A practical RFQ checklist for comparing frozen seafood offers on the same commercial and technical basis.
A price without a specification is not comparable
Two suppliers can quote the same product name and mean different things. One price may cover an uncleaned product with a high glaze level. Another may cover a cleaned, size-graded product with lower glaze and more usable weight. The cheaper carton can therefore cost more per serving.
A useful request for quotation, or RFQ, gives every supplier the same brief. It also separates product facts from commercial terms. This makes samples, documents and prices easier to compare.
Identify the product precisely
State the common name and scientific species name. Common names vary by market and can cover several species. Add the country of origin, whether the product is wild-caught or farmed, and the fishing area or farm location when relevant.
Describe the presentation without relying on a photograph. For fish, this may be whole round, gutted, headed and gutted, steak, fillet, skin-on or skinless. For shellfish and cephalopods, specify what has been removed and whether the product is cleaned.
Define size, freezing and glaze
Write the size range and its unit. A grade may mean pieces per kilogram, grams per piece or another trade convention. Ask how the grade is measured and what tolerance applies.
State whether you need individually quick frozen product or a frozen block. If the product is glazed, request the declared glaze percentage and the net product weight excluding glaze. Codex guidance treats glaze as a protective ice coating and requires net contents for glazed frozen fish to exclude it. Frozen fish labels should also provide suitable storage instructions, commonly minus 18 degrees Celsius or colder under the relevant Codex standard.
Make packaging and documents part of the quote
List the inner pack, master carton, net and gross weight, label language, production coding and pallet requirements. Ask for an ingredient statement and declare whether additives or processing aids are acceptable.
Request the documents needed for the destination market before confirming an order. These may include a health certificate, certificate of origin, catch documentation, halal certificate, laboratory report or product specification. Requirements depend on the product and destination, so the importer or customs broker should confirm the final list.
Compare the landed product
Ask suppliers to quote the same Incoterm, currency, quantity and destination. Record minimum order, production lead time, shipment window and payment terms. Compare the price against net usable product, not only carton weight. A sample check can examine size distribution, glaze, condition after thawing, cooking loss and sensory quality.
A precise RFQ does not guarantee a good shipment. It does create a shared definition of what must arrive, which is the right place to begin.
Confirm with the supplier
• Scientific species name and origin
• Wild-caught or farmed status
• Presentation and cleaning details
• Size range, unit and tolerance
• IQF or block freezing
• Glaze percentage and net weight basis
• Additives and ingredient declaration
• Shelf life and storage temperature
• Certificates required for destination
• MOQ, lead time, Incoterm and loading quantity
Avalon Global Trade Team
Avalon Global's expert trade team has 10+ years of experience in seafood, coffee, and food product supply chain management across the Turkey-Malaysia trade corridor.