Badian, more frequently known as star anise, is a fruit with great potential. Its unique shape, its powerful flavour and its digestive qualities make this a vital ingredient for agro-food and nutraceutical industries.

Let’s consider the star anise procurement supply chain and take the star anise sourcing set up in Vietnam with Aroha Sourcing as an example.

Star anise procurement: discover the star anise supply chain

Star anise is the fruit from the badianier tree, which is grown in different regions in Asia. Specialists nevertheless unanimously agree that the best star anise comes from a province in North-eastern Vietnam. This region offers optimal growing conditions for badianier trees. Besides having an ideal climate, this province is far from great cities, thus protected from pollution. There is also an ancestral know-how on growing star anise.

Star anise is a real symbol in North-eastern Vietnam. Its cultivation groups several generations of farmers. There is, in fact, the custom of planting one or several badianer trees at the birth of every child with the idea of selling the fruit to help finance the education of future generations.

Know more about sustainable ingredient sourcing.

Importance of a controlled star anise supply chain

While supply origin is the first indicator of quality, it is not the only parameter to be taken into account. Starting from the producing areas to the storage warehouses, all the steps of the star anise supply chain are important.

The 4 following are key points not to be overlooked with star anise sourcing for agro-food and nutraceutical industries:

1. The long growth period for badanier trees: the fruit must not be harvested before the tree is 15 years old. The risk otherwise is having lower quality and small size star anise;
2. Maturity at harvest: the fruit is harvested in the shape of an eight-pointed star when it displays a fine green colour;
3. Proper drying method: forced air drying is ideal for protecting the batches from contaminants, particularly batches exposed to combustion fumes;
4. Preservation away from light and humidity: storage and transportation must enable the ingredient to be preserved from the humid climate of Vietnam.

Chose Natural Origins for star anise sourcing

Based on the previously cited quality criteria, being present in the field is absolutely essential in view of guaranteeing a quality star anise supply chain. It’s for this reason that Natural Origins has made the choice of collaborating with a local partner specialised in conventional and organic plant raw materials sourcing: Aroha Sourcing.

This partnership provides:

• expertise in the field;
• close collaboration with farmers;
• continuous improvement approach;
• systematic physical inspection of all batches;
• supervision of the logistical organisation;
• optimum traceability;
• looking for customised botanical solutions;
• support provided for supply chain marketing.

Choosing quality ingredients allows professionals to meet consumers' expectations. Marketing allows you to enhance it. Find out how thanks to our free communication kit on supply chain marketing !