What Should a Freeze-Dried Mango RFQ Include, and How Do You Make Bulk Match the Sample?
A good RFQ defines the product in numbers, and a good sample approval turns those numbers into the reference every container is checked against. Send suppliers the same eight answers (application, cut, cultivar, release values, packaging, documents, market and volume), and the quotes you get back can be compared on the same product. Then lock three things before you pay a deposit: a dual-signed retained sample, a tolerance table and the release results of the sample lot. That is how the container your QA team opens matches the pouch your R&D team approved. The checklist at the end of this guide puts all of it on one page.
Why do two quotes for “freeze-dried mango” differ so much?
Because an open RFQ lets each supplier quote a different product. One assumes whole slices, another a broken grade. One quotes a conversion ratio on peeled flesh, another on whole fruit. One packs in foil with a desiccant, another in metallised film. One loads 2,750 kg per container, another 1,900 kg. The cheapest quote is usually the one that assumed the least.
Every open question also costs time. Each clarification round delays the sample by about a week, so four open questions push the first comparable quote back four to six weeks. Started in January, that delay lands your contract after the main harvest has begun in March, when fruit and drying capacity are already committed to buyers who planned earlier.
What should the RFQ define?
Eight answers, written before you ask for a price.
- Application. Snack pouch, cereal or granola inclusion, bar, chocolate, yogurt topping, beverage, bakery or private label. This decides the cut and the moisture tolerance.
- Format and size. Slices 6–7 mm, cubes 5–10 mm, bites 10–15 mm, granules 2–5 mm or powder 60–80 mesh, with tolerance ±0.5 mm for slices. The formats guide matches cut to application.
- Cultivar and ripeness. Keo (standard, firm, best for cubes) at 14–16 °Brix, or Cát Chu (aroma and colour) at 14–18 °Brix. Name it so it cannot be swapped.
- Release values. Moisture 3–5% and water activity ≤0.30, measured on the same sample; microbiology to the standard COA panel; SO₂ <10 ppm.
- Grade and fines. Whole pieces ≥90% at release and ≥85% on arrival; fines below 2 mm ≤3% at release and ≤5% on arrival.
- Packaging. 5 kg foil bags with gentle vacuum and desiccant, carton 58 × 28 × 34 cm; or retail pouch size and print method for private label.
- Documents and testing. Lot COA scope, market panels (pesticide multi-residue, Listeria, nutrition), certificates you need on file, C/O Form EUR.1 for the EU and UK.
- Market and logistics. Destination port, Incoterm (FOB Cat Lai, CIF or DDP), annual volume, first-order quantity, delivery months, floor-loaded or palletised.
How do you compare the quotes that come back?
On the same basis, landed and per usable kilogram. Ask every bidder to state three things alongside the price:
- Conversion ratio on whole fruit. Keo runs 10.5–12 : 1 through the season, with 11.6 : 1 as the planning anchor; Cát Chu about 9.7 : 1. A figure near 6 : 1 is measured on peeled flesh and under-budgets the fruit.
- Net kilograms per container. About 2,750 kg floor-loaded in a 20 ft container with the FruitBuys carton, against 1,400–1,800 kg on pallets.
- Expected fines on arrival.
Then run each quote through:
Cost per usable kg = (price per kg + freight per kg) ÷ (1 − share of fines on arrival)
A quote USD 1.00/kg cheaper that loads 1,900 kg and arrives with 8% fines costs more per usable kilogram than one loading 2,750 kg with 3% fines, at any price above about USD 10.50/kg. The full worked comparison is in why freeze-dried mango costs what it does.
Why does bulk drift from the approved sample?
Because a sample and a container are made under different conditions. Four gaps cause most of the difference:
- Pilot dryer versus production chamber. Samples are often dried in a 5–10 kg pilot unit. A production chamber loads about 1,000 kg of fresh fruit, and its edge and centre trays dry at slightly different rates. Trays are blended after drying to even this out, which is why the blending record matters.
- Hand-picked sample versus packing line. Bench samples are often the best slices. Bulk passes through screens, conveyors and filling stations that create fines the sample pouch never had.
- Harvest timing. A sample from peak-season June Keo is sweeter and deeper in colour than bulk from early March or the September–November off-season. Without a seasonal reference, natural variation looks like a processing fault.
- A COA from another lot. A general facility COA describes past testing, not your container.
How do you approve the sample so it holds?
Sign two identical retained pouches, lock the tolerances and file the sample’s release results, before the deposit.
The sequence: application → cut → pre-production sample → tolerances agreed → retained pouches signed → bulk run → pre-shipment sample → release.
- Draw two identical sealed foil pouches from the approved pre-production run. Label each with lot number, production date, moisture and water activity, and sign them on both sides.
- One pouch stays with FruitBuys, one with your QA team. Store both at 18–22 °C below 50% RH, for at least 12 months or the full shelf life.
- Pair the pouch with its release results: moisture and water activity on the same sample.
- Before stuffing, FruitBuys sends a pre-shipment sample of 200–300 g in two sealed pouches from the packed lot, by courier within 24–48 hours. Open one for a sensory check against your retained pouch; keep the second sealed for your own lab.
This is the “golden sample” in practice: not a nice pouch on a shelf, but a signed, coded reference with numbers attached.
What tolerances should the contract enforce?
A number for every attribute, and two integrity limits: one at release, one at your port.
| Parameter | Release target | Tolerance against the retained sample | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moisture | 3–5% | ±0.5 percentage points, never above 5% | Vacuum oven, 70 °C (AOAC 934.06) |
| Water activity | ≤0.30 | ±0.03, never above 0.30 | ISO 18787, 25 °C |
| Slice thickness | 6–7 mm | ±0.5 mm | Caliper, 20 random pieces |
| Whole pieces, at release | ≥90% | Fines below 2 mm ≤3% by weight | Sieve analysis |
| Whole pieces, on arrival | ≥85% | Fines below 2 mm ≤5% by weight | Sieve analysis after transit |
| Colour, slices and dice | Matched to retained sample | Within the signed colour tiles, straw yellow to orange-yellow | Physical colour tiles |
| Colour, powder | Matched to retained sample | ΔE ≤3.0 | Colorimeter |
| Sulphite (SO₂) | Not added | <10 ppm | Optimized Monier-Williams |
| Metal detection | Fe 1.5 mm, non-Fe 2.0 mm, stainless 2.5 mm | Zero tolerance | Test-piece log per shift |
Why colour tiles for slices. The porous surface of a freeze-dried slice scatters light, so colorimeter readings on pieces vary with how they sit. A physical colour boundary judged side by side is the reliable check; ΔE is used on powder, where the surface is even.
Why two integrity limits. A month at sea turns another 2–3% of a lot into fragments, however well it is packed. Separate release and arrival limits stop that normal transit loss from becoming a dispute. On a 5,000 kg lot, each percentage point of fines is 50 kg sold as a lower grade, which is why the slice standard sits at 6–7 mm and bags are packed flat under gentle vacuum.
Which records prove the bulk was made like the sample?
Records that trace your cartons back to the fruit. Ask for:
- Fruit intake log: cultivar, °Brix at receiving, orchard source
- Freezing and drying record: freezing at −35 to −40 °C, chamber pressure and cycle time; FruitBuys shares the batch cycle record for your production lot on QA request
- Blending record: trays from different chamber positions combined before packing
- Packing room log: humidity below 35% RH at 20–22 °C
- Conversion check: the whole-fruit ratio for your lot against the seasonal range
How each step is controlled is set out in how freeze-dried mango is made.
What if a lot differs from the sample?
Grade the difference first; most have a commercial answer.
- Cosmetic difference, accepted with a credit. A slightly paler colour from early-season fruit, with moisture, water activity and safety in specification, is accepted with an agreed commercial credit.
- Extra fines, re-graded. If transit pushed fines above 5%, the lot is sieved and the fines go to bakery, beverage and inclusion uses.
- Off-size slices, redirected. Slices outside the thickness tolerance go into granola or cereal blends, where shape matters less.
- Safety or water activity out of specification, claimed. Water activity above 0.30, SO₂ at or above 10 ppm, or a microbiology result outside the limit means quarantine and a claim settled under the contract, against the retained sample.
Claims follow the standard window: 14 days from unloading for packaging, appearance, fines and water activity, and 30 days for laboratory results.
How do you check a lot on arrival?
Against the retained sample, before the goods go into stock.
- Identification: shipping marks, carton labels and pouch codes against the lot documents
- Pouch integrity: seals checked for pinholes, channels and inflation
- Side-by-side check: 100 g of bulk next to the retained sample in dry air below 40% RH, judged for crispness, aroma, colour and snap within 5 minutes of opening
- Sieve check: fines below 2 mm against the arrival limit
- Lab confirmation: for container programmes, moisture and water activity at an independent ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory
Seal and film requirements are in the packaging and shelf-life guide; release values and testing are in the moisture and QA guide.
Which documents come with each order?
- Full-container orders: a third-party lot COA covering moisture, water activity, TPC, yeasts and moulds, E. coli and Salmonella, tied to the lot code on your shipping documents.
- Trial and LCL orders: the QC release log per batch with FruitBuys’ periodic baseline reports. Third-party testing on a smaller lot is arranged at lab cost and refunded in full on your first container.
- Every shipment: commercial invoice, packing list, B/L, C/O Form EUR.1 for the EU and UK, phytosanitary certificate and COA.
The freeze-dried mango RFQ and approval checklist
Copy this into your RFQ and approval file.
RFQ
- [ ] Application: ______________________
- [ ] Format and size, with tolerance: ______________________
- [ ] Cultivar (Keo / Cát Chu) and intake °Brix: ______________________
- [ ] Moisture 3–5%, water activity ≤0.30, on the same sample
- [ ] Whole pieces and fines limits, at release and on arrival
- [ ] Packaging: bulk bag size, carton size, or retail pouch and print method
- [ ] Lot COA scope and market panels: ______________________
- [ ] Destination port, Incoterm, annual volume, first order, delivery months
- [ ] Floor-loaded or palletised; pallet type if palletised
Quote comparison
- [ ] Conversion ratio stated on whole fruit
- [ ] Net kilograms per container and stuffing plan
- [ ] Expected fines on arrival
- [ ] Cost per usable kilogram calculated for every quote
Sample approval
- [ ] Pre-production sample approved by R&D and QA
- [ ] Two retained pouches signed, coded and stored at 18–22 °C, below 50% RH
- [ ] Release results filed with the retained pouch
- [ ] Tolerance table attached to the contract
- [ ] Claims window agreed: 14 days physical, 30 days laboratory
Before shipment and on arrival
- [ ] Pre-shipment sample received and compared with the retained pouch
- [ ] Lot COA matches carton lot codes
- [ ] Arrival check against the retained sample before stock entry
How light can this be for a trial order?
For a first pallet or a development trial, keep it simple: the sample from stock, the QC release log and a careful arrival check. Third-party testing on a trial lot is arranged at lab cost and refunded in full on your first container. The full retained-sample protocol starts when the programme moves to containers, where it protects your margin on every reorder.
Send your RFQ to FruitBuys
Send the eight answers, or as many as you have. FruitBuys turns them into a specification you can quote like-for-like, proposes the tolerance table for your contract and sends a sample from stock in 3–5 working days. Specifications are on the freeze-dried mango product page; how FruitBuys runs the chain is in the freeze-dried mango supplier guide.
support@fruitbuys.com · WhatsApp Export +84 919 739 589
FAQ
What should a freeze-dried mango RFQ include?
Application, cut and size, cultivar, moisture and water activity, fines limits, packaging, documents and testing, and destination with Incoterm and volume.
What is a golden sample?
A retained reference pouch from the approved pre-production run, signed by both parties, coded and stored with its release results, against which every bulk lot is judged.
How long should retained samples be kept?
At least 12 months, or the full labelled shelf life, so any complaint during shelf life can be checked against the reference.
Can I approve bulk from photos?
Photos show shape and packing. They cannot show crispness, moisture, water activity or true colour; use them alongside the retained sample, never instead of it.
How soon can I get a sample?
FruitBuys sends samples from stock by courier in 3–5 working days.
