Star anise is a spice that comes from the dried fruit of an evergreen tree native to China and Vietnam. It is commonly used in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, as well as in other Asian and international dishes. This article is written for importers who are having a plan to import wholesale star anise from Vietnam. In this article, K-Agriculture will show you useful tips about how to purchase star anise in bulk quantity, where to purchase star anise and how to store the star anise in the right ways!
Contents
Overview of purchasing star anise
Before you purchase star anise, let’s take an overall look about this spice.
What is star anise?
Star anise is a unique and distinct spice that comes from the fruit of a small evergreen tree native to China and Vietnam, known as Illicium verum. Its star-shaped structure includes of eight segments, each containing a small seed. Star anise has a dominant licorice flavor with hints of clove owing to its high concentration of anethole.
There are two main crops of star anise which are spring and autumn. Star anise from different crops will have different features in terms of appearance and taste. Before you purchase star anise in bulk quantity, you need to know the differences between two crops.
Spring star anise vs Autumn star anise
For spring star anise, the diameter of the star anise fruit is smaller (at ~2cm) with a narrower petal. However, it contains higher oil content, which makes its taste stronger and more powerful than the taste of autumn star anise.
For autumn star anise, the diameter of the star anise fruit is bigger (at ~2.5cm) with a wider petal. Autumn star anise is not highly appreciated as spring star anise since it contains lower oil content, which creates a less pungent taste for the dishes.
Related: How to grow star anise?
Reasons to purchase star anise with high quality
Here are some reasons to purchase star anise with high quality:
- Better flavor: High-quality star anise will have a stronger and more aromatic flavor, which is essential for many recipes that use this spice. If you purchase poor-quality star anise, it may lack flavor or give an unpleasant taste that can ruin the dishes.
- Health Benefits: Star anise is known for its medicinal properties, such as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which can help to promote better health. High-quality star anise is more likely to retain these beneficial properties and give us more useful health benefits.
- Better Appearance: If you purchase high-quality star anise, you will get the star anise with a more consistent and attractive appearance. The stars will be whole and free from blemishes, cracks or discoloration, which can detract from the appearance of your dish.
- Value for Money: To purchase star anise with good quality may be more expensive, but it can provide better value for your money in the long run. Higher-quality star anise will be more potent, meaning you can use less of it and still achieve the desired flavor and aroma in your cooking.
5 tips to purchase star anise with good quality
Choosing high-quality star anise can be challenging, but here are some criteria that can help you make the right choice:
- Look for the whole star anise: When you purchase star anise, you should look for the whole star anise rather than the star anise powder if you want the best taste. It is because the whole star anise can retain its flavour and aroma for longer.
- Check the Color: Paying attention to the color of the star anise is also important. A good dried star anise fruit should have a rich dark brown color. Avoid any that look faded, discolored, or have a grayish tint, which can indicate poor quality or age.
Whole star anise
- Check for Consistency: Choose star anise that is consistent in size, shape, and thickness. This indicates that the spice is fresh and has been processed well. The star anise has its own specification as well. When you purchase star anise from the wholesalers, you should read the indexes that measure the uniformity and condition of the star anise. Here are some indexes that you should consider:
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- Broken: Broken rate represents the number of broken star anise in the consignment of whole star anise. Lower broken rate means the star anise is more uniform and higher quality. A lower broken rate generally results in a higher price, with the standard broken rate for star anise being 5% – 7%.
- Foreign matter: The standard foreign matter in star anise should not exceed 1%.
- Oil content: The essential oil content can impact the value and cost of star anise, with higher essential oil content leading to more value and expense. The fresh star anise fruit contains 1.2-2.61% essential oil by weight, while dried fruit has 7.69-12.24% essential oil by weight, and the leaves contain 1.29-3.66% essential oil.
- Size: Size represents how big the star anise is. Star anise with larger diameters and more points are generally more expensive. For example, autumn star anise having a higher price due to its larger size.
- Moisture: Moisture content is also an important factor to consider when you purchase star anise, with a commonly accepted maximum of 12-14%.
export standards for star anise in vietnam
- Smell the Spice: High-quality star anise has a potent, sweet aroma. If the spice lacks aroma, smells musty, or has an unpleasant odor, it may be stale or of poor quality.
By following these tips, you can increase your chances of purchasing high-quality star anise that will enhance the flavor and aroma of your cooking.
Related: Vietnam star anise price
How to store star anise in warehouse
After you purchase the star anise, here are some tips for you to store and keep the star anise in the best quality
To store star anise properly in the warehouse, follow these steps:
- Keep in a cool, dark place: You should store the star anise in a cool, dark warehouse. Avoid exposing the star anise to direct sunlight or heat. The ideal temperature is room temperature.
- Avoid moisture: Ensure the warehouse is completely dry before storing the star anise. Moisture can cause the spice to clump together and spoil faster. There is a useful tip to you to stable the moisture level in the warehouse. You should buy moisture-proof bags and hang them in the warehouse. The moisture-proof bags will keep the warehouse always dry.
- Keep away from strong smells: Star anise has a strong aroma and can easily absorb odors from other spices. You should keep it away from strong-smelling spices like garlic or cumin to avoid flavor contamination.
- Check for freshness: Check the warehouse for freshness regularly. Fresh star anise should have a strong aroma and a vibrant color. If it has lost its aroma or the color has faded, it may be spoil and you need to replace it.
preserve star anise in the warehouse
By following the above steps, you can store star anise for up to two years without losing its flavor and aroma.
Related: Vietnam star anise price
Top 4 companies in Vietnam to purchase star anise from
Below is a list of star anise wholesalers that you can trust to work with. Let’s explore!
Prosi Thang Long
Prosi Thang Long.,JSC is a Vietnam-based company that you can trust to purchase star anise from. It was established in 2006 by experienced agricultural product traders. Over the last 15 years, the company has developed a strong reputation as a leading exporter, and distributor of agricultural products in Vietnam. They have a loyal customer base in different parts of the world, including the European Union, the US, the UAE, and Asia. Prosi Thang Long offers a wide range of products, including pepper, cinnamon cassia, star anise, desiccated coconut, and cashew nut. If you’re deciding to purchase star anise from Vietnam, Prosi Thang Long is a reputable and reliable option to consider.
Visimex
If you’re interested in purchasing star anise from Vietnam, Visimex can be a trustworthy business partner. With many years of experience in the agricultural industry and a global outlook, Visimex has built a reputation as a reliable partner. Moreover, they have invested heavily in advanced technology and have established large-scale workshops and modern production lines in several locations across Vietnam, including Yen Bai, Bac Giang, Quy Nhon, and Binh Duong
K-Agriculture Factory
K-Agriculture Factory is a reputable wholesaler of star anise in Vietnam that you can trust to purchase star anise from. The company has been established and developed for over 25 years. They have a large factory located in Lang Son, which is known as the most renowned region for growing star anise in Vietnam. This location enables K-Agriculture Factory to provide high-quality star anise at a competitive price to the market. The company has obtained several quality and hygiene certificates, such as FDA, HACCP, ISO, Global Gap, Organic, and Kosher, ensuring that customers can rely on their products. K-Agriculture Factory has also been a pioneer in utilizing the internet for multinational trading, and they have built long-term business relationships with partners all over the world. Furthermore, with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, K-Agriculture Factory is a national project that promotes the best Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market.
Star anise from K-Agriculture
Here are some kinds of star anise that K-Agriculture provide:
- Stem star anise (Spring crop/Autumn crop)
- Stemless star anise (Spring/Autumn crop)
All types of star anise will have full of documents that meet requirements for export, including Invoice, Packing list, Phytosanitary Certificate, Fumigation Certificate, and Certificate of Origin.
Contact them for the best price of Vietnamese star anise at email sales@k-agriculture.com or Whatsapp number +84 84 4444 867.
Spicesvietnam
If you want to buy star anise with high quality from Vietnam, you can consider Spicesvietnam. The supplier has over ten years of experience in producing and exporting various kinds of spice to the world. They target market is premium markets such as North America and Europe so they only supply organic products. Beside organic star anise, they also sell organic pepper and organic cinnamon.
Contact them via Whatsapp number +84 85 5555 782 for newest quotation for star anise.
Related: Finding out some interesting things about star anise usage
5 Tips to identify the star anise wholesaler is trustworthy or not
If you want to know the credibility of the star anise exporters you are working with, let’s check the below tips:
Research online
You can search on different online platforms to seek for suppliers and purchase star anise. Some platforms you can use are:
- B2B e-commerce sites: Alibaba, Tridge, globalsource, etc.
- Facebook and Linkedin groups: Look for companies that specialize in exporting or supplying spices and herbs, including star anise. Check their website, reviews, and ratings to determine their credibility and reputation.
Star anise suppliers on Tridge
Ask for recommendations
You can ask your friends or acquaintances who have experience in purchasing star anise from Vietnamese suppliers. They may have the knowledge and share some useful tips and tricks when dealing with Vietnamese suppliers.
Attend trade shows
Attending trade shows and exhibitions is a good idea to get to know potential star anise suppliers. You can compare products and prices between different suppliers and you can have a list of potential star anise wholesalers that you can work with in the future. Some famous tradeshows you can join are Gulfood, Paris International show, World Ag expo, etc. You should enter the website of the exhibition to get the newest date.
Check with local chambers of commerce
You can check with your local chambers of commerce or trade associations in your country for a list of Vietnamese companies that export star anise and other spices. Or you can contact the Embassy of Vietnam in your country to check the reputation of any star anise supplier from Vietnam. The information from the government is legit and trustworthy.
Verify credentials
Verify the credentials of the companies you are considering by checking their business licenses, certifications, and addresses. Before you purchase the star anise, you need to make a video call or phone call with the supplier. This helps you to verify whether the supplier you are working with is real or not. You should also ask about their past performance. For example, you can require the supplier to show pictures of their factory, certificates, pictures of previous orders, Bill of Lading, etc. If they cannot show the past performance to you, it’s time to consider the deal again.
Quality certificates
pictures of previous order
Once you have identified potential suppliers, make sure to compare their prices, quality of the products, delivery options, and customer service before making a final decision.
Need to know the latest wholesale price of star anise from Vietnam? Leave a message to us via number +84 85 5555 837 (Ms Kris) or fill in the form below:
