5 Costly Mistakes Buyers Make When Sourcing Broken Cassia – Are You Making Them Too?

If you’re in the spice business and looking to import broken cassia, this guide is a must-read.

Though often seen as a byproduct, broken cassia is in high demand for tea blends, essential oils, incense sticks, and food processing. But sourcing it the wrong way can lead to major losses — spoiled shipments, customs rejections, wasted money, and damaged reputations.

In this blog, we reveal the 5 most common and expensive mistakes buyers make when sourcing broken cassia — plus how to avoid them.

1. Chasing the Lowest Price – and Paying the Highest Cost

It’s tempting to go for the cheapest supplier. But with broken cassia, a “too good to be true” price often is.

Here’s what you might get:

• Moldy, moisture-heavy cinnamon
• Weak aroma from old or over-dried sticks
• High levels of dust, bark debris, or even sand
• Unacceptable sulfur residues

Keep in mind: the quality of your raw material determines the quality of your end product, whether it’s tea, incense, or cinnamon oil.

💡 Tip: Always request samples, COAs, and clear specs for moisture, impurities, and cut sizes before placing bulk orders.

📌 See also: How Tinimex Evaluates Broken Cassia Quality

2. Overlooking Certifications and Compliance

One of the most dangerous mistakes: not verifying certifications of your supplier.

Since broken cassia is used in food and wellness products, it must meet strict safety and traceability standards. A reliable supplier should provide:

• HACCP, ISO 22000, or Organic certificates
• Phytosanitary certificate
• Certificate of Analysis (COA)
• Traceability documentation

📷

Image: Sample export certification for broken cassia from Tinimex

🌍 Related reference: FAO/WHO Codex Standards for Spices

3. Not Defining the Cut Size and Grade

“Broken cassia” is not a one-size-fits-all product. Depending on your application, you need to be specific:

• Desired size: 1–3 cm, 3–6 cm, etc.
• Washed or unwashed?
• Acceptable impurity level: twigs, bark bits, dust?
• Sulfur-free? Steam-sterilized?

📝 Examples of specific uses:

• Powder processing: 1–3 cm, clean, dry pieces
• Tea blends: uniform 3–5 cm cuts, strong aroma
• Essential oils: mature sticks with oil content above 2.5%
• Incense making: thicker, darker pieces with deep aroma

📌 Download guide: Tinimex’s Cut Size Reference for Broken Cassia

4. Poor Packaging – The Silent Shipment Killer

Here’s a costly scenario: your shipment arrives after 3 weeks at sea… and it smells off, is full of mold, and customs reject it. Why?

Bad packaging.

Common mistakes include:

• Using old or single-layer jute sacks
• No inner PE liner or desiccants
• Weak cartons that break during transit
• Not palletizing inside the container

✅ At Tinimex, all shipments of broken cassia are:

• Packed in multi-layer PP bags or 10–25 kg cartons
• Lined with PE and sealed with desiccant bags
• Clearly labeled (product – cut size – lot – packing date)
• Photographed and documented before container sealing

📌 Learn more: Our Spice Export Packaging Protocol

5. Choosing the Wrong Origin – Poor ROI

Some buyers default to Indonesia or China thinking they’re cheaper, but the reality is: Vietnam is now the smart choice for sourcing broken cassia.

Why Vietnam?

• High oil content: 2.5–4.5%
• Dark, thick bark with rich flavor
• Strict quality control & export documentation
• Competitive prices, especially for bulk

🇻🇳 Vietnam also offers Organic, HACCP, GACP-WHO certified cinnamon — ideal for demanding markets like the US, EU, Japan, and Korea.

📌 Explore: Vietnamese Cassia Products at Tinimex

Final Thoughts: Getting It Right from the Start

To avoid costly errors in sourcing broken cassia:

• Prioritize quality, not just price
• Work only with certified suppliers
• Clarify cut sizes, moisture limits, impurities
• Check packaging standards for long transit
• Choose Vietnamese origin for high oil content and better ROI

Why Tinimex?

Tinimex is a trusted exporter of Vietnamese broken cassia, supplying wholesalers and spice importers across the globe. Our advantages:

• Custom cut sizes: 1–3 cm, 3–6 cm, mix grades
• Consistent aroma and oil content
• Certified (COA, HACCP, Organic on request)
• Fast delivery: 7–15 days
• Competitive FOB and CIF pricing

🌐 Website: www.tinimex.com
📧 Email: info@tinimex.com
📞 Hotline / WhatsApp / Zalo: +84 36 680 8683
📍 Office: 4th Floor, No. 40 Ngo Gia Tu, Long Bien, Hanoi, Vietnam

💬 Need a Trusted Source of Broken Cassia?

Request a free quote at: tinimex.com/contact-us
Or connect directly with our export team today!