Pepper in Vietnam is a high-value spice which is known as the king of spices. It is said to have originated in the south of India, and was then cultivated in many countries such as Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. This article will give you an overview of types of pepper in Vietnam and tips to choose high-quality pepper that you should remember
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Pepper in Vietnam: Overview
Pepper in Vietnam is one of the most well-known spices on the global market and makes up a large amount of export revenue. So, how many types of pepper in Vietnam do you know? Do you know where are the growing zones of pepper in Vietnam? Let’s check with us!
Types of pepper in Vietnam
There are four different types of pepper in Vietnam: white pepper, black pepper, red peppercorn, and green peppercorn.
Black pepper
Black pepper in Vietnam is made from unripe green peppercorns which are dried and fermented until the skin turns black.
Taste: Hot, strong, pungent
Piperine content: 6.6%-7.3%
Essential oil: 2%-2.2%
How to use: Black pepper in Vietnam is the most popular spice that can be used to add flavour to various dishes like meats, fish, vegetables, soups, stir-fries, pasta, and more.
White pepper
White pepper in Vietnam is made from fully ripe green peppercorns. They are soaked in water for skin softening and fermentation. After that, the skin is removed, leaving only the inner seed. That inner seed is white pepper
Taste: White pepper taste is spicier but the smell is less complex than black pepper
Piperine content: 7%-7.4%
Essential oil: 2%-2.3%
How to use: White pepper in Vietnam should be added after the food is cooked since overheating might result in a bitter flavour. White pepper in Vietnam is usually used in Asian dishes or light-coloured dishes like cream sauce, soup, pasta and seafood
Types of pepper in Vietnam
Green peppercorn
Green peppercorn is often soaked in brine or vinegar. They may be dried, but they are more commonly served in brine
Taste: Fresh and tart flavor
Piperine content: 5.9-6.5%
Essential oil: 1.53-1.76%
How to use: Green peppercorn that is soaked in vinegar is often used to add flavour to vegetable, mild meat dishes, poultry or fish. Green peppercorn fits well with foods that have a strong fruity or fresh flavour. So, you can combine green peppercorns with salad dishes
Red peppercorn
Red peppercorns are green peppercorns that are fully ripe and turn red but are not dried and fermented.
Taste: Sweet, fruity, slightly spicy but more fragrant than black pepper in Vietnam
Piperine content: 3.4%
How to use: The fruity and slightly spicy flavour of red peppercorns can go well with seafood, salad and curries. Red peppercorns are frequently used in dishes that require a bold but less spicy pepper taste or for decoration.
Pepper in Vietnam: Growing regions
In Vietnam black pepper farm, the temperatures between 10 and 35 degrees Celsius are ideal. Additionally, the plant can grow well in humid conditions with little breeze. There are many growing regions of pepper in Vietnam which are mainly located in the Central Highlands and Southeast region.
Planting zones of pepper in Vietnam
Central Highlands: Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Gia Lai are the three provinces specialising in growing pepper in Vietnam. There are two distinct seasons in the Central Highlands, which are the rainy season lasting from May to October, and the dry season lasting from November to April the next year. Around 1800 mm of rainfall on average per year, with the majority falling during the rainy season. The level of humidity is perfect for the growth of pepper in Vietnam. The fertile basalt soil in the Central Highlands is also perfect for the cultivation of pepper in Vietnam.
Southeast region: Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai and Ba Ria – Vung Tau are key areas for the planting of pepper in Vietnam. Thanks to the sub-equatorial climate, the temperature is stable around the year in this region. The basalt soil is fertile and suitable for growing pepper in Vietnam.
Trade figures for pepper in Vietnam
Main markets for pepper in Vietnam
Exported value of pepper in Vietnam in 2020: 510,855 USD
Exported quantity of pepper in Vietnam in 2020: 219,920 tons
Main markets in 2020: China (45,686 tons), USA (38,258 tons), UAE (12,729 tons), India (12,128 tons), Germany (10,516 tons)
Quality and taste of pepper in Vietnam
What to consider when evaluating the quality and taste of pepper in Vietnam? How pepper in Vietnam different from pepper around the world? We will give you an in-depth explanation right now!
Quality of pepper in Vietnam
The quality of pepper in Vietnam is determined by its density, which relies on how ripe the pepper was when it was harvested. The riper the pepper is, the heavier it is. The density of pepper in Vietnam is measured by G/L (gram per litre). For example, 500 G/L means that each litre of pepper in Vietnam is equal to 500 grams. Heavier peppercorns will have a higher density and contain more piperine than lighter ones.
The quality of pepper in Vietnam also depends on the content of piperine and essential oil. Piperine is an active component that creates the pungent smell and hot taste of pepper. Peppercorns that contain a higher amount of piperine and essential oil will be more expensive.
High-quality pepper in Vietnam must have:
- Density of at least 490 G/L
- Minimum content of piperine of 4%
- Minimum essential oil of 2%
Contact Ms Camila to know more about pepper in Vietnam: +84 84 444 4867 (WhatsApp available)
Normally factories of pepper in Vietnam supply Black pepper 500GL, 500GL, 570GL, 580Gl and 600GL
Factors to evaluate the taste of pepper in Vietnam
We understand that we all want to enjoy tasty and flavourful pepper. Below are some criteria to evaluate the quality and the taste of black pepper in Vietnam that you should keep in mind:
- The black peppercorns should have a uniform black colour
- The darker the peppercorns, the tastier they are
- High-quality peppercorns are fresher than low-quality ones
- Sweetness and Acidity: Citrus flavour, mustard flavour, or camphor flavour?
- Texture: Do the peppercorns stay pretty solid or easily crumble?
Comparison of pepper around the world
The below chart will give you an overview of pepper in Vietnam and different pepper types around the world. Based on the smell, taste, piperine content, essential oil and price, you can choose the types of pepper that you find suitable the most for your market.
| Type | Origin | Taste | Smell | Piperine | Essential oil | FOB price
(updated July, 2022) |
Main markets |
| Lampong | Indonesia | Mild | strong citrusy aroma | 3.3%-4.7% | 1.1%-2.9% | $3507/MT | India, USA, China |
| Tellicherry | India | Strong, fresh | Complex aroma from fruity to grassy | 6.6% | 4.7% | $6342/MT | USA, EU, UAE |
| Brazilian pepper | Brazil | Mild | Strong, powerful | 2%-10% | 2%-4% | $3400/MT | USA, UAE, Germany |
| Black pepper 500GL | Vietnam | Mild | Strong, robust | 6.6%-7.3% | 2%-2.2% | $3650/MT | USA, UAE, China, India |
| White pepper 630 GL | Vietnam | Hot spicy | Strong, robust | 7%-7.4% | 2%-2.3% | $5700/MT | USA, UAE, China, India |
| Serawak | Malaysia | Spicy, long-lasting heat | Floral, musky, earthy | 5%-9% | 1%-2.5% | $5900/MT | Japan, China, South Korea |
Standards to evaluate the quality of pepper in Vietnam
There are different sets of standards for pepper quality for different countries. IPC standards are the highest grade that is applied globally. In the USA, pepper in Vietnam must meet ASTA standards. Meanwhile, EU countries require pepper in Vietnam to meet ESA standards. In addition, there are Brazil standards, India standards and Vietnam standards, too. In this article, we will give you the specification of the IPC standard and Vietnam standard
Read more:
ASTA standard: http://peppervietnam.com/uploads/2022/Linh-tinh/ASTA.pdf
ESA standard: https://www.esa-spices.org/index-esa.html/publications-esa
IPC standards
IPC standards are established by the International Pepper Community, consisting of Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka. Many suppliers of pepper in Vietnam follow the standards set by IPC when they export pepper to the world.
IPC BP-1 and IPC WP-1 are peppers that have been further processed, consisting of sieving, cycloning, destoning, washing and mechanical drying
IPC BP-2 are peppers that have been partially processed, which only includes sieving and winnowing
IPC standards for pepper around the world
IPC standards for pepper are established by the International Pepper Community. IPC standard is considered as the highest level of standards for exporting pepper around the world. If a manufacturer of pepper in Vietnam is verified to meet IPC standards, you can trust their pepper quality.
Vietnam standards
Below is the definition of terms used in Vietnam standards for pepper in Vietnam:
- Black pepper: Dried pepper of Piper nigrum Linnaeus. It has outer layer
- Black pepper, non–processed (NP): Black pepper has not undergone cleaning, processing or grading before being sold
- Black pepper, semi-processed (SP): Black pepper has undergone cleaning but has not been processed or graded before being sold
- Black pepper processed: Pepper has been processed (cleaned, graded, processed, etc.) before being sold
- Black pepper, ground: Black pepper has been ground into powder without adding any other substances
- Light berry: Peppercorns that have a normal external appearance but no nucleus.
- Pinhead: Peppercorns are very small
- Broken berry: Peppercorns that are broken into pieces
| Quality parameter | NP and SP pepper | Black pepper processed | Pepper powder | |||
| Premium | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | |||
| Moisture (% vol/weigh, maximum) | 13,0 | 13,0 | 13,0 | 13,0 | 12,5 | 12,5 |
| Total ash (% by weigh, maximum) | 7,0 | 7,0 | 7,0 | 7,0 | 6,0 | 6,0 |
| Non-volatile ether extract (% by weigh, minimum) | 6,0 | 6,0 | 6,0 | 6,0 | 6,0 | 6,0 |
| Volatile oil (% by ml/100g, minimum) | 2,0 | 2,0 | 2,0 | 2,0 | 2,0 | 1,0 |
| Piperine content (% by weigh, minimum) | 4,0 | 4,0 | 4,0 | 4,0 | 4,0 | 4,0 |
| Foreign matter (% by weigh, maximum) | 0,2 | 0,5 | 1 | 1 | 0,2 | |
| Light berry (% by weigh, maximum) | 2 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 2 | |
| Pinhead (% by weigh, maximum) | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Bulk density (g/l, minimum) | 600 | 550 | 500 | 450 | 600 | |
Pepper in Vietnam that have above specifications could meet standards to be exported to the world!
Pepper in Vietnam: Signs of scam exporters
In pepper in bulk business, buyers can not totally avoid the risk of being scammed. The scammers could be the seller or a third party who pretends to be the seller. K-Agriculture has received various fraud cases from different companies and now we will summarize the most 3 common fraud cases. We hope that buyers could be more cautious when working with suppliers of pepper in Vietnam.
Online payment fraud
Because of the development of cyber technology, cybercrime has extended to many different types of businesses, including businesses relating to pepper in Vietnam. K-Agriculture has encountered numerous payment fraud situations, so now we will discuss the methods that scammers often employ to defraud their victims of their money:
Step 1: The scammers act as the seller. They break into the buyer and seller’s email accounts or other messaging services like WhatsApp and steal deal-related information.
Step 2: Hackers set up fake email or chat accounts that resemble the actual ones used by the sellers of pepper in Vietnam in order to connect with buyers and steal information
Step 3: The fraudster will assert that they must change the recipient’s bank account number due to fees, taxes, or interest rates when the consignment of pepper in Vietnam is in delivery. Scammers will demand that importers make payments to a third-party bank account of their choosing, despite the fact that this may seem unreasonable.
Step 4: Scammers will disappear after getting money from purchasers through the third-party bank account. Customers will not receive the consignment of pepper in Vietnam though they have paid for it
Solution: Due to the speed of this approach, hackers frequently demand that victims send money by remittance. Because of this, victims have little time to realize that this is a fraud and risk missing the chance to cancel the transaction. Buyers who want to import pepper in Vietnam should stop their money from being transferred through one of these methods as soon as they become aware of a possible scam:
- Call the recipient bank and tell them to stop the transaction
- Call the police to report the fraud cases for investigation
- Submit Asset Preservation Order to the court so that scammers cannot hide money, spend money or distribute money overseas
Non-delivery scam
Non-delivery scam occurs when suppliers of pepper in Vietnam take money but don’t deliver anything to customers. Even though customers have made purchases for the order, buyers may receive empty boxes. Sometimes, this kind of fraud is committed as a component of a larger phishing scheme in which thieves try to obtain the credit card numbers or other personal data of victims.
Solutions: Buyers should speak with their bank right away to block the money transfer. It is advised that you verify the website of the suppliers of pepper in Vietnam in advance to determine if they have a real contact address, phone number, and valid business license. Alternatively, you can search for their business name combined with keywords like “scam” or “fraud” to see if anyone has any opinions on the suppliers of pepper in Vietnam you wish to engage with.
Delivery of fake pepper
Providers of pepper in Vietnam rarely sells fake pepper. Currently, we have not received much information about fake pepper in Vietnam. However, in some countries, fake pepper was found. The black pepper is made from mud and the white pepper is made from flour. Sometimes the black pepper is made from dried papaya seeds (an adulterant of peppercorn), then they are mixed with real pepper and sold at a high price. It is really hard to distinguish real pepper and fake pepper when they are combined together.
Fake pepper and how to detect it
Solution: So, how to detect fake black pepper in Vietnam and in other countries? It is pretty simple and you can do it at home.
- You just need a glass of water
- Put some black pepper into the glass of water
- If the pepper settle at the bottom -> Real pepper
- If the pepper float on the surface of water -> Adulterant of peppercorn or Papaya seeds
Pepper in Vietnam: 5 most reputable companies
Below are the top 5 trustworthy providers with the best price of pepper in Vietnam
Olam Food Substances
Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) started distributing cashews from Nigeria to India in 1989 under the ownership of Olam International. After Olam was reorganized in 2020, OFI was created with the goal of pursuing a primary listing on the premium sector of the London Stock Exchange. In terms of ingredients and solutions for food and beverages, OFI is currently the market leader globally. OFI offers a variety of raw materials and ingredients, including cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and pepper in Vietnam.
K-Agriculture
If anyone needs a name of a top wholesaler of pepper in Vietnam, they need to know K-Agriculture Factory. K-Agriculture Factory is known as a leading agricultural company in Vietnam with top-notch goods, long-term partners and a wide network of customers worldwide. After 25 years of steady expansion, K-Agriculture Factory has emerged as the market’s top exporter. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has supported the business so it can export premium pepper in Vietnam worldwide.
Contact information:
Email: info@k-agriculture.com
Website: https://k-agriculture.com/
Whatsapp: +84 84 444 4867 (Ms Camila), +84855555837 (Ms Kris)
Hanfimex
One of Vietnam’s largest exporters of foods and pepper in Vietnam is Hanfimex. With more than 17 years of experience and a distinguished clientele, Hanifimex is known as one of the greatest exporting businesses of pepper in Vietnam in the world. Hanfimex is trusted by a wide network of customers around the world.
Baria
Baria Pepper was founded in 1985 with the intention of expanding its customer base both domestically and abroad by utilizing its extensive knowledge of the product and the marketplace.
Baria group
Customers from the Middle East, the United States, Europe, and various Asian nations have imported pepper in Vietnam from Baria for many years. Baria has a significant advantage in managing the quality and price of pepper in Vietnam due to its close ties with producers.
Nedspice
Nedspice is a Vietnamese FDI company wholly owned by the Netherlands. Their main products are cinnamon, pepper in Vietnam, star anise, and other spices are some of the main goods.
Want to get more information, contact:
Phone number: +84 844444867 (WhatsApp available)
Fax number: (0274) 3747996
Email: spices@nedspice.com
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