1. Are you a manufacturer or a re-packer?
The single most-skipped question. A re-packer buys oil on the spot market, fills it into their drums with their label, and sells it on. They have no visibility into the actual extraction, the grower lot, or the harvest year. When a batch goes off-spec, they have nowhere to escalate.
Ask: “Where exactly is your distillation unit? Can I see photos / video / visit?” A real manufacturer will answer specifically and quickly. A re-packer will redirect, generalise, or claim “all production happens at multiple partner facilities.”
2. What’s the most recent GC-MS COA for the oil I’m asking about?
A serious supplier sends a recent (within 90 days) third-party GC-MS COA without friction. Look for the lab’s name and accreditation (NABL in India, ISO/IEC 17025 globally), sample reference and batch number, all major chemical markers with quantified percentages, and identity confirmation.
Cross-reference the chemical-marker percentages against published ranges. For example: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): linalool 28–38%, linalyl acetate 30–45%, camphor < 1%. Tea tree: terpinen-4-ol > 30%, 1,8-cineole < 15% (ISO 4730). Peppermint: menthol 30–55%, menthone 14–32%. Eucalyptus globulus: 1,8-cineole > 70%.
3. Do you keep retained samples? For how long?
The right answer is yes, for at least 12 months, ideally 24–36. Retained samples mean that if your downstream customer ever flags a batch, you can have it re-tested against what was shipped. Without retained samples, every dispute becomes a “your word against theirs” situation.
4. What’s the grower lot / origin / crop year of this specific batch?
A re-packer can’t answer this. A manufacturer can. For example: “this lavender batch is from our contracted growers in J&K, crop year 2025, distilled October 2025.” If the answer is “from various sources” or “depending on availability,” you’re talking to a re-packer.
5. What documentation ships with the bulk order?
Minimum acceptable list: GC-MS Certificate of Analysis, MSDS (GHS-compliant), Allergen statement (for cosmetic-grade), Certificate of Origin (DGFT / FIEO endorsed for Indian suppliers), Phytosanitary certificate (where applicable), HS-code documentation, Commercial invoice + packing list. If the supplier doesn’t routinely include three or more, that’s not a B2B supplier — that’s a hobbyist.
6. What’s your MOQ, and what are the pricing tiers above it?
A clean answer looks like: “MOQ 1 kg at USD X/kg, 5 kg at Y/kg, 25 kg at Z/kg, 180 kg drum at AA/kg, container load at BB/kg, valid 30 days.” Beware of “Pricing depends on quantity, send us your inquiry” without ranges.
7. What are your payment terms — for first orders vs. repeat orders?
Industry standard for Indian export is 30% advance TT against PI, 70% against B/L copy. LC at sight is acceptable for established buyers. If a supplier won’t move from 100% advance even after a successful pilot order, that’s a relationship signal.
8. What’s your standard lead time, and what’s the variance?
The honest answer is a range: “5–7 working days for under 25 kg in stock; 10–14 working days for 25–180 kg requiring production; 14–21 days for container loads.” The dishonest answer is a single number with no caveat.
9. What’s your retained customer reference list in my destination country?
A supplier who has shipped to your destination before knows the customs broker friction points and labelling requirements. Ask for three references — and ask if you can email two of them.
10. How do you handle a batch that fails our incoming QC?
The answer should be specific: re-test from retained sample, replace at supplier cost if real, propose price adjustment if borderline. The wrong answer is vague (“we work with you to resolve it”). Get specifics in writing before you sign.
11. Do you have certifications beyond the baseline?
Baseline for a serious manufacturer in India: MSME, GST, IEC. Beyond that, depending on your end-market: USDA Organic / NPOP for US natural / organic claims; COSMOS / EcoCert for EU natural cosmetic claims; Halal for MENA / ASEAN; Kosher for select US / Israel; ISO 9001 / 22000 for general QMS / food-grade; GMP for pharma-adjacent supply.
12. Who’s my point-of-contact and what’s their response SLA?
The biggest determinant of a good supplier relationship after the first six months isn’t the oil — it’s whether your point-of-contact replies in 4 hours or 4 days. A serious B2B supplier names the person, the email, the phone/WhatsApp, the hours, and the backup.
How Expo Organics scores ourselves on all 12
- Manufacturer — Ghaziabad facility, 1984-established. Walk-in or video-tour any working day.
- GC-MS COA — third-party NABL-accredited on every batch.
- Retained samples — 36 months in our QC archive.
- Origin — grower, region, crop year disclosed on every COA.
- Documentation — full export pack standard.
- MOQ + tiers — 1 kg / 5 / 25 / 180 / FCL.
- Payment — 30/70 TT from order 1; LC at sight after 2 successful TT orders.
- Lead time — 5–14 working days bulk, 14–21 FCL.
- References — three on request in any of US / UK / UAE / EU / AU.
- Failed-batch protocol — re-test from retain, replace at our cost if confirmed.
- Certifications — MSME + IEC + GST baseline; SKU-level certs on request.
- Point-of-contact — Yogesh Tripathi (CEO) or named export-desk lead; 4-hour response window 09:30–19:00 IST.
Send us your RFQ — request a quote, or WhatsApp +91 8383 072767. Reply within 24 working hours.