Export samples: what to send and how

A good export sample set contains the products in their real packaging, a spec sheet, a shelf-life note, copies of the manufacturing facility's certificates and a short letter that explains what the samples are for. It is sent by tracked express courier, declared as samples, with enough information for the recipient to clear it quickly. Color of Vietnam is preparing for export, and this is the sample set we have built for our first conversations with buyers.

Why samples decide more than the offer sheet

Importers read a great many offers but can only taste a handful of samples each week. The sample is the one moment when the product speaks for itself. A sample set without specifications forces the buyer to write back with questions, and every question is a chance for them to move on to another supplier. So a sample is not just a pack of crackers. It is the pack plus everything the buyer needs to judge it without asking for more.

What goes in the carton

We pack a sample set in the order the person opening the box will see it:

• A one-page letter: who the samples are for, which flavours are included, why we think they suit the buyer's channel and what feedback we are hoping for.
• Products in real packaging, a few packs per flavour. Enough for a team to taste, to photograph and to keep one pack aside to watch how the packaging holds up over time. If the packaging is a print proof, we say so.
• A product spec sheet: name, ingredients, net weight, pack format, packs per carton, carton dimensions and weight, barcode if one exists.
• A shelf-life and storage note: expected shelf life, temperature and humidity conditions, and where shelf-life testing currently stands.
• Copies of our partner facilities' certificates: ISO 22000:2018 with a note that renewal is in progress, Halal certification, and US FDA food facility registration. Each one states which facility it covers, its scope and its validity.
• Print-quality photos of the product and packaging, so the buyer does not have to take their own for an internal presentation.

For nutrition bars and nut bars we add a line about the allergens in the recipe. For the Let's PLAY rice crackers and snack jars we add one intact jar, so the buyer can see the Ô ăn quan game board printed on the pack.

What we say up front

A few things are easily left unsaid when samples go out, and we choose to put them in the letter:

• Whether the sample comes from a trial batch or a production batch. Production can differ slightly in flavour and texture, and the buyer has a right to know.
• Which certificates belong to the manufacturing facility and which belong to the company. In our case the certificates belong to our partner facilities, and we write exactly that.
• What is not yet in place: we have not announced any export market, and if the packaging does not yet carry the secondary label the buyer's market requires, we say plainly that this is work we would do together.

Saying these things first keeps the later conversation on the product rather than on reconciling claims.

How to ship so the samples arrive intact

Dry snacks do not need a cold chain, but they still need care. We use a tracked express courier, pack the samples in a rigid, lined carton and keep rice crackers away from the bottom where they would take the weight. For bars with a cacao coating we avoid shipping during hot weeks or choose a faster service.

On the customs declaration the parcel is described as samples with no commercial value, with a clear description of packaged dry food and its ingredients. Some countries require extra paperwork for food samples, so before sending we ask the recipient directly: what does customs on your side need to release food samples. That one question saves weeks of waiting.

Once the parcel is on its way we email the tracking number, a list of what is in the box and the expected arrival date. Two days after delivery we check in briefly, without chasing.

What we ask for in return

Samples are a two-way exchange. We include a short feedback form so the buyer can note quickly: which flavours work and which do not, and why, texture, packaging, a target price for their channel and the next step they would like. Not everyone fills it in, but the people who do are usually the people who go on to order.

The feedback we value most is direct. One specific comment about saltiness gives us something to adjust with our manufacturing partners. A general compliment does not.

If you are an importer or distributor who would like to taste our products, get in touch and tell us your sales channel and the pack formats you need. We will build the sample set around exactly what you need to evaluate.