In bay leaf sourcing, picking the right calibration can swing the landed price by 20–40%. Many buyers start from "largest leaf = best leaf" — but for Alaçam bay leaf the decisive idea is the right calibration for the application, not visual size. In this guide we lay out every grade KRD & EKAM produces — SA Bale, FAQ Bale, SS Press, HPS 4-7, HPS 5-10 and Machine-Sorted — with the technical markers that distinguish them and the use case each fits best.
Why Calibration Matters
Three parameters drive the market value of a bay leaf lot: size distribution (calibration), essential-oil content and foreign-matter plus broken-leaf ratio. Size homogeneity matters directly to restaurant and industrial food buyers because it governs how long staff spend sorting on the line. For cosmetics and essential-oil manufacturers, oil content outweighs size — which is why we split the same harvest into two calibration lines.
Grade by Grade: The KRD & EKAM Range
SA Quality Bale
SA (Superior Grade) is the premium class off the Alaçam line. Post-harvest hand selection keeps only whole, intact leaves with high colour uniformity. Size range is typically 5-10 cm, broken ratio below 2%, foreign matter under 0.5%. Target market: premium spice brands in Germany and the USA, organic and fine-dining segments in particular.
FAQ Bale (Fair Average Quality)
FAQ is the reference grade of the international trade. Size range 4-10 cm, broken ratio around 5%, foreign matter under 1%. It is the most widely traded food-grade class — high volume, mid-range price. Ideal for general kitchen, restaurant and industrial food manufacturing use.
SS Press Bale
SS is a density-optimised packing format. A hydraulic press compacts the maximum leaf mass into a 25 kg bale, making it the most economical option for freight-heavy distant markets (South Korea, China, Australia). Quality spec is similar to FAQ, though limited edge-fraying from the press can be expected.
HPS 5-10 cm
HPS (Hand-Picked & Sorted) is the hand-selected, size-homogenised class. The 5-10 cm range is the exact match of the "bay leaf" image familiar from recipe books. Each leaf is inspected individually; anything under 5 cm or over 10 cm is removed. Broken under 2%, foreign matter under 0.5%. Target buyer: premium retail brands and glass-jar products where visual appeal matters.
HPS 4-7 cm
The highest-premium grade produced in Alaçam and the corridor's characteristic product. The small-but-dense Alaçam leaf hits its optimum balance in this calibration: essential oil above 2%, low gram-per-leaf weight, and a size that sits naturally on a restaurant plate. Fine-dining, upper-segment cuisine and gastronomy publications consistently specify this grade.
HPS Uncalibrated
Collects the leaves that fall outside 4-10 cm during HPS sorting. Visually heterogeneous, but quality parameters (colour, oil, moisture) remain premium. Ideal feedstock for essential-oil distillation — small leaves lift distillation yield while large leaves carry the bulk.
Machine Select 4-7 / 5-10 cm and Uncalibrated
Machine Select runs through optical sorting (NIR plus visual camera). Cost is below hand sorting; size tolerance is slightly looser (±1 cm). Quality parameters sit between FAQ and HPS. A natural fit for large food manufacturers and wholesale pickle/marinade producers.
Quick Comparison
| Grade | Size | Broken | Ideal use |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA Quality | 5-10 cm | < 2% | Premium retail, organic |
| FAQ | 4-10 cm | ~ 5% | General kitchen, restaurant |
| SS Press | 4-10 cm | ~ 5% | Distant-market export |
| HPS 5-10 | 5-10 cm | < 2% | Glass-jar retail, gourmet |
| HPS 4-7 | 4-7 cm | < 2% | Fine dining, top premium |
| Machine Select | ±1 cm tolerance | 3-5% | High-volume food manufacture |
By Application
- Cosmetics / essential oil: HPS Uncalibrated or Machine Select Uncalibrated — visual is irrelevant, oil density is the driver.
- Premium organic retail: HPS 4-7 or SA Quality — leaf-by-leaf visual matters on shelf.
- Restaurant / catering: FAQ 4-10 — best cost-to-quality ratio.
- Pickle / ready-meal industry: Machine Select 5-10 or FAQ — high volume, consistent profile.
- Distant-market export (Asia-Pacific): SS Press — 25–30% more leaf per container.
Export Packaging Options
Each grade is available in three inner-pack formats: aluminium laminate liner (24-month shelf life — premium retail), food-contact double-layer PE liner (standard 18-month), and open polypropylene bale (fast-moving industrial). Outer formats: 25 kg PP bale, 10 kg cartons, private-label bags on request, and FCL/LCL container loading.
MOQ and Lead Times
Standard MOQ: 1 × 20-ft container (~8-10 net tons). Outside the harvest season, orders ship from stock within 3-7 business days. Peak harvest (November–February) can require 7-14 business days of production. Sea freight lead times: EU ports 7-12 days, US East Coast 16-21 days, Asia-Pacific 21-30 days.
Decision Framework
When sourcing, the question is not "which calibration?" but which end application? Once the end use is clear, the right grade picks itself. We also run cross-grade blends and custom calibration to buyer spec — request a sub-5 kg sample and run your own QC in your lab before committing.