ODM Tea · Service
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Samples
A sample request needs three things: the destination, the grade code or the cup you are matching, and the quantity you expect to buy. We send dry leaf with its specification sheet — grade, origin, moisture, the residue standard it will be tested against — and cup it with you if useful. Sample terms and dispatch time are stated when the request is confirmed. Once approved, the sample is sealed, retained and becomes the reference for the contract.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Destination | Sets the residue standard and the label language |
| Grade code or reference cup | Decides whether we sample a grade or build a match |
| Expected quantity | Decides which lots are realistic to sample from |
| Bulk or retail packing | Changes HS subheading and what the sample should show |
| Organic required? | Organic availability and certificate scope are confirmed at quotation |
Service
What does not get sampled on demand?
Organic. Organic samples come only from a lot under a current certificate, with body and scope confirmed in the quotation. A supplier who can send organic samples of any grade on any lead time is describing paperwork, not a programme.
Frequently asked
Are samples free?
Sample terms are stated when the request is confirmed and depend on the grade and destination. Send the three items — destination, grade or cup, quantity — and the terms come back with the specification.
What happens to the approved sample?
It is sealed and retained for the life of the contract; where repeat-lot matching is contracted, later lots are cupped against it before release.
What should a tea sample request include?
State the destination, tea type, grade or target cup, expected order quantity, packing format and any residue, testing or certification requirement. Explain what decision the sample must support. This helps the supplier select a relevant lot and state sample, courier and quotation terms without pretending that one generic sample represents every available grade.
Does sample approval guarantee every shipment will match?
No. An approved sample is a reference, not an automatic guarantee for every shipment. Repeatability depends on the written specification, crop and blend controls, retained reference, sampling method and agreed release checks. Where matching is contracted, each lot should be cupped or tested against the agreed criteria before release and differences documented.
Can I get samples of white tea?
Yes, as for any line: name the grade — Bai Hao Yin Zhen, Bai Mu Dan, Gong Mei or Shou Mei — or the cup you want to match, the destination and the expected quantity. The sample terms, including any tea cost and courier charge, are stated when the request is confirmed.
Who pays for tea samples and shipping?
It is agreed per request. The tea and the courier are separate costs, and courier charges to some destinations can exceed the value of the tea. The confirmation states both before anything is sent.
Before you order
Other ODM Tea services
- Bulk tea supplyOrigin categories from Fujian and refined green tea grades for the African trade, in sacks or cartons.
- Private label and packingYour brand on retail packs — cartons, tins, pouches, tea bags — with label content compliant for the destination.
- Blending to an approved sampleMatch a reference cup, then hold it across shipments by cupping each contracted lot against it.
- Sourcing and refining, disclosedGunpowder and Chunmee bought in Zhejiang and Anhui, refined to the written contract specification, and labelled as sourced.
Next step
Start with samples.
Destination, grade or cup, and quantity. We answer with a specification, not a brochure.