Buyer segment
Modern-trade retail
Roasted and flavoured retail packs, own-label and branded.
Middle East · Supplying Saudi Arabia
Makhana Supplier for Saudi Arabia
Container and air-freight supply of raw, roasted, flavoured and private label makhana for importers, distributors and retail buyers in Saudi Arabia — with Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) documentation and destination-ready labelling handled before dispatch.
- Ports: Jeddah, Dammam
- 9–14 days by sea; 2–3 days by air.
- GI tagged Mithila origin lots
- Saudi labelling compliance
Importing makhana into Saudi Arabia
What clearance actually requires, who carries the obligation, and where first shipments go wrong.
Import regime and who is liable
Saudi Arabia runs conformity through the SABER platform: the product needs a Product Certificate of Conformity, and each consignment needs its own Shipment Certificate issued before arrival. Miss the shipment certificate and the container sits. The importer must also be registered with SFDA and hold the relevant activity licence. Build two to three extra weeks into a first shipment while product registration completes — repeat consignments then move quickly.
Labelling that clears customs and satisfies the buyer
Arabic is mandatory and must be complete, not a partial overlay of an English pack. Production and expiry dates are printed on the original label. Nutritional information follows Gulf Standards Organisation formats, which differ in detail from EU and US panels, so artwork does not transfer between markets without rework. Halal certification from a recognised body is expected for the seasoning system on flavoured lines.
Classification and duty
GCC common external tariff. HS 0802.99 for plain and roasted, 2008.19 once seasoned and retail-packed. Saudi applies its own conformity fees through SABER on top of duty, which belong in the landed-cost model.
None of this is advice you should act on without your own customs broker confirming the item-level position — tariff treatment changes, and it changes by classification rather than by product name. What we guarantee is the documentation: invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, health certificate and accredited lab analysis, prepared in-house and couriered ahead of arrival.
Who buys makhana in Saudi Arabia
Modern-trade retail, Ramadan gifting programmes and food-service distributors buying seasonal container volumes.
Buyer segment
Ramadan gifting programmes
Handpicked Premium in presentation formats, ordered seasonally at volume.
Buyer segment
Food-service distribution
Catering packs into hospitality and institutional catering.
Buyer segment
Repackers
Bulk 25 kg for local packing under Saudi-registered brands.
Route, timing and the buying calendar
Getting it there
Jeddah serves the western region and is the shorter lane from Nhava Sheva; Dammam serves the Eastern Province and the Riyadh corridor. Buyers supplying both regions often split a container rather than truck across the country.
When to place the order
Ramadan dominates, and the buying window opens well before it — distributors place Ramadan volume two to three months ahead, with gifting assortments moving through Eid al-Fitr. A second, smaller peak follows at Eid al-Adha. Because the Islamic calendar shifts about eleven days earlier each year, the buying window moves with it; plan against the Hijri date, not last year's Gregorian one.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Region | Middle East |
| Discharge ports | Jeddah, Dammam |
| Transit time | 9–14 days by sea; 2–3 days by air. |
| Regulator | Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) |
| Pack formats | Retail pouches · Gift packs · Bulk 25 kg |
| HS code | 0802.99 plain and roasted · 2008.19 seasoned retail |
| Incoterms | EXW, FOB Nhava Sheva / Kolkata, CIF destination |
| Payment terms | 30% advance and balance against documents, or LC at sight |
Need a different port or Incoterm? Send your requirement and we quote against it.
Supplying Saudi Arabia — buyer questions
What is SABER and who completes it?
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SABER is the Saudi conformity platform. The Saudi importer initiates it, obtaining a Product Certificate of Conformity for the item and then a Shipment Certificate for each consignment. We supply the technical file, test reports and specification the certification body needs, but the registration sits with the importer's account.
How far ahead should Ramadan volume be booked?
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Two to three months before Ramadan begins. Production is 10–15 days, sea transit is 9–14 days, and clearance and inland distribution add more — then your buyer needs shelf presence before the month starts, not during it. Because the Hijri calendar moves earlier each year, check the date rather than repeating last year's schedule.
Does the Arabic label have to be printed, or can it be applied locally?
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Printed on the original pack. Locally applied Arabic overlays are a recurring cause of rejection, and dates in particular must be part of the original printing. We produce fully Arabic-compliant artwork under your brand before the print run.
What is the minimum order for a shipment to Saudi Arabia?
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500 kg for a single grade by air, or one container load by sea — around 6–8 MT in a 20ft container and 14–16 MT in a 40ft high cube, since makhana cubes out before it weighs out. Private label runs are set by the printed-film minimum, currently 1,000–5,000 units per SKU depending on pack format.
How long does delivery to Saudi Arabia take end to end?
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Samples reach you in 3–5 working days. On a confirmed order, production runs 10–15 days, then 9–14 days by sea; 2–3 days by air Add clearance and inland movement at your end.
Other markets we supply
Makhana supplier for United States
North America · New York
Makhana supplier for United Kingdom
Europe · Felixstowe
Makhana supplier for United Arab Emirates
Middle East · Jebel Ali
Makhana supplier for Canada
North America · Vancouver
Makhana supplier for Australia
Oceania · Sydney
Makhana supplier for Germany
Europe · Hamburg
Get a landed-cost quote for Saudi Arabia
Share grade, volume and discharge port. Our export desk replies within 24–48 business hours with pricing, a specification sheet and a shipping schedule for Saudi Arabia.
Everything a buyer usually asks
Short, direct answers to the questions we get most often from importers, distributors and brand owners.
How is it shipped, and to which ports?
Most orders move by sea in FCL containers from Nhava Sheva, Mundra or Kolkata; urgent or sample volumes go by air from Delhi or Mumbai. We work on FOB, CFR, CIF and DDP terms, whichever suits your freight arrangement. Because makhana is low density, we plan the load by volume so you are not paying for half-empty containers, and we can consolidate multiple grades or SKUs into a single container.
What certifications and licences do you hold?
Bevive Retail Pvt. Ltd. holds an Importer Exporter Code (IEC), an FSSAI licence, APEDA registration, GST registration and Startup India recognition. Processing runs at our Darbhanga plant and contracted partner units operating ISO 22000 / HACCP food safety systems, and organic lots are supplied against NPOP and NOP certification. For each shipment we provide a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate and a third-party lab report covering moisture, aflatoxin, pesticide residue and microbiological limits. Buyer-appointed inspection agencies such as SGS or Bureau Veritas are welcome at any stage.
What is your minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
For loose bulk makhana the practical minimum is 500 kg for air freight and one container load for sea freight — around 6–8 MT in a 20ft container and 14–16 MT in a 40ft high cube, since makhana is very light and cubes out before it weighs out. For private label retail packs the MOQ is 1,000–5,000 units per SKU depending on pack format, driven by the printed-film minimum rather than by us. First-time buyers can start with a smaller trial shipment while a relationship is being established.