Not only it has the strength in exporting rice and coffee, but Vietnam is also the second largest star anise supplier in the world. So, if you need to import high-quality star anise at a competitive price, then Vietnam is definitely the most suitable market. However, the question is, is it difficult to import anise from Vietnam? To answer this question, our article below will give you 7 steps to import star anise from Vietnam and 3 things to keep in mind when trading! I hope the article is useful to you!
Contents
- 1 Vietnam – the best place to import star anise
- 2 7 steps to import star anise from Vietnam
- 2.1 Source out potential suppliers to import star anise
- 2.2 Check product quality and suppliers’ reputation
- 2.3 Negotiate the selling price
- 2.4 Ask for the shipping methods
- 2.5 Negotiate the payment terms
- 2.6 Request samples from the suppliers or visit suppliers in person
- 2.7 Pay for orders and receive products
- 3 3 critical things to look for when you import star anise
- 4 Where to import star anise? 3 reputable exporters of star anise from Vietnam
Vietnam – the best place to import star anise
Vietnam ranks second globally in annual production and export of star anise, after China. However, the quality of Vietnamese anise is much higher than that of China, so the price is also a bit higher. Therefore, this country is a better choice when you want to import star anise.
Annually, the production of star anise in Vietnam is about 5,500 – 6,500 tons. According to the latest figures for 2021 from Tridge, the country’s star anise export value is 81.47M dollars, accounting for 18.61% of the international export value. It can be said that this country is the main source of star anise for the world and is able to meet the demand for star anise for 1/5 of the global market.
Importing star anise from Vietnam is extremely easy as it is a peaceful, reliable, and open country to international trade. Besides, agricultural production is also the strength of this country. Therefore, not only is Vietnam the best country to import star anise, but Vietnam is also famous as an extremely prestigious choice for other agricultural products such as rice, coffee, cinnamon, pepper, etc.
Related: How to grow star anise?
7 steps to import star anise from Vietnam
With its strengths in producing star anise in large quantities, Vietnam will be the place to provide you with this spice at the most competitive price in the market. The question is, is it difficult to import star anise from Vietnam? What do you need to know? Let’s read our information below!
Source out potential suppliers to import star anise
First, to import star anise from Vietnam, you need to find a reputable supplier. There is no shortage of cases when exporters trick buyers into not sending goods after payment or send goods of poor quality compared to the previous agreement. So, research your supplier thoroughly before negotiating a deal.
To find potential star anise exporters from Vietnam, visit reputable newspapers from this country, and find companies that are ranked in high positions. Try searching by some keywords “import star anise”. “star anise suppliers from Vietnam”, “buy star anise in bulk from Vietnam”, “Vietnam top agricultural companies”, “Vietnam wholesale star anise”, etc. In addition, you can search on social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. with related keywords.
One of the most prestigious newspapers from Vietnam is Yellow pages – which ranks the top companies in Vietnam’s business fields, including agriculture. Alternatively, you can search on Tridge – a reputable Global Food & Agriculture sourcing place. Agricultural companies need to have transparent information and good-quality products to appear on this site. You can find a lot of Vietnamese agricultural companies here to import star anise.
Among the numerous star anise suppliers from Vietnam, find a few that you consider professional and trustworthy. A reputable company will have a website system with clear information, scientific articles with full certificates of quality and hygiene, and proof of previous orders.
Related: Vietnam star anise price
Check product quality and suppliers’ reputation
After sourcing out a few potential suppliers to import star anise, try contacting them to learn more about product quality. In this way, you can also check if they are in serious business. Don’t be hesitated to ask your suppliers for pictures of their products, factory photos, growing areas, their quality certificates, business licenses, BL of previous orders, or related documents. In addition, ask them about star anise knowledge to see if they really understand the products they are supplying. If you’re looking to import star anise with specific characteristics, ask if they can supply the type you need, and confirm those specifications with photos and videos.
The videos and pictures that the provider sends you should be shot in the near term of the time of contact, right at the time you ask would be ideal. To be sure, you should video call them to talk. As such, you can view product images and their offices, or factories directly. Also, look out for pictures of their factories and growing areas and find any indication that shows they are theirs (e.g. plant name, company name sign, company logos, etc). Another thing to note is to check their BL copies with the correct information that the sender is the supplier you are exchanging (because documents are easy to steal and forge).
Finally, try searching for those company names on google and social networking sites to see if they have been caught up in previous buyer fraud allegations.
Carefully read previous customer feedback to avoid dealing with unreliable suppliers.
Related: Vietnam star anise price
Negotiate the selling price
After you’ve sifted through a few potential star anise suppliers, ask for their selling prices – one of the most important factors to decide whether you will import star anise from them or not. Currently, the FOB price of Vietnam star anise in October 2022 fluctuates around the following price range:
- Stem spring star anise: 67xx – 73xx USD/MT
- Stemless spring star anise: 79xx – 85xx USD/MT
- Stem autumn star anise: 81xx – 85xx USD/MT
- Stemless autumn star anise: 88xx – 92xx USD/MT
(Price update from K-Agriculture Factory)
Based on the above information, you can easily evaluate whether the price offered to you is high or low compared to the general market price. If a supplier offers a price that is too high, they may not be willing to work with you. However, you also need to check the quality of their products, because, with organic star anise or premium quality star anise, the price will actually be higher than the market price.
Don’t hesitate to bargain with them as if you really want to import star anise, they can offer you a later cheaper than the initial offer of 20 – 30 USD/MT. Besides, do not rush to believe the price offered is too cheap, because it may be products that have been kept for a long time, or poor quality products, mixed with Chinese star anise.
Related: Where can I buy spices in bulk?
Ask for the shipping methods
Depending on which price you purchase: EXW, FCA, FAS, FOB, CIF, CFR, DPU, DAP, etc., your obligations in receiving the goods will vary. If you are not sure about this, learn about Incoterm 2022: https://www.freightos.com/freight-resources/incoterms-plain-english-freight-shipping-guide/. Most agricultural products in bulk from Vietnam will be delivered by sea. Normally, if you import star anise from Vietnam, usually the port of departure will be Hai Phong port or Ho Chi Minh port.
Delivery time will range from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the distance between the 2 ports of departure and arrival.
Negotiate the payment terms
Regarding payment methods, depending on each supplier, there will be different payment methods, most of which are TT payment or L/C at sight payment. Deal with them on a payment method that works for both. If there is no deal between the two parties, you should avoid working with that supplier.
T/T is a typical form of payment for B2B transactions in which you pay the vendors of star anise through a telegraphic transfer. Typically, the transfer takes 1 to 7 business days to complete. For T/T, there are two stages of the payment process that purchasers use to pay suppliers. Prior to the dispatch of the goods but after signing the contract, purchasers pay a deposit. Once the purchasers have received the scanned Bill of Lading from the star anise suppliers, the remaining payment is made in the second stage. The payment amounts for the two stages can be split 20:80, 30:70 (which is most typical), or 50:50. This mode of payment has a little fee and is rather easy to use.
To assure that you will pay the supplier, you ask a top bank in your nation to provide a Letter of Credit. L/C works well for one-time deals. Since banks often handle the paperwork, they share the risks associated with L/C payments with the buyer and seller. To ensure the security of the payment, you should open the L/C with one of the top banks in the world, such as HSBC, Citibank, JP Morgan, etc. Since the importers are not compelled to pay until they get their shipment, this payment mechanism is advantageous to them. However, the charge will be high, and it will take a while to authenticate all the necessary paperwork.
Related: Finding out some interesting things about star anise usage
Request samples from the suppliers or visit suppliers in person
In case you want to check the product quality directly, ask potential suppliers to send you samples. Most of them will send free samples with quantities from 100g – 1kg, maybe even more depending on your request. In this way, you will be able to see, touch, smell, and taste the product to fully assess its quality.
Besides, you can also visit the supplier’s office or visit their factory or growing area. This is a good way to verify what your suppliers tell you.
Pay for orders and receive products
After the above 6 steps, you can definitely choose the most suitable supplier to import star anise. Now, the final step is to place the order and make payment according to the contract. During the supplier’s preparation, ask them to take a lot of videos and photos of your order processing. After payment, you will have information about the delivery time.
3 critical things to look for when you import star anise
In the process of importing star anise, you need to note the following 3 things:
Be careful with fake star anise
On the market today, there are many suppliers who mix fake star anise with real star anise to reduce costs. For most people, it’s very common to mistake fake star anise – or mangcao and the real one because of their similar appearances. Therefore, if you do not pay attention, you will easily import fake star anise.
Check out our video below to tell them apart
K-Agriculture commits not selling fake star anise or Chinese star anise mixed with Vietnamese star anise. Our star anise quality is verified by Vinacontrol, SGS, etc. Contact us for the latest quotation of star anise.
- Website: k-agriculture.com
- Mail: sales@k-agriculture.com
- Phone 1: +84855555837 (available on Whatsapp)
- Phone 2: (+1) (830) 888 1822 (available on Whatsapp)
Read the terms carefully before paying
Before paying, please carefully read the terms of the transaction contract as well as carefully check the product name and product quantity. In addition, see if the recipient’s bank account information matches the information on the website and matches the information on social networking sites. In addition, it is necessary to double-check that they have edited their documents with editing software.
Make daily video calls to suppliers to check order progress
After paying for the order, make a video call to the supplier every day to check the progress of the order.
You need to see pictures of them packing for you and transporting you from the factory to the port. This will help you feel more secure and confirm that the supplier is not lying to you.
Where to import star anise? 3 reputable exporters of star anise from Vietnam
If you are not a professional importer, it is not easy to find a reputable star anise wholesaler. Below we have selected for you the 3 most reliable exporters of star anise in Vietnam that you can consider dealing with.
K-Agriculture Factory: The best partner to import star anise
K-Agriculture Factory is a reputable star anise wholesaler in Vietnam with more than 25 years of establishment and development. We have a star anise factory of thousands of square meters in Lang Son – the most famous star anise growing region of Vietnam. Thanks to this advantage, K-Agriculture Factory can supply this spice at a very competitive price with high quality to the market. Please rest assured as we have a full range of quality and hygiene certificates such as FDA, HACCP, ISO, Global Gap, Organic, Kosher, etc.
To be proud of being one of the pioneers in applying the Internet to multinational trading, K-Agriculture Factory has been cooperating long-term business with many partners around the world. In addition, supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, K-Agriculture Factory becomes a national project bringing the best Vietnamese agricultural products to the international market.
K-Agriculture is the best partner if you want to import star anise from Vietnam.
Contact us for the best price of Vietnamese star anise
- Website: k-agriculture.com
- Mail: sales@k-agriculture.com
- Phone 1: +84855555837 (available on Whatsapp)
- Phone 2: (+1) (830) 888 1822 (available on Whatsapp)
Visimex: A reputable supplier of star anise you can not miss
Visimex is a reliable partner if you are looking to import star anise from Vietnam. They combine decades of experience, a deep understanding of the agricultural industry, and an international perspective.
Besides, Visimex strongly invests in high technology factories system with large-scale workshops, and modern production lines in Yen Bai, Bac Giang, Quy Nhon, and Binh Duong.
Prosi Thang Long: A reliable partner to import star anise
Established in 2006 by founders with deep experience in trading agricultural products, Prosi Thang Long.,JSC has become a Vietnam leading manufacturer, exporter, and distributor of agricultural products. For about 15 years, they have built up a wide and strong network of loyal customers throughout the world such as Europe Union, The US, The UAE, and Asian countries.
Prosi Thang Long supplies a wide range of products, namely pepper, cinnamon cassia, star anise, desiccated coconut, and cashew nut. This company is a good choice if you want to import star anise from Vietnam.