This page is for Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong families and restaurants rely on every day. Hong Kong is one of the most demanding Hom Mali markets in the world. Buyers there can smell the difference between new crop and old crop, they notice a blend straight away, and they expect the rice in the bag to match the name on it. If that’s the standard you work to, read on. We’ll show you what we sell, the specs, how pricing works and what to check before you book.
We’re De Thai Products 1989 Company Limited, a rice miller and exporter in Thailand. We mill and pack Thai Hom Mali rice for importers, wholesalers, supermarket chains and restaurant groups around the world, and Hong Kong is one of the markets we know best. We pack in 5kg, 10kg, 25kg and 50kg bags, plain or with your brand, and ship with the papers a Hong Kong importer needs.
Table of Contents
Why Hong Kong Buys So Much Thai Hom Mali
Rice is the centre of almost every meal in Hong Kong, and Thai fragrant rice has been the city’s favourite for decades. Older shoppers grew up with it. Restaurants built their reputations on it. When people in Hong Kong say they want good rice, most of them mean soft, fragrant Thai Hom Mali.
That loyalty is great for business, but it also raises the bar. The Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong trusts most are the ones whose rice smells right every time the pot is opened. One weak container can cost a brand customers it took years to win. That’s why so many of our Hong Kong buyers care more about consistency than about saving a few dollars a ton.
What We Sell to Thai Hom Mali Rice Importers Hong Kong Side
- Thai Hom Mali rice, 92% purity, our main export grade.
- Thai Hom Mali rice 100% Grade A, for premium retail brands.
- Organic jasmine rice, for health and specialty shops.
- Thai jasmine rice / Pathumthani fragrant rice, for value packs and food service.
- Thai glutinous rice, for dim sum, festival dumplings and desserts.
Many Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong customers deal with also sell glutinous rice, so it’s common to put both in one container. That keeps freight per kilo low and saves you managing two suppliers.
Our Thai Hom Mali Rice Specification
This is the spec we put on contracts for Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-side. An independent inspector checks the rice against it before the container is sealed.
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Variety | KDML105 and RD15 |
| Purity | 92% minimum, 100% grade available |
| Broken grains | 4.5% maximum |
| Moisture | 14% maximum |
| Admixture | 2% maximum |
| Chalky kernels | 6% maximum |
| Yellow kernels | 0.2% maximum |
| Milling | Double polished, sortexed |
| Crop | Current season, confirmed at booking |
| Shelf life | 12 to 24 months from milling under good storage |
If your brand needs tighter numbers than most Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong works with, such as under 3% broken, tell us before booking. We can sort for it, and the price rises a little to cover the extra sorting. To understand the two varieties behind Hom Mali, read Hom Mali 105 rice (KDML 105).
New Crop Matters More in Hong Kong Than Almost Anywhere
Hom Mali is harvested once a year, and new crop usually starts reaching the market around December. Fresh rice has the strongest smell and the softest texture, and Hong Kong shoppers notice. Many Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong supermarkets buy from label their bags as new crop and sell them at a premium in the months before Lunar New Year.
As the year goes on, the aroma slowly fades, especially if the rice is stored warm. That’s normal. But it means timing matters. If your customers pay for new crop, book early, ship in smaller lots more often and keep your warehouse cool. Our article on old crop vs new crop jasmine rice explains what changes as the rice ages.
Hong Kong’s Rice Control Scheme
Rice is a reserved commodity in Hong Kong. Imports are managed through the Rice Control Scheme, which is run by the Trade and Industry Department. In short, a company that wants to import rice for local sale needs to register as a rice stockholder. Registration is open to businesses registered in Hong Kong, and it’s free.
Registered stockholders commit to an import quantity for each import period and must hold a reserve stock. The reserve is normally set at 17% of the quantity they’ve committed to import in their first period, or 17% of their actual offtake in the previous period after that. It’s there so the city always has rice on hand if supply is disrupted.
What does this mean for you as one of the Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong registers? Mostly planning. Your import commitments and reserve stock need to line up with your shipment schedule. We can plan regular containers around your import periods so you meet your quantity without overloading your warehouse. Rules can change, so always check the current conditions with the department or your adviser.
Labelling and Food Safety in Hong Kong
Prepackaged rice sold in Hong Kong needs proper labelling, and food safety is overseen by the Centre for Food Safety. Retail bags normally carry the product name, net weight, origin, and the name and address of the packer or distributor, in English, Chinese or both. Most Hong Kong brands print bilingual bags.
Send us your artwork and we’ll print it on our bags. If you’re still designing, tell us what has to appear and we’ll leave room for it. For more on building a brand, read private label Thai Hom Mali rice.
Bags and Packing for Hong Kong
| Pack | Typical buyer |
|---|---|
| 5kg printed or vacuum bag | Supermarkets and family shoppers |
| 10kg printed bag | Grocers and larger households |
| 25kg bag | Restaurants, canteens and caterers |
| 50kg bag | Wholesalers who repack locally |
Space is tight in Hong Kong, and Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-wide pack to suit it. Smaller packs suit flats with little storage, and restaurants often prefer 25kg bags that one person can carry up stairs. Vacuum packs cost more but hold aroma longer, which helps a premium brand. Details on larger sacks are in Thai Hom Mali rice 25kg and 50kg bags.
Price Guide
We quote in US dollars per metric ton. Recent FOB Thailand prices for Hom Mali 92% have been roughly 1,100 to 1,150 dollars a ton, with 100% grade above that. Pathumthani fragrant rice has been roughly 620 to 780. These move weekly with paddy prices, the baht and the crop year, so treat them as a guide. Every offer we send has a date. The Thai Rice Exporters Association publishes weekly reference prices if you want to check the market.
| Grade | FOB per ton (example) | Per 5kg of rice |
|---|---|---|
| Hom Mali 92% | 1,120 USD | about 5.60 USD, before packing |
| Pathumthani fragrant 5% | 700 USD | about 3.50 USD, before packing |
Small printed packs cost more per ton than 50kg sacks, so compare like with like. For more detail see Thai Hom Mali rice price per ton and Thai jasmine rice FOB price.
Shipping From Thailand to Hong Kong
For Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong is an easy route. Direct sailings from Laem Chabang usually take about a week, sometimes less. That short voyage is a big advantage for Hom Mali, because the rice spends less time in a hot container. A 20ft container holds about 25 metric tons, which is 2,500 bags of 10kg, 5,000 bags of 5kg, or 1,000 bags of 25kg.
Because the trip is short, Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-side can order smaller, more frequent containers without much extra freight cost. That keeps stock fresh and helps with reserve planning under the Rice Control Scheme.
How to Tell You’re Getting Real Hom Mali
Blending is the biggest risk in the Hom Mali trade. Cheaper fragrant rice, or even non-fragrant rice, gets mixed in and sold as pure Hom Mali. Hong Kong buyers are good at spotting it, but by then the container is already in your warehouse.
Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-side can protect themselves like this. Ask for the Thai Hom Mali rice certificate issued under Department of Foreign Trade rules. Insist on independent inspection at loading. Cook every sample and smell it hot. Keep part of each sample sealed for comparison. Our guide on how to identify genuine Thai Hom Mali rice walks through simple tests.
Documents We Provide
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Bill of lading
- Certificate of origin
- Phytosanitary certificate
- Fumigation certificate
- Quality and weight certificate from an independent inspector
- Thai Hom Mali rice certificate
If your bank or customers need anything beyond what Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong usually ask for, such as a lab test, tell us at the start. The full list is in rice export documents.
7 Proven Tips for Thai Hom Mali Rice Importers Hong Kong Side
- Book new crop early. The best lots go fast after harvest.
- Ship smaller containers more often. The short voyage makes it cheap to do.
- Plan containers around your Rice Control Scheme import periods and reserve stock.
- Get bilingual bag artwork approved well before shipment.
- Use vacuum packs for your premium line to hold aroma longer.
- Always ask for the Hom Mali certificate and independent inspection.
- Keep your warehouse cool and sell oldest stock first.
Hong Kong Shoppers and the Smell Test
Ask any rice shop owner in Hong Kong how customers choose rice and you’ll hear the same thing. They smell it. Some open the bag in the shop. Others judge it at home the first time they cook it, and if it doesn’t smell right, they don’t buy that brand again.
That’s why the Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong shoppers stay loyal to put so much effort into aroma. They buy new crop, they keep it cool, and they don’t let stock sit. They also check every shipment against the sample they approved, because one weak lot can undo a lot of goodwill.
We help with this by milling close to the shipping date, so the rice isn’t sitting in our warehouse for weeks before loading, and by keeping the voyage short with direct sailings where we can.
Pricing Your Own Bags in Hong Kong
Retail rice in Hong Kong is very competitive. Supermarkets run regular promotions, and shoppers compare price per kilo closely. When you work out your own selling price, start with our FOB price, add freight, insurance, local charges, storage and your packing costs if you repack, then your margin.
Most Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong supermarkets deal with keep two or three price points on the shelf: a premium 100% grade or new crop pack, a standard 92% Hom Mali pack, and a value fragrant rice pack. That way they can run a promotion on one line without cutting margin across the board. If you’d like help planning a range like that, ask us and we’ll suggest grades and bag sizes that fit.
A Note on Glutinous Rice
Hong Kong eats a lot of glutinous rice, especially around festivals. Sticky rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival, lo mai gai in dim sum shops, and sweet desserts all use it. Many Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-wide add Thai glutinous rice to their Hom Mali containers so they’re stocked before those peaks. We pack glutinous rice in the same bag sizes, so it fits easily into a mixed load. See glutinous rice for sale for specs.
Payment Terms
For a first order, most buyers pay a 30% deposit by bank transfer and the balance against a copy of the bill of lading. We also accept irrevocable letters of credit at sight. Many Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-based move to simpler terms once we’ve shipped a few containers together. We sell FOB, CFR or CIF, and the ICC Incoterms rules explain each one.
Who Buys From Us in Hong Kong
The Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong has are a mixed group, and each one wants something a little different from us.
- Supermarket chains want neat 5kg and 10kg bags, new crop labelling and steady supply through the year.
- Traditional rice shops want 25kg and 50kg sacks they can sell loose or repack, often in two or three grades.
- Restaurants, tea restaurants and dim sum houses want 25kg bags that cook the same way every day, plus glutinous rice for their kitchens.
- Hotels and caterers want premium Hom Mali with a clean, even look on the plate.
- Brand owners want private label packs with their own artwork and a premium feel.
Tell us which of these you are when you ask for a quote. It helps us suggest the right grade, bag and shipping rhythm.
Hom Mali for Restaurants and Tea Restaurants
Kitchens care about how rice behaves in a big cooker, not just how it smells in a bag. Good Hom Mali cooks soft and holds together without going mushy, and it should still taste good after sitting warm through a lunch rush.
Many restaurant suppliers among the Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong works with buy two grades: Hom Mali for steamed rice and Pathumthani fragrant rice for fried rice, where a little firmness helps. That mix keeps costs down without customers noticing any drop in quality. For more on food service supply, see bulk jasmine rice for restaurants.
Storing Rice in Hong Kong’s Climate
Hong Kong summers are hot and very humid, and that’s hard on fragrant rice. Warm, damp air speeds up aroma loss and can encourage insects. If you can, store rice in an air-conditioned or at least well-ventilated warehouse. Keep bags on pallets, off the floor and away from walls.
Plan your stock so nothing sits too long. Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong customers trust tend to turn their stock every few weeks rather than every few months. With Thailand only a week away by sea, that’s easy to arrange.
Building a Steady Supply Year-Round
The busiest season for Hom Mali in Hong Kong runs from new crop through Lunar New Year. After that, demand stays solid but calmer. A good plan books bigger volumes of new crop early, then switches to regular monthly containers through the rest of the year.
If you share your yearly volume with us, we’ll hold paddy from the right areas, book milling time and keep your printed bags in stock. It also helps you meet your Rice Control Scheme commitments without last-minute scrambles. Several Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-based run exactly this kind of plan with us.
Common Mistakes We See
- Buying cheap Hom Mali that turns out to be a blend.
- Booking new crop too late and missing the best lots.
- Ordering one huge container and letting it age in a warm warehouse.
- Printing bags before checking label details.
- Forgetting reserve stock requirements when planning imports.
All of these are easy to avoid if you plan with your supplier early. We’re happy to talk through any of them with Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-side before an order is placed.
Why Buy From a Mill
When you buy from us, you deal with the people who choose the paddy, mill the rice and pack your bags. If you want stronger aroma, tighter sorting or a different bag, we change it on our own line. We also keep a sealed reference sample of every shipment, so if a customer ever questions a lot, we can check it together. You can read more about how we grade rice on our rice standard page and in Thai Hom Mali rice exporter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you ship to Hong Kong?
Yes, regularly. We supply Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong-wide, and direct sailings usually take about a week.
Can you pack in 5kg bilingual bags?
Yes. Send your artwork in English and Chinese and we’ll print it.
Do I need to be a registered rice stockholder?
To import rice for local sale in Hong Kong, yes. Check the current rules with the Trade and Industry Department.
Can I mix Hom Mali and glutinous rice in one container?
Yes. Many of our Hong Kong buyers do.
When is new crop available?
Usually from around December, depending on the season.
Talk to Us
If you’re one of the Thai Hom Mali rice importers Hong Kong relies on, or you’re planning to become one, send us the grade, bag size, quantity and shipment month. We’ll send a dated offer and samples you can cook and judge for yourself.
If you are not ready to order yet, that is fine. Ask for samples first, cook them alongside the rice you sell now, and let your staff or a few regular customers try both. That is the most honest test there is, and it costs you nothing but a courier fee.
De Thai Products 1989 Company Limited. Email info@dethairice.com, WhatsApp +66 81 034 6390, or use our contact page. You can also read about our quality control or our guide to buying Thai jasmine rice in bulk.
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