by Wega- Tea import
Before tea from China, Sri Lanka, India, or another country reaches a Polish wholesaler, store, or blender, it must travel a long path. Supplier selection, samples, quality and price agreements, documentation, transport, customs clearance, and product safety checks are just part of the process. Importing tea requires not only market knowledge but also European Union regulations. Each delivery combines the efforts of the producer, importer, carriers, customs services, and other entities involved in the international supply chain. Many weeks, or even months, can pass from the moment the search for the right tea begins until it arrives in the warehouse. During this time, the raw material travels thousands of kilometers before it can be sold. What does the practical journey of tea from the producer to the warehouse in Poland look like?
Tea import – much more than just transporting goods
Importing tea may seem relatively straightforward at first glance: the importer selects the product, places an order, arranges transport, and receives the goods. In reality, each large shipment involves many more decisions and steps. Tea is a food product, so when introducing it to the European Union market, it is essential to ensure its safety, traceability, and compliance with applicable requirements. Products imported from outside the EU must comply with the food law requirements applicable to the EU market.
An additional challenge is the distance separating the importer from the production site. Working with Asian suppliers means time differences, different trading practices, and the need to precisely coordinate product parameters remotely. Currency exchange rate fluctuations, the situation on the global raw material market, and the availability of tea from specific harvests also play a role. Therefore, the importer must plan purchases not only with current needs in mind, but also with customer demand in the coming months. However, the process itself begins much earlier—often many months before the tea arrives in Poland.
How does tea import begin?
The first step is determining the product the importer needs. The search for classic black tea intended for blends differs from high-quality green Sencha, jasmine tea, oolong, or a specific grade of Ceylon tea. Factors such as the country and region of origin, the type of tea, the quality and appearance of the leaves, the sensory profile, the availability of sufficient quantities of raw material, and the price are all important.
In wholesale, consistency is also crucial. A good sample is just the beginning – the importer must be confident that the manufacturer will be able to deliver the agreed-upon quantity of product with the expected parameters. Therefore, selecting a foreign supplier is one of the most crucial steps in the entire process.
Manufacturer selection and first samples
Before placing a large order, importers typically evaluate samples of the teas they offer. This allows them to verify the appearance of the dry leaf, the color of the infusion, the aroma, the taste, and other characteristics of the product. Sometimes several or even a dozen samples are compared before selecting the appropriate tea. Harvest date, cultivar used, production method, and leaf grade can also be important.
Sensory evaluation, however, is not the only criterion. Product documentation and the ability to confirm its compliance with EU market requirements are also important. Commercial terms are also established at this stage: price, minimum order quantity, packaging method, production and shipping deadlines, and delivery terms.
Quality is not only about the taste and appearance of the leaves
Tea can look and taste great, yet not meet all the requirements necessary for its introduction to the market. One important issue is pesticide residues. In the European Union, maximum pesticide residue levels in food are primarily defined by Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005. Importantly, the applicable limits apply to products on the EU market, regardless of whether they were produced within the EU or imported from a third country.
Just because tea meets the requirements in force in the producer's country doesn't automatically mean compliance with European requirements. Importers may require producers to provide laboratory test results, product specifications, and other documents regarding quality and food safety. Depending on the product and risk assessment, additional analyses may also be performed. This is one reason why working with a reliable producer and being able to precisely trace the origin of a specific batch are so important.
Ordering tea from the manufacturer
Once the product has been approved, you can proceed to finalizing the order. When importing larger quantities of tea, it's important to consider more than just the price per kilogram. Transport, insurance, customs clearance, port and logistics fees, testing, storage, and exchange rates also influence the final cost.
Seasonality also plays a role. Tea is an agricultural product, so its availability and properties can vary depending on the harvest. Some varieties are produced for a significant portion of the year, while others are only available during a specific season or in very limited quantities. Importers must plan their purchases in advance, taking into account the time required for both the producer's preparation of the order and its subsequent transportation.
How does tea get to Poland?
For large orders from Asia, sea transport is most often used. Tea can be shipped as part of a groupage shipment or in an entire container, depending on the size of the order and the logistics model adopted. Sea transport is relatively economical for large quantities, but it is time-consuming. Delivery times are influenced not only by the length of the voyage but also by container and vessel availability, port conditions, weather conditions, route changes, and possible delays during transshipment.
In certain situations, air transport is also possible, much faster but usually significantly more expensive. This can be used, for example, for samples, small shipments, or particularly urgent deliveries. Proper cargo protection is crucial during transport. Tea readily absorbs moisture and foreign odors, so packaging and transport conditions are crucial to maintaining its quality.
Documents accompanying the delivery
International tea shipments are accompanied by commercial and transport documentation. Its precise scope depends on factors such as the country of origin, product type, transaction terms, and current legal requirements. In practice, this may include a commercial invoice, packing list, shipping document, and documentation regarding the product and its quality.
Documents must match the actual contents of the shipment. Errors in product name, quantity, weight, or transaction details can lead to problems during customs clearance or delay the release of the goods. For products with special requirements, additional certificates or test results may also be required.
Is all tea checked at the border?
Not every shipment of food of non-animal origin is automatically subject to the same mandatory border checks. The EU system is risk-based. Most food of non-animal origin does not have to undergo mandatory inspection at a designated border point before each market entry. However, there are exceptions. If specific hazards or repeated non-compliances are identified for a specific product from a specific country, it may be subject to an increased level of inspection.
The lists of such products are regularly updated. The European Commission indicates that these lists are based on, among other things, RASFF notifications, inspection results, Member State data, and information on detected threats. Depending on the regulations in force at the time, a given shipment may be subject to document inspection, product identification, physical inspection, or sampling for laboratory testing. Therefore, before each delivery, it is important to check the current requirements for a specific product and country of origin, rather than assuming that the procedure will always be identical.
Customs clearance and release of goods for circulation
Goods imported from outside the European Union must undergo appropriate customs procedures. During customs clearance, the correct description of the goods, their value, country of origin, and appropriate tariff classification are all crucial. This serves as the basis for determining duties and completing formalities related to the product's entry into the EU customs territory. The importer may conduct customs clearance with the support of a customs agency or other entities specializing in international transport. Only after meeting the appropriate requirements can the goods be released and sent to the warehouse.
Traceability – you need to know where your tea comes from
One of the fundamental principles of EU food law is traceability, meaning the ability to trace a product's origins. Food businesses should be able to identify who provided the product and to which businesses it was subsequently delivered. The obligation to ensure traceability throughout the stages of production, processing, and distribution stems from Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002. In practice, this means maintaining documentation that links tea in storage to a specific delivery and supplier. If a safety issue later arises regarding a specific batch, proper traceability allows for the identification of its origin and recipients.
What happens to the tea once it arrives at the warehouse?
Completion of customs clearance does not mean the end of the product's journey. Once the tea arrives at the warehouse, an inspection may be carried out to ensure that the delivery complies with the order. This includes checking the condition of the packaging, batch markings, quantity, and quality characteristics. Bulk imported tea may then be sold to wholesalers, packaged, used as an ingredient in blends, or subjected to further processing – depending on the company's operations. Appropriate food safety and hygiene requirements apply at each stage. EU food hygiene rules are based, among other things, on Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004.
The tea must also be properly labelled
If a product is to be delivered to consumers in retail packaging, the next issue is proper labeling. The basic EU rules for providing consumers with food information are set out in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011. The scope of required information depends on the specific product and its marketing method, so preparing a label requires consideration of current regulations. However, this is a separate and quite extensive topic – from mandatory information to the rules for presenting ingredients and the identity of the food company – so it's worth devoting a separate article to it.
Importing tea requires planning
Many weeks, sometimes months, can pass between finding the right tea and its arrival in a Polish warehouse. A successful delivery is determined by a whole chain of decisions: selecting a producer, evaluating samples, agreeing on quality parameters, documentation, production, transport, customs clearance, and checking the product's compliance. Importers must combine knowledge of the tea itself with logistics, international trade, and food safety requirements. Therefore, a package of Sencha, a carton of Ceylon OP1, or a bag of Chinese jasmine tea sitting in a warehouse later represents much more than just an order from abroad. Importing tea is a complete process—from selecting the leaves and the producer to the moment when a safe and compliant product can be released for sale.
