Proof to ask a new copra supplier for, cheapest layer first

Vetting a new copra supplier costs time and money, and most suppliers do not deserve a full assessment. So the order matters. Start with proof that is cheap and quick, and move to the expensive kind only for suppliers that are still in the running. This note sets out five layers of proof in that order, for traders and small processors buying copra from someone they do not yet know.

Layer 1: written answers (almost free)

Send your questions by message or email, not by phone. Written answers can be reread, compared between suppliers and quoted if a gap appears later. The basic questions: who is the legal entity, where is the store or drying yard, is the stock their own or passed on from another collector, and which area did the offered lot come from.

Watch how the questions get answered as well as what the answers say. A supplier who replies smoothly to half the list and sidesteps the rest is telling you something. Our supplier evaluation checklist sets out nineteen such questions, each with the proof worth requesting.

Layer 2: sample documents (low cost)

Ask for sample documents from an earlier shipment, with the buyer’s name blanked out: a COA, a packing list and quarantine papers where they exist. You are not looking for perfection. You are looking for habits: does the COA state a method and a basis, does the lot number on the COA match the packing list, do the dates make sense.

When reviewing copra supplier websites we came across certificate badges with no number, and claims to hold a certificate with no certificate named. The plain rule is that a claim without a document you can check counts as no claim yet.

Layer 3: a sample tied to the lot (moderate cost)

A sample means something only if it comes from the lot you will receive. Ask for a sealed sample bag marked with the lot number, and for photos taken when it was drawn. A sample from a “selected pile” proves only that the supplier has at least one good pile. The testing side is covered in our note on planning a sample test before a contract.

Layer 4: third-party testing (higher cost)

When quality figures set the price you pay, a laboratory result from a party unconnected to the seller is worth more than the seller’s own COA. Not every purchase needs it. For a small lot from a supplier with a track record, layers 1 to 3 may be enough. For a large first order this layer often pays for itself.

Layer 5: references and a visit (costs time)

Ask whether other buyers are willing to be contacted, and whether you may visit the store before signing. A “no” is not automatically bad, but the reason should be in writing and make sense. A supplier who opens the store and gives two contacts has usually cleared most of the risks that are hard to see in paperwork.

Comparing two suppliers

Put both suppliers’ answers in one table with identical rows. Mark three kinds of cell: answered with proof, answered without proof, and not answered. Do not add up scores. Look at the empty cells in the rows that matter most to you, such as the weight basis or the test method. One blank in the right row can disqualify the cheapest supplier.

Remember too that a low price on an unclear weight basis can end up costing more than a higher price on an agreed one.

Signs to stop

• The supplier refuses to answer in writing.
• Quality figures come with no method and no basis.
• The sample cannot be tied to the lot that will ship.
• Sample documents contradict each other.
• Full payment is demanded up front with no documents.

One sign proves nothing. Two or more mean you should probably look elsewhere.

Example: assessing Kora with the same list

You can assess Kora, one of the producers discussed, with the same list. The figures Kora publishes are on the copra from Kora page, including the rows that still have no data. Send your questions through the contact page: name the grade, the monthly volume and the proof you need. The sales team replies within two business days.