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To compare matcha supplier quotes, send every supplier the same product brief, quantity, packaging specification and delivery basis. Then record each exception beside the price. A lower price per kilogram means little when one offer covers bulk powder and another includes filling, printed pouches or a different ingredient composition.
This matcha RFQ checklist is designed for purchasing teams turning an application brief into comparable written offers. RFQ means request for quotation. You can copy the table into your procurement document and ask suppliers to complete every field or mark it as provisional.
Define the item before asking for a price
Start with the ingredient identity and intended use. Specify whether you need pure matcha powder, a formulated latte mix or another defined product. For a blend, request the ingredient list and composition information needed for your evaluation. A grade name alone leaves too much open.
Connect the requested item to the supplier’s product code, specification revision and sample reference. If a sample has been approved, record what the approval covered: for example, sensory performance in your beverage recipe. Keep that reference separate from the written specifications and document requirements that still need approval. A photograph or a remembered shade of green is a weak purchasing reference.
A short RFQ email to send with the specification
Use the message below as a cover note. The attached requirement sheet carries the detailed fields; the email identifies the version and tells the supplier how to respond. Replace the bracketed entries with your own project information.
Subject: Matcha RFQ — [project reference] — [brief revision]
We are requesting a written quotation for [pure matcha powder / defined blend] for [application], intended for [destination market]. Please quote against the attached brief [file name and revision]. Our firm first-order requirement is [net kg by item or finished units by SKU]. The separate forecast is [forecast and period, if applicable].
Please identify your proposed product code, specification revision and sample reference. Complete the price and scope fields, state currency and delivery basis with the named place, and separate recurring charges from one-time charges.
For any requirement you cannot meet as written, return an exception list showing the proposed alternative and its effect on price, quantity, documents and timing. Do not substitute an alternative silently.
Please state your offer’s expiry and the assumptions that would require repricing. Our requested response date is [date and time zone]. If a field needs clarification, identify the question and the information needed. This request seeks an offer for review; it does not authorize production or packaging purchases.
Send the same revision to every supplier in that comparison round. If you clarify a material requirement, issue a revised brief rather than allowing different suppliers to price different interpretations.
A matcha RFQ checklist you can copy
Use one revision number for the brief. Ask each supplier to respond against that revision and list any proposed alternatives separately.
Fields to include in a matcha request for quotation
| RFQ field | What to specify or request |
|---|---|
| Buyer project and market | Project reference, destination country, sales channel and contact responsible for commercial and technical approval. |
| Ingredient identity | Requested product type, ingredient composition and any origin or certification requirement to be verified for the actual item. |
| Product code and application | Supplier code, intended recipe or process, and the specification revision used for the offer. |
| Approved reference | Sample ID, date, approval status and evaluation conditions. State which checks remain open. |
| Order quantity | Net powder kilograms per item or SKU, plus any separate forecast. Request the quantity range to which the quoted price applies. |
| Sealed inner packs | Net weight per sealed bulk pack, pack count, material requirements and outer carton configuration. |
| Finished retail packs | Target fill weight, requested finished quantity, pouch or container specification, closures, labels and cartons. |
| Artwork and printing | Artwork revision, number of printed components and SKUs, proof requirements, setup charges and treatment of unused materials. |
| Documents and testing | Required specification, ingredient statement, COA scope, test methods where relevant, certification evidence and document availability dates. |
| Delivery basis | Requested Incoterms® rule and edition, precise named place, destination address where relevant, and transport assumptions. |
| Commercial breakdown | Currency, unit basis, powder, filling, packaging, printing, testing, freight, payment terms and explicit exclusions. |
| Timing and validity | Offer expiry, production readiness assumptions, approval deadlines and how shipping estimates will be reconfirmed. |
| Changes and exceptions | Conditions that trigger a revised quote, new sample approval, artwork proof or document review. |
If packaging is undecided, request separate bulk and finished-pack options. Keep the powder specification consistent between them. The matcha packaging and storage guide can help you frame pack-size questions before requesting an offer.
Ask for an exception register beside the price
A supplier can propose a useful alternative without meeting the original request. Keep that option visible as an alternative. The register below captures what changed so that a lower price is not accepted before its different scope is understood.
A practical quotation-exception register
| Requested requirement | Supplier response to record | Buyer follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Specified powder or sample reference | Different code, formulation or reference proposed | Route the alternative for product review |
| Requested inner pack | Available pack, pack count and any revised quantity | Check handling and usage implications |
| Retail component or artwork | Changed material, print method or component commitment | Confirm approval and unused-stock treatment |
| Required report or test | What is available, what is separate and when | Keep quality approval open until resolved |
| Delivery or payment basis | Exact alternative and excluded charges | Recalculate the comparison on an agreed basis |
Give each exception an owner and status: accepted for this comparison, awaiting clarification, or not acceptable. Acceptance of a price alternative is not automatically sample approval or approval to print. Keep those decisions with the relevant people.
Put each quote on the same comparison basis
Create one column per supplier and one row per RFQ field. Retain the supplier’s original offer alongside your comparison sheet so that assumptions remain traceable.
- Check identity first. Confirm composition, product code and specification. Flag an alternative product for technical review before ranking its price.
- Match the quantity. Use the same order quantity and SKU split. A forecast for future purchases should have its own line rather than silently becoming the price basis for the first order.
- Separate recurring and one-time charges. Keep powder, filling and packaging apart from artwork setup or a specifically requested test. Record which costs recur on a repeat order.
- Align delivery scope. Add only confirmed costs needed to reach your chosen comparison point. Leave missing costs marked “not confirmed”; zero would imply they are included or unnecessary.
- Resolve exceptions in writing. Ask for a revised offer when an exception changes your required product or service scope.
For background on cost drivers and unit comparisons, see the matcha price guide. Keep the RFQ sheet focused on the actual offers you receive.
Keep net powder, inner packs and finished units separate
Consider a planning example, not a production commitment: a brief requests 100 kg of net powder. One option uses 1 kg sealed inner packs, giving a nominal count of 100 packs. Another requests 50 g retail pouches. Dividing 100,000 g by 50 g gives 2,000 nominal retail units.
That arithmetic does not establish the finished quantity a supplier will deliver. Filling allowances, agreed tolerances, retained samples and other project conditions need separate confirmation. Ask whether the commercial offer is for supplied powder weight or an agreed number of finished units, and how any difference will be handled.
The retail option also needs an approved pouch specification, print version and carton plan. Comparing its total directly with the powder-only option would combine two different scopes. Ask for those components to be priced separately before making a purchasing decision.
Write down freight responsibilities and document scope
A delivery abbreviation without a precise place can leave your comparison incomplete. Record the agreed Incoterms® rule, edition and named location, then ask the supplier to identify the freight and handling assumptions used. ICC describes these rules as allocating delivery costs, risks and obligations; its official Incoterms® 2020 overview is a useful reference when aligning the commercial scope.
For documents, distinguish a sample report, a document template and a report linked to the shipment lot. Request the required tests, acceptance criteria, document timing and any separate charges. The COA and lab testing guide explains the document questions to settle with the supplier.
For U.S.-bound food projects, have your responsible import team review the FDA’s Foreign Supplier Verification Programs overview and identify the supplier information needed for the applicable import process. Put those requests in the RFQ early so their availability and cost can be discussed.
Keep sample approval and written requirements connected
When the offered sample is evaluated, attach its reference to the relevant specification rather than relying on a name such as premium or latte grade. Record the preparation used for the evaluation and what was accepted. Sensory approval of a drink does not close an outstanding document request or approve a changed packaging material.
If the quotation proposes a new item after that evaluation, ask whether a new sample or document review is needed. Preserve the earlier reference so you can see the change. Do not overwrite the record in a way that makes the first sample appear to support the revised product.
Agree what will reopen the quotation
Before selecting an offer, list the changes that require confirmation: product substitution, a new formulation, different fill weight, revised artwork, an extra SKU, additional testing, a changed destination or a different order quantity. Ask how each affects price, approval steps and timing. Keep the final approved brief and offer together under their revision numbers.
Close the comparison with a versioned offer
Keep the buyer’s brief revision and the supplier’s offer revision as separate identifiers. Record the date, person issuing the offer, validity end and any quantity or exchange-rate condition the supplier states. If validity is missing, ask for it; do not assume a standard number of days.
Before passing the selected offer onward, check that the latest version answers the accepted exceptions and the agreed pack and delivery basis. If an item remains provisional, name what is unresolved and who will close it. A comparison sheet can support selection, but the purchasing team still needs its own approval and order-release process.
The supplier scorecard helps evaluate quality evidence and commercial responsibilities after offers have been made comparable. It serves a different purpose from the RFQ: requesting the same information is not the same as deciding which supplier to approve.
Frequently asked questions
Should I request a quote before approving a sample?
You can request a preliminary offer, but identify the proposed sample and any open approvals. A price for an unapproved item remains a different decision from a price for the accepted product. Update the offer if the approved specification changes.
What if I do not know my first-order quantity yet?
State the quantities you are evaluating as separate options, with a forecast clearly identified as a forecast. Ask what conditions apply to each option. Do not let a possible annual volume silently become a firm first-order commitment.
Can I select the lowest price from the replies?
First confirm that the offers describe the required item and comparable services. Resolve exceptions, delivery differences and missing charges. Then use your approval criteria; the RFQ alone does not establish product suitability or supplier qualification.
What extra information does a private-label RFQ need?
Specify fill weight, finished quantity by SKU, component and artwork versions, proof requirements, setup charges and treatment of unused materials. Separate the powder commitment from filling and custom-packaging commitments. Do not assume that one minimum applies to every component.
What should I do if an offer expires or the destination changes?
Ask the supplier to reconfirm or revise the offer against the current brief. Keep the previous version for traceability. Recheck the affected price, freight, document and timing assumptions before using the new total.
Ready to assemble a comparable request? Use the checklist when you request a bulk matcha or OEM quote. Include the fields you already know and label unresolved details as provisional so the next discussion can address specific gaps.
