The world of spices is laden with flavours, aromas and tales, yet a single spice that has managed to cut itself a niche in terms of heritage, quality and commercial value is the Ceylon cinnamon. To those companies considering going into bulk sourcing or entering the wholesale sector or to establish a high-end brand, knowing the difference between this so-called cinnamon of Sri Lanka is a must. It is the step-by-step guide on what Ceylon cinnamon is, why it makes sense to buy in big amounts, the grade of the item, the type of item, the price, how to select the necessary supplier, and to whom should be the buyer.
What Is Ceylon Cinnamon?
Whenever you mention cinnamon the person will think of reddish brown sticks, sweet smell and a touch of spices. However, the type of cinnamon in question is in fact a variety of species – and among them, Ceylon cinnamon is generally taken as the highest quality, the real one. It has a botanical name of Cinnamomum verum (synonymous with Cinnamomum zeylanicum), which is indigenous to Sri Lanka.
The cinnamon of Ceylon is not identical with the cassia (such as Cinnamomum cassia) often used. There are several essential differences in several respects between the two:
- It is lighter brown or tan-gold in colour, the quills (rolled bark) are thinner and have a finer aroma and flavour profile more general.
- The level of coumarin in Ceylon cinnamon is normally much lower than some forms of cassia and therefore is more preferred both health regulatory-wise.
- Historically, Ceylon cinnamon was a luxury spice, which was exchanged by antique civilisation and could be even more expensive than gold. True cinnamon is still the world centre in Sri Lanka.
Why Buy Ceylon Cinnamon in Bulk?
The argument about why buying Ceylon cinnamon in large amounts (as opposed to small ones) can be sound in the business of the right-bringer is a few.
Cost Efficiency and Margin Control
When sourcing a lot of it directly at the source (Sri Lanka) or through specialised exporters of spices, you bring into play a series of middlemen mark-ups. Reduced prices per kilogram can be large when buying in bulk rather than through retailing or buying in small lots.
Consistent Supply & Branding
It becomes important when it comes to consistency of food-service brands or retail chains in the eyes of manufacturers. Purchasing in bulk (i.e. 25 kg, 50 kg or 100 kg lots) will cost you less in the long run by guaranteeing consistent quality, establishing long-term supply connections, and even by controlling your own packaging. One of the Sri Lanka exporters says: “We also supply a complete amount of GI-certified organic Ceylon cinnamon in bulk, scalable production, export guarantee”.
Premium Positioning
Since Ceylon cinnamon is perceived as a superior product (lightly, sweeter, more delicate), the brands with the mention of 100% Ceylon cinnamon can run a premium price in the market. With bulk sourcing, you will have an opportunity to market the “true cinnamon, origin story, ethical sourcing, and distinguish between cinnamon blends and generic cassia.
Head-End for Value-Added Products
Bulk purchasing gives you the TSA of future value add: Cinnamon sticks ground, flavored, branded, hospitality packaged, co-branded gifts. Should you have had access to wholesale cinnamon Ceylon in a large quantity, you can come up with your own-label products, prepared cinnamon powders, packaged or even cinnamon oil extraction, further up the value chain than raw bark.
Safety & Compliance
Additional benefits that bulky purchases can be allotted will include traceability, certification, export documentations and quality assurance, which small picks might not be able to afford. This is very necessary particularly when you are exporting, dealing with food-service customers or when you deal with cinnamon included in controlled formulations.
Ceylon Cinnamon Wholesale Grades
When purchasing ceylon cinnamon in large quantities, it would be imperative to know its grading system, different grades have varying price tags, flavour profiles, and applications.
Grading Basics
Sri Lankan grading system grades the quills (sticks) by diameter, length, quantity of quills in one kilogram and degree of foxing (discoloration by moisture) or damage.
Here are key grades:
- Alba: The best and rarest quills are the ultra-thin, generally less than 6 mm in diameter, quills of high quality, beautiful outlook. A wholesale listing lets Alba stick out of Sri Lanka as the ultimate luxury.
- C4/C5: Commercial high grades, a bit heavier, retail and special cute.
- M (Mexican) / H (Hamburg) / Other codes: These are heavier quills, sturdier sticks, cheaper price grades that can be utilized to produce in large quantities or where looks are of less importance.
- Quillings / Chips / Powder:When the pieces of the bark are tiny, twisted or broken, they are considered as quillings or chips. Powder grades Cinnamon in quills or bark in ground.
Applications by Grade
- Alba + C4/ C5: Retail packaging, gourmet sticks, direct consumption, high end culinary usage would best suit.
- M/H Grades: Can be used in large quantities in food production, baking, flavouring, where the price of goods is more important than the outlook.
- Quillings / Chips / Powder: Best suited to spice blends, industrialising the extraction of cinnamon oil, ingredients, whose flavour profile is to be diluted into the final product.
Quality Indicators
In assessing a grade in bulk examine the following:
- Colour Light golden medium brown (in case of sticks) – not very thick dark reddish.
- Aroma: Ceylon cinnamon is delicately sweet-smelling; the mixture of cassetia-type is usually more pungent or sharp.
- Certifications: Organic, GI ( Geographical indication) of Ceylon cinnamon supplier export licence.
- Export factory and sourcing reports to Sri Lanka.
Bulk Ceylon Cinnamon Products Available
The following are the common wholesale formats:
Sticks (Quills)
- Bark quills are made using the whole cinnamon sticks. They are fresher, retail longer and contain a higher quality look when it comes to gift-wrapping or cooking.
- Available lengths: 5″, 8″, 15 cm etc. One of the suppliers adds quills bulk ready to be shipped; 8 cm-15 cm.
- Normally exported in 10kg, 25kg, 50 kg boxes or in big poly sacks.
Powder
- Bark of Ceylon cinnamon, generally in mesh (40/60/80) whitish depending on Europe. One of the wholesalers sells powders in terms of mesh size.
- Perfect in food products, blends of spices, and nutraceuticals.
Quillings / Chips
- Sticks that are less premium / broken quills reduced into chips. Applicable to extraction (oil), mixes of spices or less appearance sensitive.
- Most supply cut chips in large quantities in custom cuts.
Cinnamon Oil (Bark and Leaf)
In flavour, fragrances or functional ingredients use high-value. Cinnamon Bark oil and leaf oil are bulk export products from one of the suppliers.
Custom Packaging / Private Label
- There are a lot of wholesalers, who offer flexible packaging (10kg, 25kg, 50kg sacks) or retailing cartons/pouches. Businesses are becoming more familiar with the concept of private-label.
Ceylon Cinnamon Bulk Prices
The estimate below illustrates prices, which are based on publicly located wholesale announcements and market intelligence.
Wholesale Listings & Price Ranges
- One Internet wholesale sale: Ceylon Cinnamon wholesale – best price around US $30 per kg – minimum required 1kg – that could be either an old stock or a promotion price.
- A retailer of bulk-packages sells 5 kg packs of Ceylon cinnamon at the price of US $159.99 (approximately, US 32/kg).
- An entry of organic Ceylon cinnamon powder: at quantity cost of 15kg pack size of 12.06/kg.
- One of the suppliers offers Alba grade sticks on a wholesale basis 1 kg at US $19.90 290 different grades and quantities.
- According to market-intelligence sources, the price of dried cinnamon at origin markets will be USD 4-7/kg, depending on the quality/species mix.
Interpreting the Price Spread
- Major variables, including that of grade (Alba vs quillings), certification (organic/GI), format (sticks vs powder), shipment size, logistics (FOB vs landed cost), and origin quality are reflected in the wide spread.
- Higher grades (Alba, best C4) that can be traced out of Sri Lanka in premium form: a better pricing.
- Bulk powder or less expensive grades: less expensive and also not higher premium mark-up.
- The high overall lot sizes lower unit cost (economies of scale).
- Production and export are expensive, with certification (USDA Organic, EU Organic) are charged higher and lower respectively.
- Off-shore buyers are subjected to logistics and currency variations in landed cost.
Practical Cost Guidance for Buyers
Today when you are buying ceylon cinnamon in big chunks, plan on spending:
- Premium stick (Alba/ C4): 25 -40/kg FOB Sri Lanka(or similar) according to volume and certification.
- Top-quality commercial grade sticks ( C5/M4): US15-25/kg.
- Powder or bulk chips: US10-15 /kg with respect to mesh and certification.
- Further value-add (cleaning small lots, small packs) will add to cost.
- Obtaining a complete cost-break down (FOB price, freight, duty, certification cost) and comparing landing cost to your target margin is always desirable.
How to Choose the Right Ceylon Cinnamon Wholesale Supplier
The following are some of the important criteria:
Origin & Authenticity
- Check supplier is sourcing in Sri Lanka, because true Ceylon cinnamon is native in Sri Lanka.
- Seeding has botanical species and evidence of grading/traceability documentation (Cinnamomum verum).
- Make sure that it is officially certified such as the Pure Ceylon Cinnamon The Lion Logo or GI (Geographical Indication) mark.
Certifications & Compliance
- Search: ISO 22000, HACCP, GMP, USDA Organic, EU Organic, Halal certifications. Examples: one exporter puts in: ISO, USDA, EU organic and the Pure Ceylon Lion logo.
- The certifications are essential to food-service or export markets and provide assurance to the end-customers.
Grade Transparency & Product Range
The grades (Alba, C4, C5, quillings, powder) are to be clearly declared by a supplier, and he/she should offer sample pictures or specifications (quill diameter, sticks per kg). As an illustration, this is one of the suppliers, they have products: Cinnamon quills (Alba, C5, C4), quillings, chips and so on.
Supply Stability & Logistics
- The bulk buyer requires suppliers capable of providing regular volume, packaging (10kg/ 25kg/ 50kg), warehousing and lot data blocked.
- Also verify the lead times, shipping terms ( FOB/CIF), storage terms and shelf-life.
Quality Assurance & Testing
Check-labor reports: moisture, coumarin, microbes. Since ceylon cinnamon is a high quality product, it is a luxury product and thus additional quality control is a plus.
Customer References & Reputation
Those suppliers catering to international clients in the food-industry, publish export documentation and practice transparency is a good bet. As an example, a single B2B supplier focuses on directly providing supply to food manufacturers.
Pricing Transparency & Volume Discounts
Check minimum order quantity (MOQ), volume based pricing, packaging price and landed cost. Bargain on quantities, terms of payment and guarantee of quality.
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Who Should Buy Ceylon Cinnamon Wholesale?
Whether your organisation falls in one of the following or not:
Retailers & Grocery Chains
When you have high-quality or/and expensive spices or when you focus on origin/quality (Sri Lankan Ceylon cinnamon), then you can easily buy in large quantities and label and package your own product.
Food & Beverage Manufacturers
In firms whose products have cinnamon flavour (baked products, cereals, drinks, spice blends), bulk sourcing of Ceylon cinnamon offers flavour and familiarity, particularly to their high end brands.
Hospitality & Gourmet Dining
Top-grade sticks (Alba/C4) will be of use in hotels, restaurants, culinary brands interested in premium cinnamon sticks to serve as a top-grade garnish, infusion, cocktail or dessert.
Nutraceutical & Functional Food Companies
Due to the positive health affiliations, such as the decreased coumarin, high content of aroma/oil, companies in the wellness space can buy Ceylon cinnamon in bulk as capsules, extracts, wellness tea or functional foods ingredients.
Exporters & Re-Distributors
The distributors/importers of the spices can purchase in bulk, re-pack in their own label, or distribute to small scale processors.
Entering the Premium Spice Market
Bulk Ceylon cinnamon will be a strategic ingredient in case you are developing a specialty/spice-brand based on heritage, origin and high pricing.
To source high-end cinnamon, create a reputable brand of spice or provide quality-minded clients, bulk Ceylon cinnamon has certain opportunities to propose, such as heritage and authenticity, flavour and increasing the margins. The success of any of the above is in setting the right grade, checking on the credentials of the suppliers and negotiating the favourable terms.
To companies that are willing to proceed, contact Emerald Valley Estate today and order Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks detailed sample lots, and batch certificates.
Frequently Asked Questions
This varies by supplier. Flexible minimums on samples vary depending on the exporter of Sri Lankan products, though 1 kg or 5 kg of products are commonly used as minimums on sample orders, whereas with full bulk about 100 kg or larger.
Look into origin certificate (Sri Lanka), botanical name Cinnamomum verum, grading better defined (Alba, C4, C5), aroma and appearance tests (thin quills, and layered bark), and level of coumarin checked, and trusted supplier information.
Typical grades are: Alba (high quality premium), C4/C5 (high quality commercial sticks), M4/M5 or H1/H3 (industrial sticks), quillings/chips (broken pieces) and powder (different mesh sizes).
Yes, its superior quality, fineness, exclusivity of the origin and reduced cassia level of coumarin make Ceylon cinnamon sell better wholesale than ubiquitous cassia types.
Editorial Staff’s at KO Klicks are experts on various topics.