| 1 | Food Safety Management | A current third-party food-safety certification, such as FSSC 22000, BRCGS, IFS, or ISO 22000, with a valid scope covering confectionery production. | Current certificate, audit date, certification scope, corrective-action records, and site address. | Verified food-safety systems reduce contamination, traceability, and process-control risks. | 20% |
| 2 | Regulatory and Labeling Compliance | Ability to provide labels compliant with the destination market, including ingredient declaration, allergen disclosure, net quantity, nutrition information, and responsible business details. | Market-specific label artwork, regulatory review checklist, product specification, and allergen statement. | Labeling rules differ by market; incorrect declarations can cause border delays, recalls, or relabeling costs. | 15% |
| 3 | Ingredient Transparency and Traceability | Full ingredient list with percentage or functional information where applicable, country-of-origin details, supplier traceability, and documented batch coding. | Raw-material specifications, certificates of analysis, lot-traceability procedure, and mock-recall results. | Transparent sourcing supports quality control, allergen management, and rapid investigation of complaints. | 12% |
| 4 | Coffee and Caffeine Accuracy | A clearly defined coffee ingredient, consistent flavor profile, and validated caffeine declaration when caffeine is present or marketed as a product attribute. | Coffee ingredient specification, caffeine test report from an accredited laboratory, formulation sheet, and batch COA. | Caffeine levels can vary by coffee type, extraction method, and dosage; accurate information is important for consumer safety and marketing claims. | 10% |
| 5 | Microbiological and Chemical Testing | Routine testing appropriate to the product, including microbiological controls and relevant checks for contaminants, heavy metals, allergens, and foreign materials. | Recent laboratory reports, sampling plan, testing frequency, laboratory accreditation, and product-release procedure. | Independent testing provides evidence that finished products meet defined safety and quality specifications. | 10% |
| 6 | Product Quality and Shelf Life | Documented shelf-life study with clear storage conditions; packaging should protect the candy from moisture, heat, oxygen, and physical damage. | Stability-study summary, product specification, packaging specification, storage requirements, and retained-sample policy. | Coffee candy can experience texture changes, flavor loss, sticking, or oxidation if moisture and temperature are not controlled. | 10% |
| 7 | Manufacturing Capacity and MOQ | Capacity and minimum order quantity should match the buyer’s forecast; an initial trial order and scalable repeat production are preferable. | Production-line information, monthly capacity range, MOQ by packaging format, production schedule, and sample-order policy. | A suitable capacity profile helps prevent excess inventory, missed launch dates, and inconsistent supply. | 8% |
| 8 | Lead Time and Supply Reliability | A written process covering sample approval, production, quality release, and shipment, with measurable on-time delivery performance. | Typical lead-time schedule, historical on-time delivery rate, emergency-order policy, and business-continuity plan. | Reliable planning is essential for seasonal confectionery demand and repeat purchasing. | 6% |
| 9 | Packaging and Customization Capability | Support for food-contact-compliant packaging, tamper-evident options where required, barcode printing, private-label artwork, and export carton specifications. | Packaging material declaration, food-contact compliance documents, dielines, carton dimensions, and packaging samples. | Packaging influences product protection, shelf presentation, logistics efficiency, and regulatory acceptance. | 5% |
| 10 | Commercial Terms and After-Sales Support | Clear quotation with Incoterms, payment terms, sample charges, tooling fees, claim procedure, replacement policy, and response-time commitment. | Formal quotation, sales contract, warranty or claim policy, complaint-response procedure, and referenceable service records. | Transparent commercial terms reduce unexpected costs and provide a defined solution when quality or delivery issues occur. | 4% |