{"id":26358,"date":"2026-09-16T14:59:25","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T07:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mindtea.vn\/doanh-nghiep-can-chuan-bi-gi-khi-muon-xuat-khau-tra\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T14:09:25","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T07:09:25","slug":"doanh-nghiep-can-chuan-bi-gi-khi-muon-xuat-khau-tra","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mindtea.vn\/en\/doanh-nghiep-can-chuan-bi-gi-khi-muon-xuat-khau-tra\/","title":{"rendered":"What preparations does a business need to make when wanting to export tea?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Vietnam ranks 5th in the world in tea production and export, exporting to over 70 countries and territories, but the number of businesses that are truly self-sufficient in export operations is not large. Most remain in the role of supplying raw materials to other intermediaries. The reason rarely lies in the quality of the tea. It lies in preparation: unstable raw material sources, incomplete documentation, inexperienced personnel, and most importantly, not knowing what they are lacking until the customer asks. This article lists everything a business needs to prepare before signing its first export contract, in the order it should be done in practice.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

1. Identify your target market before preparing anything.<\/h2>\n

A common mistake is mass-producing tea before seeking customers. Each market has its own set of requirements, and preparing for the wrong market means spending money on certifications nobody asks for. The Middle Eastern market demands HALAL and prefers retail-packaged black tea. The European market requires very strict MRL residue control and complete traceability documentation, in return for a price of around $2,000 per ton, higher than the average of about $1,700 per ton in 2025.<\/p>\n

Pakistan is currently the largest market for Vietnamese tea, alongside Taiwan, Russia, China, Indonesia, the US, Iraq, the Philippines, and Thailand. Africa is a rapidly growing emerging market expected in 2025. Choose one or two markets that are a good fit for your product and existing capabilities, then create a list of specific market requirements as a roadmap.<\/p>\n

\"What
What preparations does a business need to make when wanting to export tea?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Raw material area capacity and production stability<\/h3>\n

What causes many deals to fall through isn’t a failed sample, but rather that repeat orders fail to maintain the same quality as the sample. Importers buy stability, not one batch of exceptional tea.<\/p>\n

Businesses need to answer three questions: What is the size of the raw material area in hectares, is it under their control, or are they simply purchasing from the open market? What is the monthly yield across seasons, and what is the quality variation between the spring and summer seasons? Are there contracts with farmers that include commitments regarding cultivation processes? With an average household size of only about 0.2 hectares, establishing linkages through cooperatives or production groups is almost mandatory. Simultaneously, an internal set of standard samples should be developed for each product line to serve as a basis for acceptance testing of all batches.<\/p>\n

3. Factory and quality management system<\/h3>\n

The factory is something partners will inspect in person or via video before placing a large order. Basic requirements include a one-way flow layout from raw materials to finished products, separate areas for raw materials and finished products, pest and animal control, a dehumidification system, and storage facilities that meet appropriate temperature and humidity conditions.<\/p>\n

In terms of management systems, HACCP is the foundation, ISO 22000 is the next step, and standards for retail chains such as BRC or IFS are higher levels for entering foreign supermarkets. This is accompanied by a set of standard operating procedures, hygiene records, calibration records for measuring equipment, and a personnel training program. If you lack the capacity to invest in a certified factory, a practical option is to collaborate with a certified facility for processing, but you must still maintain control over the raw materials.<\/p>\n

4. Required certifications for each market<\/h3>\n

Certification is the ticket to entry, so choose according to your target market rather than just getting everything you need. HACCP and ISO 22000 are almost universal requirements. HALAL is mandatory for the Middle East, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Kosher is required for some channels in the US and Israel. USDA or EU Organic certification opens the door to the high-price segment but requires years of transition to different growing regions.<\/p>\n

Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade are suitable for selling to international brands that prioritize sustainability and social responsibility. For the US market, businesses need to register their facilities with the FDA and comply with regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act, including appointing a representative in the US. The industry’s target for 2030 is 11,000 hectares of organic tea and 34,500 hectares of specialty tea, indicating this is a long-term direction that is encouraged.<\/p>\n

5. Business legal documents and export conditions<\/h2>\n

Before speaking with foreign clients, your legal records must be clean. The basic list includes a business registration certificate with appropriate business lines, a tax identification number (which also serves as the import\/export code), a food safety certificate, a self-declaration of product compliance, and trademark registration.<\/p>\n

Trademark registration is a crucial aspect many businesses overlook, ultimately paying a heavy price. Trademarks should be registered in the target market, not just domestically, as there have been numerous cases where Vietnamese brands have been registered abroad by others, resulting in the loss of the right to use the brand name. Furthermore, a company profile in English should be prepared, including operational history, sourcing locations, factory capacity, certifications, and actual photos of the production facilities.<\/p>\n

6. Documentation for an export shipment<\/h3>\n

Each shipment comes with a relatively fixed set of documents, and delays in any paperwork can cause the goods to be held up at the port. The basic set includes the foreign trade contract, commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading (sea or air), and customs declaration.<\/p>\n

The specialized documents include certificates of origin, phytosanitary certificates, health certificates or food safety certificates, and inspection reports for the shipment. Certificates of origin are particularly valuable as they determine whether the shipment qualifies for preferential tariffs under free trade agreements such as EVFTA, CPTPP, RCEP, or UKVFTA. This tariff difference can sometimes exceed the profit margin of the transaction, so it’s crucial to understand the rules of origin applicable to tea products from the initial quotation stage.<\/p>\n

7. Financial capacity and international payment methods<\/h3>\n

Exporting requires significantly more working capital than selling domestically. Businesses have to purchase raw materials, manufacture, package, and ship goods, then wait several weeks before receiving payment. Therefore, it’s necessary to calculate cash flow in advance for at least one full order cycle.<\/p>\n

Regarding payment methods, advance payment is the safest option for the seller but is difficult to convince new customers. Letters of credit are safer for both parties but require perfect documentation; even a small error can lead to payment rejection. Documentary collection falls somewhere in between in terms of risk. For new customers, a reasonable practice is to make a deposit before production, with the remainder paid upon receipt of the bill of lading. Additionally, consider export credit insurance and cargo insurance for the shipment.<\/p>\n

8. FOB and CIF pricing and understanding Incoterms correctly.<\/h3>\n

Many businesses quote prices based on intuition and end up losing money because they don’t account for all costs. Delivery terms determine who bears the costs and risks to what extent. FOB means the seller bears the costs until the goods are loaded onto the ship at the port of export; CIF includes additional sea freight and insurance to the port of destination; EXW is the lowest rate, where the buyer is responsible for everything from the seller’s warehouse.<\/p>\n

A proper export price list should clearly separate: production cost, packaging, allocated certification costs, inland transportation to the port, handling fees at the port, documentation fees, ocean freight, insurance, and target profit. It’s especially important to note that ocean freight fluctuates significantly depending on the route and season, so CIF quotes should clearly state the validity period. For the first order, FOB is usually the safer option as it limits risk within the company’s control.<\/p>\n

9. Human resources, foreign languages, and operational skills<\/h2>\n

Exporting requires specific individuals, not just a collective decision from the board of directors. At a minimum, you need someone in charge of international business with sufficient foreign language skills to negotiate and draft contracts, someone in charge of documentation and customs procedures, and someone in charge of quality control responsible for technical documentation and working with assessment teams.<\/p>\n

These three roles may be handled by two people initially, but they are indispensable. The ability to write clear business letters and respond quickly and on time is an underrated competitive advantage: many importers choose suppliers simply because they respond within the day with complete information. Businesses should also partner with a forwarding company experienced in agricultural products instead of trying to figure out all the procedures themselves.<\/p>\n

10. Finding customers: trade fairs, B2B platforms, samples, and catalogs.<\/h3>\n

The most effective channel for finding customers in the tea industry remains international food and beverage trade fairs, where buyers come with the clear purpose of sourcing products. In addition, there are B2B trading platforms, importer directories, trade promotion programs of government agencies and industry associations, and cross-border e-commerce channels for retail packaged products.<\/p>\n

To capitalize on these channels, three things are needed: a bilingual catalog with product specifications, a professionally packaged sample set with a test certificate, and a price list for various production volumes. It’s also important to determine the most suitable market entry model beforehand: selling raw materials in bulk to generate cash flow, private label manufacturing to learn from partner standards, or building a separate brand for specialty products. These three approaches are not mutually exclusive and can be implemented simultaneously for different customer segments.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vietnam ranks 5th in the world in tea production and export, exporting to over 70 countries and territories, but the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26359,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-26358","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Preparations Are Needed When Exporting Tea? | Mind Tea<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Checklist for preparing tea for export: sourcing region, factory, certifications, documentation, international payment, FOB\/CIF pricing...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mindtea.vn\/en\/doanh-nghiep-can-chuan-bi-gi-khi-muon-xuat-khau-tra\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What preparations does a business need to make when wanting to export tea?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Checklist for preparing tea for export: sourcing region, factory, certifications, documentation, international payment, FOB\/CIF pricing...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mindtea.vn\/en\/doanh-nghiep-can-chuan-bi-gi-khi-muon-xuat-khau-tra\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mind Tea | H\u1ec7 sinh th\u00e1i ph\u00e2n ph\u1ed1i tr\u00e0 t\u1ea1i Vi\u1ec7t Nam\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-28T07:09:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mindtea.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ss_2627799525.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2048\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1118\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mindtea.vn\\\/en\\\/doanh-nghiep-can-chuan-bi-gi-khi-muon-xuat-khau-tra\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mindtea.vn\\\/en\\\/doanh-nghiep-can-chuan-bi-gi-khi-muon-xuat-khau-tra\\\/\",\"name\":\"What Preparations Are Needed When Exporting Tea? 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