Product Name: Dried Hibiscus Flowers (Calyces)

Family: Malvaceae

Botanical Name: Hibiscus sabdariffa

Common Names: Hibiscus | Karkade | Carcade | Roselle | Sorrel

Cultivation: Conventional; available with or without EU pesticide residue testing, depending on the destination country’s requirements.

Plant Part: Dried calyx

HS Code: 1211.90

MOQ: 1 × 20′ FCL — 5 MT

Origin: Egypt

Crop: Dec. – Jan

Introduction

Source your next container of dried hibiscus flowers in bulk directly from Egypt — available as Whole Calyces, Cut, TBC, or Powder, processed to meet your exact specifications for tea blending, beverage manufacturing, natural colourant, or botanical extraction.

Egyptian karkade is a benchmark product. Buyers sourcing Hibiscus sabdariffa compare origins against Egyptian material, and what they are comparing is two things: colour depth and acidity.

Colour comes from anthocyanins, which degrade with heat and light — a deep burgundy calyx indicates careful drying, while brownish or faded material has lost pigment that no processing recovers. Acidity gives karkade its characteristic sharp, clean tartness, and it is what a beverage manufacturer formulates around.

The other thing that separates lots is breakage. Dried calyces are brittle, so aggressive mechanical sieving can turn whole calyces into fines. We therefore rely on careful manual cleaning, sorting, and sieving by trained workers to remove solid impurities and foreign materials while minimizing breakage and preserving the quality of the whole calyces.

Pesticide residue testing is available with or without analysis, according to the requirements of the destination country. EU-compliant pesticide residue testing is available when required.

Request a Quote | Ask for a Sample | Discuss Your Specifications

Available Forms

Choose the form that best matches your processing requirements:

Hibiscus Whole flowers (Calyces) — intact dried flowers, the premium grade. For premium tea packing, visible-botanical blends, and buyers who prefer to cut in-house. Packed to protect against breakage in transit.

Cut Hibiscus — sized to your specification for tea blending, infusion and beverage manufacture. The highest-volume format.

Hibiscus TBC (Tea Bag Cut) — sized for automated tea bag filling lines.

Hibiscus Powder — milled for instant beverage bases, extract feedstock, natural colourant and cosmetic formulation. Milled close to dispatch, since pigment degrades faster in ground material.

What you are actually buying: In the global hibiscus trade, dried hibiscus flowers explicitly refers to the dried calyx of Hibiscus sabdariffa—the fleshy, ruby-red sepals surrounding the seed capsule, rather than the true petals or leaves. This calyx, concentrated with natural anthocyanins, supplies the intense red pigment and characteristic tart flavour profile required for beverage blending and botanical extractions. When reviewing container offers, buyers should always confirm that the supplied plant part is 100% pure dried calyces.

Quality & Certifications

We stand behind the quality of our dried hibiscus because we build long-term supply partnerships.

For independent verification, we accept third-party inspection by SGS or another inspection company of your choice, at the buyer’s expense.

Our certificates and registrations include:

• NFSA registered with the Egyptian Food Safety Authority
• ISO 9001 & ISO 22000 certified for quality and food safety management
• HACCP compliant
• FDA, DUNS, GACC (China), and MFDS (Korea) registered

View our certificates and registrations for support with import compliance.

Processing controls: manual sorting and cleaning by workers trained on fragile flower material; gentle hand sieving, deliberately low-friction to minimise breakage of brittle calyces; a five-stage cleaning system removing visual defects and foreign matter; magnetic metal detection as the final pass; and moisture verification before packing.

Explore Our Process

Beyond certificates, we rely on our family experience and reputation. Our roots in the herb trade go back to 1960, beginning with our grandfather. We protect that reputation with every shipment and seek lasting relationships with importers.

Shipping, Export Coordination & Documentation

Shipping & Logistics:

• FOB, CFR, and CIF Incoterms, with loading from Port Said, Alexandria, Damietta, and Sokhna ports
• Cost-effective shipping arrangements through our freight partners

Export Documentation:

• Commercial Invoice
• Packing List
• Certificate of Origin (COO)
• Official Phytosanitary Certificate
• Bill of Lading (BL)
• Pesticide residue certificate when required by the destination country
• Fumigation Certificate when required
• War Risk Insurance for 40′ containers, covered by EIC

Silica gel is placed inside the container to help control humidity and protect the quality of the dried hibiscus flowers during transit.

Packaging, Shelf Life & Storage

Packing Configurations:

• 20 kg Polypropylene (PP) bags
• 10 kg / 20 kg kraft paper bags with inner liner
• 10-15 kg Cartons recommended for whole calyces where breakage tolerance is tight
• Customized B2B packing and printing available on request

Shelf Life: Up to 24 months from production date when stored under recommended conditions.

Storage Conditions: Store Dried Hibiscus in a cool, dry environment, protected from direct sunlight — anthocyanins fade with light exposure, and colour is much of the product’s value.

Supply Capacity & What Affects Hibiscus Price

Supply Capacity:

• MOQ: 1 × 20′ FCL. Dried calyces are very low density, so a container fills by volume well before weight — expect modest tonnage per FCL: 5 MT.
• Regular monthly shipping availability
• Contract-based programs for continuous annual-volume supply
• Consolidation available — hibiscus can ship alongside chamomile, calendula, and other dried flowers in one container
• Freight partnerships for competitive ocean rates and transit times

What Affects Hibiscus Price:

• Product form — whole, cut, TBC, or powder
• Order volume and packaging configuration
• Hibiscus pricing varies depending on the required specifications and whether pesticide residue testing for EU compliance is required.
• Timing of the order relative to the harvest season

Because hibiscus price varies according to these factors, we quote each shipment individually rather than publish a fixed rate. For better planning, check our Egyptian Herbs, Spices, Seeds & Legumes Harvest Calendar to understand seasonal timing. Send us your specifications and destination port for an accurate quotation within 24 hours.

Who This Product Is For

Our dried hibiscus supply is intended for B2B clients purchasing by full container load (FCL) for manufacturing, processing, and commercial use.

• Whole Hibiscus (Calyces) → Premium tea packers, visible-botanical blends, single-origin karkade brands
• Cut Hibiscus → Tea blenders and packers; beverage manufacturers producing hibiscus iced tea, cold brew, and ready-to-drink infusions
• Hibiscus TBC → Tea bag manufacturers running automated filling lines
• Hibiscus Powder → Natural colourant manufacturers; botanical extract producers; nutraceutical and cosmetic formulators; instant beverage producers
• All forms → Food processors making jams, syrups, sauces and confectionery; hibiscus importers and distributors

We supply FCL quantities to commercial buyers and do not serve retail or direct-to-consumer orders.

Request a Quote or Sample

1. Share your hibiscus specifications, including form, cut size, pesticide testing requirements, and application.
2. Confirm your order volume and destination port (POD).
3. Receive a customized quotation and estimated lead time.
4. Review and approve the sample before shipment — through a factory visit, 

a video showing the actual hibiscus sample, or a physical sample sent to you so you can check colour against your standard.

1. Proceed with your first container once the specifications and sample are approved. Explore Our Process

Request a Quote
Ask for a Sample
Discuss Your Import Specifications

info@herbseic.com |  www.herbseic.com | WhatsApp Us Now| Based in Fayoum, Egypt.
Fast response within 24 hours

FAQs

Who are we? We are a third-generation family business established in 2007, with family roots in the herb trade going back to 1960. We process our products in two facilities: manual processing for delicate products and mechanized sorting and processing.

What part of the plant is dried hibiscus? The calyx — Dried hibiscus is the calyx of Hibiscus sabdariffa — the fleshy sepals surrounding the seed capsule. It is not the petal or the leaf. The calyx is the primary commercial part used for dried hibiscus, providing its characteristic red colour and tart taste. When comparing offers, always confirm the plant part being supplied.

Is karkade the same as hibiscus? Yes. Karkade (also carcade) is the Egyptian and Middle Eastern name; roselle and sorrel are used elsewhere. All refer to Hibiscus sabdariffa.

How does Egyptian hibiscus compare with other origins? Egypt is globally recognized as the quality benchmark origin, offering a superior commercial profile across all critical parameters:

• Color & Pigments (Anthocyanins): Egyptian hibiscus provides a deep, vibrant ruby-red color packed with stable anthocyanin pigments. In contrast, West African material often suffers from color oxidation and browning due to humid drying, while Asian origins (China & Thailand) produce pale, pinkish calyces with weak pigment density.
• Acidity & Flavor: Egyptian calyces contain a high, crisp acidity (15%–28% organic acids) that gives beverages a sharp, clean taste. Asian varieties lack this bold tartness, requiring higher volume per batch, while Latin American options offer decent acidity but at prohibitive export costs.
• Processing, Dust & Foreign Matter: While West Africa struggles with high sand and fine dust (5%–8%) from ground drying, and Asian processors use heavy machinery that strips away active compounds, Egypt relies on traditional sieving and expert hand-sorting. This artisan approach removes stones, sand, and dust while protecting the whole calyx structure from breakage.
• Food Safety & Extraction Yield: Egyptian shipments maintain a reliable track record for EU/FDA pesticide compliance and micro-safety, outperforming high-risk West African supply chains. Ultimately, its rich active profile delivers higher extraction yields and richer tea infusions with lower raw material consumption.

Send us your target specifications, and we will supply exact lot data for direct comparison.

Which grade should I order? Whole Hibiscus (calyces) for premium tea and visible-botanical blends; cut for general tea blending and beverage manufacture; TBC for automated bag-filling lines; powder for instant bases, extraction and colourant. Send a sample of what you currently buy if that is easier than writing a spec.

Why does colour matter so much? Anthocyanins give hibiscus its deep burgundy, and they are what beverage and colourant buyers are purchasing. They degrade with heat and light, so faded material has lost value that cannot be restored. Colour is the fastest read on how a lot was dried and stored.

How can I verify and follow my order before shipment? You can verify your order through a factory visit, video verification, or third-party inspection such as SGS at the buyer’s expense. You can also follow your shipment through our export process. Explore Our Process

Do you seek long-term relationships with buyers? Yes. We serve customers across 21 countries spanning the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, the Gulf region, and Australia. We want every first shipment, and every shipment that follows, to strengthen trust and build a lasting partnership.

Do you supply the local market? No. We supply export markets only.