3505 sub-grade? | AAAAA to D, held across shipments | Suffix fixed in the specification |
| What moisture do you ship at? | At or below 7.0%; 8.5% for scented | Trade specification on every line |
| Which residue standard is the lot tested against? | The destination's, named | Destination standard named in the contract: ONSSA, EAEU, EU or Japanese limits |
| Who tests, and when? | Accredited laboratory; report before loading | Per contract, when testing is quoted |
| How is the cup held across shipments? | Blending to a sealed approved sample | Where repeat-lot matching is contracted, later lots are cupped against the retained sample |
| How is it packed, and at what net weight? | Multiwall sacks or cartons; weight stated | Stated per contract |
| What HS heading, bulk and packed? | 0902.20/0902.40 bulk; 0902.10/0902.30 at 3 kg or less | Stated per line |
| Who checks the label against the destination's law? | Mandatory content list before the packing run | Checked before artwork is approved |
| Which Incoterm and which port? | A named Incoterms 2020 rule with the named port or place | FOB, CFR or CIF for sea freight from Ningbo or Shanghai; rail via Khorgos–Altynkol under a rule for any mode of transport; terms confirmed per quotation |
| Can you show the organic import certificate for the lot? | Per shipment, from the certifying body | Certifying body, scope and the per-shipment import certificate — NOP Import Certificate for the US, e-COI for the EU — confirmed per verified organic quotation |
How do you shortlist private-label or wholesale tea suppliers?
Screen on evidence, not on rankings. For each candidate, check the legal entity in the national business register, the exporter's customs record, the named producer or packer, samples against your target cup, certificates with their scope, and the packaging side: who prints, the material minimums and how artwork is approved. Lists of the best suppliers rarely show any of this, so build the comparison yourself.
Frequently asked
How do I know if a Chinese tea supplier is a factory or a trader?
Ask where the tea is grown and whether the refining is theirs. A factory names counties and its own refining line; a trader names a province and a price.
What is the most important clause in a tea contract?
The residue standard, named by the destination jurisdiction. The same clause should name the accredited laboratory, the sampling method, when the report is issued and what happens to a lot that fails.
Which documents should be matched before paying a deposit?
Match the quotation or contract to the legal seller name, bank beneficiary, product specification, packing, Incoterm and payment terms. Check that any certificate names the actual holder and covers the relevant product or site. Differences should be resolved in writing; a logo, marketplace badge or document screenshot is not enough by itself.
How can a buyer verify origin and producer without assuming ownership?
Ask for the named origin, producer or processing site, lot records and documents appropriate to the transaction, then cross-check names and addresses. A supplier may trade, refine, blend or pack tea without owning the farm or factory. Describe the verified role precisely and do not turn sourcing access into an ownership claim.
Next step
Turn this into a specification.
Send the destination, the grade and the quantity. ODM Tea answers with the clauses this page describes, filled in.