How we helped an Austrian food distributor reduce sourcing costs by 24% with certified Vietnamese rice

Overview

Industry:  

Food distribution

Location:

Austria

Product:

Jasmine rice & long-grain white riceSupplier sourcing, quality control, logistics coordination

Scope:

Supplier sourcing, quality control, logistics coordination

Key Result:

24% cost reduction
98.5% on-time delivery
<1.2% defect rate across shipments

Category:

Sourcing & Procurement

The Challenge

A mid-sized food distributor in Austria was sourcing rice from multiple suppliers in Southern Europe and India. They faced several issues:

High and unstable pricing due to market volatility
Inconsistent product quality between batches
Limited traceability of origin and certifications
Long lead times (6–8 weeks) impacting inventory planning
Difficulty identifying reliable suppliers in Southeast Asia

The client needed a cost-effective and stable sourcing solution, without compromising EU food standards.

Our Approach

We designed a structured sourcing and validation process focused on quality assurance and supplier reliability:

Identified pre-qualified rice manufacturers in Vietnam (Top 5 exporters)
Evaluated suppliers based on:
- Export experience to EU
- Certifications (ISO, HACCP, GlobalG.A.P where applicable)
- Production capacity and consistency
Conducted factory audits and sample validation
Established clear product specifications aligned with EU standards
Designed a quality control framework for each shipment

1

Supplier Shortlisting

Screened 12 manufacturers  → shortlisted 3 qualified suppliers

2

Sample Testing & Benchmarking

Compared grain consistency, moisture level, and aroma Selected 1 primary supplier + 1 backup supplier

3

Factory Audit

On-site verification of production process Checked hygiene, storage, and packaging standards

4

Pilot Order (Trial Shipment)

1 container (20ft) shipped to Austria Full QC inspection before shipment

5

Scale & Optimization

Transitioned to monthly shipments Implemented ongoing quality monitoring

Results

After 4 months of implementation:

Cost reduction: 24% compared to previous sourcing
Lead time: Reduced from 6–8 weeks → 4–5 weeks
On-time delivery: 98.5%
Defect rate: <1.2% (based on QC reports)
Supplier stability: Long-term contract established

The client was able to improve pricing competitiveness in the EU retail market while maintaining consistent product quality.

“We were initially cautious about sourcing from Vietnam, but the structured process and transparency gave us confidence. The cost savings and consistency exceeded our expectations.”

Customer name

Procurement Manager, Austria

Looking to optimize your food
sourcing in Asia?

Request a consultation with our team 
Get a supplier shortlist within 7–10 days