Is the USD 250,000 minimum per order or per year?

Per year or per season. It is the declared value of the whole programme, not of one shipment.

What happens if my programme is smaller?

You can still send the request. It is kept on file, but our team does not start supplier outreach for it.

Does reaching USD 250,000 mean my request is accepted?

No. It means the request is large enough for an assisted RFQ. Our team still reviews it for completeness and fit before contacting any supplier.

Which price should I use if I do not know the market?

Use your own target or budget figure for the same unit. Global B2B Group does not publish prices; suppliers quote after review.

Output sourcing · 7 min read

How to Size a Bulk Food Sourcing Request: Volume, Delivery Cadence and Programme Value

Desk with a printed delivery calendar, calculator and pen, with pallets of produce, egg trays and fish boxes in a warehouse behind the window

Suppliers decide whether and how to quote largely on volume: how much, how often and for how long.

The outcome comes first. Procurement follows.

Plan the production or project → define the output and market → structure a reviewed RFQ → our team approaches suitable counterparties → compare offers. Equipment and production-line procurement remains a separate path: plan an equipment RFQ.

Why volume and cadence matter more than a single order size

Producers and exporters plan harvests, catches, flocks, packing shifts and container bookings in advance. A request that says "10 containers" without a delivery pattern cannot be planned; a request that says "one 40-foot reefer every two weeks from November to March" can. Stating cadence also shows whether one supplier can cover the programme or whether it should be split between origins.

The three figures to state

State these three figures together with the flexibility you can accept — for example ±10% per delivery, or a minimum and maximum per season — and whether volumes are firm or forecast:

Quantity per delivery, in the unit you buy in — kilograms, tonnes, cartons of a stated net weight, dozens of eggs or pieces.
Deliveries per year or per season, with the first and last arrival dates you need.
Programme length: a single season, a year, or a multi-year framework with annual volumes.

Declared programme value

Declared programme value = quantity per delivery × deliveries per year or season × your target or budget price per unit, in USD. The price is your own figure; if you have no target yet, use the budget you are working to. We do not supply market prices, and the result is not a quote.

The value is per year or per season, not per shipment. A programme of many small deliveries can reach the threshold; a single large spot purchase is treated by its own value.

How the USD 250,000 minimum is applied

Global B2B Group's assisted RFQ is designed for commercial programmes. Requests with a declared value from USD 250,000 per year or season move to review and, if complete and in scope, to supplier outreach by our team. Requests below that value can still be sent; they are recorded but are not sent to suppliers. Reaching the threshold is not an approval: every request is reviewed for completeness and fit before anyone is contacted.

Buyer requests and buyer tools are free. Suppliers cannot pay to be shown first.

Category notes

Each category has its own volume pattern; state it in the terms suppliers in that category plan with:

Fresh produce: state the season window per origin, because one origin rarely covers a year-round programme.
Fish and seafood: state volume per container and whether wild-caught volumes may vary with seasons and quotas.
Shrimp: state volume by count size; a programme usually spans several counts.
Poultry and eggs: state weekly or monthly volume and contract length; many egg and poultry programmes run on fixed weekly cadence.

From figures to a request

Use the programme value check on the relevant category page, then send the request form with the same figures. If you are still defining the product, the specification builder turns your answers into a summary you can attach.

Buyer & seller checklist

Editorial suggestions for a complete request — not legal requirements.

Quantity per delivery: Unit and net weight stated
Deliveries: Per year or season, with first and last arrival dates
Programme length: Season, year or multi-year with annual volumes
Flexibility: Tolerance per delivery; firm or forecast
Declared value: Your own price × volume; assisted RFQ from USD 250,000 per year or season

Planning the production side? the agricultural products buyer center

Each category page includes a programme value check that applies this calculation to your own figures.

Go to the agricultural products buyer center

Optional next step

This guide is free to use. If you have a programme of USD 250,000 or more per year or season, you can send a request for review. A request is not a guarantee of supply, quality, price or a sale.

Request a reviewed supply programme

Frequently asked questions

Is the USD 250,000 minimum per order or per year?: Per year or per season. It is the declared value of the whole programme, not of one shipment.
What happens if my programme is smaller?: You can still send the request. It is kept on file, but our team does not start supplier outreach for it.
Does reaching USD 250,000 mean my request is accepted?: No. It means the request is large enough for an assisted RFQ. Our team still reviews it for completeness and fit before contacting any supplier.
Which price should I use if I do not know the market?: Use your own target or budget figure for the same unit. Global B2B Group does not publish prices; suppliers quote after review.

Sources and editorial note

Written by the Global B2B Group project team. Published and last reviewed 2026-10-21. Regulatory references are examples and change over time; confirm current requirements for your product and destination with the competent authority. This guide is not legal advice.