How to source cranberry powder without guessing the grade
What we establish before quoting a cranberry powder order. Most cranberry powder enquiries quote a competitor price without a sheet, so the first thing we establish is the grade: ours is a pure concentration powder spray-dried from pressed fresh fruit, with no synthetic colors, and a price quoted against a blended or carrier-heavy material cannot be compared with it. We then ask which application the powder is going into, because women's-health formulations, smoothie and juice blends, gummies and bakery coatings pull the mesh in different directions, and we confirm whether the buyer needs the carrier-free grade or a maltodextrin carrier system, since that is a production decision rather than a blending one. Packing comes next: a 25 kg fibre drum as standard, foil bags for pilots, OEM under the buyer's own brand if needed. Samples are drawn from production lots, so what the buyer tests is the material that would ship; the free quantity depends on the item's value and anything beyond is billed at cost plus courier, quoted up front.
Cranberry powder is one of the most recognised berry ingredients in the supplement market, and one of the easiest to mis-buy, because the market uses the same name for materials that differ in carrier, colour and process. The grade we supply is a pure concentration powder, spray-dried from pressed fresh fruit, with no synthetic colors — a deep crimson-red fine powder that is a staple of women's-health formulations. This guide covers how to source cranberry powder: what the material is, the specification line by line, what it is bought for, and what a first order looks like. If you are comparing several suppliers at once, our blueberry powder sourcing guide walks the same mechanics for a second berry powder.
What cranberry powder is
The source line on the sheet reads cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), part used fruit, and the process line reads low-temperature spray drying of fresh juice and pulp. The assay line reads pure concentration powder, no synthetic colors. The result is a deep crimson-red fine powder with a characteristic bright, fruity taste, fine enough to blend into dry matrices without a separate milling stage. One line deserves attention before prices are compared: the carrier. Our standard grade is carrier-free, and a maltodextrin carrier system is available on request — a production decision rather than a blending one, which is why we confirm it with our manufacturing partner before quoting.
The cranberry powder specification, line by line
| Line | Standard grade |
|---|---|
| Botanical source | Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) |
| Part used | Fruit |
| Process | Low-temperature spray drying of fresh juice/pulp |
| Assay | Pure concentration powder — no synthetic colors |
| Appearance | Deep crimson-red fine powder |
| Odour and taste | Characteristic of the fresh fruit |
| Carrier | Carrier-free, or maltodextrin carrier on request |
| Particle size | 80 mesh standard, 100 mesh on request |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 5.0% |
| Total ash | ≤ 5.0% |
| Packing | 25 kg fibre drum, double polyethylene liner |
| Shelf life | 24 months in unopened original packing |
When two cranberry powder quotations land side by side, the assay and carrier lines are where they diverge, and the lot COA that would ship with the order is the document that settles it. Ask any cranberry powder supplier for the cranberry powder COA behind their sheet rather than a generic sample, and check the appearance line — deep crimson-red, fine powder — against the sample in the bag.
What cranberry powder is bought for
Four application areas cover most enquiries:
- Women's-health formulations. The category the ingredient is best known for, in tablets, capsules and sachets, where the pure concentration grade keeps the label claim clean.
- Smoothie and juice blends. The fine powder disperses in the blend step, and the deep crimson colour carries into the finished drink.
- Gummies and confectionery. Where the bright, fruity taste and the colour do the work, at the standard 80 mesh.
- Bakery and snack coatings. Dry blending into coatings and doughs, where the carrier-free grade keeps the ingredient list short.
What a first order looks like
MOQ is 1 kg. Samples are always drawn from production lots, so what you test is the material that would ship; the free quantity depends on the item's value, and anything beyond is billed at cost plus courier and quoted up front. Standard packing is a 25 kg fibre drum with a double polyethylene liner, with 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for samples and pilot runs, and OEM service is available under your own brand with artwork handled under confidentiality. Lead time runs in two steps: in-stock items are ready in about 2 days, and bulk production takes 3 to 5 working days after deposit. Transit is about 3 days from Xi'an to Shenzhen consolidation, then about 6 days by air to major U.S. and EU airports, or 18 to 25 days by sea. Shelf life is 24 months in unopened original packing, stored cool, dry and away from direct sunlight.
Frequently asked questions
What is cranberry powder standardised to?
The standard grade is a pure concentration powder with no synthetic colors, spray-dried at low temperature from fresh cranberry fruit (Vaccinium macrocarpon). It is carrier-free as standard, with a maltodextrin carrier available on request, supplied as a deep crimson-red fine powder at 80 mesh with 100 mesh on request. Loss on drying and total ash are each limited to 5.0% or less.
What should I check when comparing cranberry powder specifications?
Check the assay line first: pure concentration powder with no synthetic colors, stated explicitly, which rules out blended and color-added materials. Then the carrier line (carrier-free as standard, maltodextrin on request), the mesh line (80 mesh standard, 100 mesh on request), and the physical limits (loss on drying and total ash each at 5.0% or less). Ask each supplier for the lot COA that would ship with your order rather than a generic sample.
What is the MOQ, sample policy and lead time for cranberry powder?
MOQ is 1 kg. Samples are always drawn from production lots; the free quantity depends on the item's value, and anything beyond is billed at cost plus courier and quoted up front. In-stock items are ready in about 2 days, bulk production takes 3 to 5 working days after deposit, and transit is about 3 days Xi'an to Shenzhen plus about 6 days by air to major U.S. and EU airports, or 18 to 25 days by sea.
Related: Cranberry Powder — full specification, grades and documentation.