Tea · importers
Malaysia reports $880.3M in the chapter that holds tea, coffee, mate and spices, nineteenth in the world, in a market where sweet, milky tea is a national habit.
| Market | HS 09 imports |
|---|---|
| United States | $11.7B |
| Germany | $6.5B |
| France | $4.0B |
| Italy | $3.4B |
| Canada | $2.4B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 09 (coffee, tea, mate and spices); tea is only part of it. Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
Malaysia holds 1.3% of reported world imports of the chapter, close to Pakistan and Australia. The chapter is 0.3% of its $299.5B imports and ranks 39th among import chapters, and coffee and spices share it with tea. Tea’s true share cannot be read from the total.
Malaysians drink a lot of tea, often black tea served sweet and milky, and a large industry makes bottled and packaged tea drinks. Importers of tea therefore include blenders and packers who supply cafes, food stalls and drink makers, alongside importers of speciality and herbal lines for retail. Cost and consistency matter to drink makers.
Ask whether the buyer supplies foodservice, manufacturers or retailers. Since drink makers work to costed recipes, they will want price stability over a season, so consider offering a fixed-price period or an index-linked formula that gives them confidence. Also ask how the buyer manages credit with its own customers, because a supplier that offers slightly longer payment terms to a stall-supply importer may win the account if quality and price are otherwise level with rivals.
China, Singapore, the USA and Japan lead the overall source list, and Singapore’s presence points to a nearby trading hub, so ask whether the importer buys direct from origin. Import permit and food-safety conditions are set by the authorities and can change, so confirm them. Warm, humid storage makes moisture control and packing important.
Shipment records for the tea heading name receivers and weights, apart from coffee and spices.
Look for receivers and weights in the tea lines of shipment data. Pick your shortlist, agree Incoterm, currency, payment terms and port, and approach them through this site’s free marketplace.
The whole coffee, tea, mate and spices chapter, 1.3% of reported world imports.
Mostly black tea for sweet, milky drinks and bottled beverages, plus some speciality lines.
Warm, humid storage makes tea more vulnerable to spoilage.
Read the tea lines of shipment data and rank receivers by weight.
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