Procurement meetings easily drift from aroma to price, whilst everyone overlooks asking who takes legal responsibility for distributing the tea in the destination country. If goods are intended for European retail or hospitality channels, separate the product specifications, documentation, and delivery responsibilities from the very first enquiry.
Regarding the tea itself
Ask the supplier to state clearly the tea category, product name, net weight, packaging format, ingredients, recommended storage, and whether available samples belong to the same batch as prospective commercial shipments. Where claims reference origin, harvest season, tree age, vintage, or certification, request corresponding supporting evidence for each; trade names or promotional images cannot substitute for proof. For matcha, state whether it is intended for plain whisking, lattes, or baking, as evaluation criteria differ by application.
Regarding retail and food compliance readiness
Enquire about batch numbers, production and packaging dates, which specific batch applicable testing reports correspond to, and which parameters those reports cover; clarify who provides required destination labelling languages, the importing entity, and the responsible economic operator. Documentation must be suitable for review by local partners—do not simply accept a vague statement that goods are "compliant with EU standards".
Regarding payment terms and delivery arrangements
Set out sample fees, MOQs, unit pricing for identical specifications, currency, carriage charges, tax liabilities, dispatch origin, lead time calculation dates, and returns policies. Once received, have procurement, compliance, and retail teams examine their respective sections. The Jiang Rong Hao catalogue assists in product selection; specific capabilities and commercial quotations must be confirmed formally by the brand per order, and this checklist does not constitute a committed service agreement.