Welcome to the ultimate guide to coconut charcoal supply!
This article is written for wholesale bulk buyers, importers, and distributors of shisha charcoal. Here I will explain how to find and choose a coconut charcoal supplier for your shisha business.
Whether you are new to the shisha industry or looking to add new items to your existing supply chain, this guide will help you with the knowledge and expertise needed to order hookah coal directly from the factory.
My name is Greg Ryabtsev, I am an expert in coconut shell charcoal briquettes. I am thrilled to share my experience and expertise in the field of coconut charcoal supply.
Understanding Coconut Shell Charcoal: The Ideal Hookah Coal
Coconut shell charcoal has gained popularity as the ideal hookah coal and for good reason. Let’s explore what sets coconut charcoal apart and why it is preferred for shisha.
Why coconut shell charcoal is best for shisha smoking?
Coconut shell charcoal is a type of charcoal made from coconut shells. Basically, coconut shells are carbonized (burned without oxygen), milled into small particles, and compressed into the form of cubes, hexagonal, or other popular forms that are used in shisha smoking. The most popular shape is cube 25 mm and cube 26 mm.
Shisha smoking required a heating element to warm up shisha tobacco in the bowl. For this is usually used charcoal. The most popular are coconut shell charcoal, wood, bamboo, hazelnut, and walnut charcoals.
Coconut shell charcoal is the best for shisha smoking because it is high and stable heat, absence of odor and taste, and is long-lasting.
Key Characteristics
Let’s take a closer look at the main characteristics that make coconut shell charcoal to be the best choice for hookah coals:
The high burning temperature of 650+ Celsius
For shisha, smoking is important to heat up the tobacco. So that is why we use coconut shell charcoal.
The heat of it can reach a temperature of 650 degrees Celsius, ensuring optimal heat distribution and management during hookah smoking. During our tests, the heat was not only high at the beginning but also stable during smoking. After 1.5 hours of smoking hookah, the temperature is still 550 Celsius.
This characteristic allows for consistent and long-lasting heat, enhancing the overall smoking experience.
No Smell, Odor-Free, and Free from Taste
One of the main advantages of coconut charcoal is its neutral aroma and taste. Coconut charcoal does not add any unwanted smell or flavor to the shisha.
Basically, other types of charcoal, like bamboo or walnut are also high heat, but all of them bring unwanted odor to the smoking. Instead of enjoying tobacco flavor, you feel the smell of charcoal.
This helps the shisha smoking experience, allowing the flavors of the shisha tobacco to shine through.
Eco-Friendly
Coconut charcoal is environmentally friendly. No wood is used for making this type of charcoal. So by smoking shisha, you keep our planet green and clean. It is sourced from sustainable coconut shell waste. Moreover, coconut shells are mostly sourced from Sulawesi and Halamera Islands in Indonesia where their collecting helps local farmers and supports the community.
Burning time 2+ hours
The average burning time of coconut shell charcoal is 2+ hours (for cube 25 mm). It is more than enough for a shisha smoking session, which usually takes 40 minutes to 1,5 hours.
This means fewer interruptions and the ability to enjoy longer sessions without the need to change coal.
Strong, No Breaking, free from cracks charcoal
Coconut shell charcoal briquettes are very strong. So if it falls down from your hookah bowl it will not break. This help to reduce the risk of small, unwanted particles falling into the shisha bowl.
What is the difference between shisha coconut shell charcoal and other types of charcoal?
Let’s explore the key differentiators:
- Coconut Charcoal vs. Hardwood Charcoal: Coconut charcoal is better than hardwood charcoal due to its higher heat capacity, longer burning time, and absence of smell and taste.
- Coconut Charcoal vs. Quick-Lighting Charcoal: Unlike quick-lighting charcoal, which is infused with chemicals to facilitate ignition, coconut charcoal requires an external heat source to light. However, the absence of chemical additives in coconut charcoal ensures a cleaner and more enjoyable smoking experience.
Finding the Perfect Coconut Charcoal Supplier: What to Consider & How to Check
When it comes to sourcing coconut charcoal for your business, choosing the right supplier is important.
Where to find coconut charcoal supplier
The most common and easy way is to Google something like “coconut charcoal supplier”. In the search result list, you will find a bunch of factories’ websites, like charcoal.pro, and B2B platforms, like Alibaba or similar.
So, basically finding coconut shell charcoal briquettes suppliers is easy, thanks to Google Search. The main question is how to know if this supplier is good or not.
To ensure a seamless partnership and a consistent supply of high-quality products, there are several factors to consider and checks to perform. Let’s explore them in detail:
Is It a Real Factory or a Trader?
First, it is essential to verify whether a supplier is a genuine factory or a trader. There is nothing bad about dealing with traders, but in my experience, the best is to deal directly with the factory.
Traders can offer you a wide choice of different factories. But traders cannot help you if it will be a problem with the quality of shisha charcoal. Only dealing directly with coconut charcoal manufactory will ensure that all problems can be solved quickly.
Dealing directly with a factory often translates to better control over production processes, quality standards, and pricing. Engaging with a factory ensures a more transparent and reliable supply chain.
Keep in mind that most of the traders pretend to be a factory. That is why it is important from the very beginning to understand with whom you are dealing with.
So here are some tips on finding out with who you are dealing with:
- Ask for real photos of factory-made, especially for you. Ask to write down your name and date and put it in view. So in the background, you see the factory and in front, you can see a piece of paper with your name. This will help you to ensure that the guy you are chatting with is really present at the factory. Note that most traders are working not at a factory, so they cannot be made this photo fast.
- Another way is to make a video call. Use your Whatsapp and call your guy. Make sure that there is time difference between your country and Indonesia. During a video call ask to show the production area, warehouse, and ready product.
Location of the Factory: Best Location is in Indonesia
The location of the coconut charcoal factory plays a vital role in the overall supply chain efficiency. Indonesia is one of the prime locations for coconut charcoal production.
Indonesia is not only flooded with coconut, but also its soil contains the specific value of magnesium and silica that make ash white and ash content less than 2%. Remember, less ash higher heat, and better shisha smoking experience.
But not all Indonesia’s coconut shells are good for hookah coals. The best coconut shells suitable for shisha charcoal grow in the North Sulawesi area and Halmahera island.
Coconut shells from those places are really good for shisha. It makes less them 2% ash content (very thin and light ash) and very high heat.
Please ask the factory where is the source of the raw material (coconut shells charcoal). If they tell you that it is from Sumatra, Kalimantan, or Java – you have to pay more attention to the quality rather than from Sulawesi or Halmahera.
Another important point to ask is if the coconut charcoal factory burn or make coconut shell charcoal by itself or outsource it to the local farmers. Better if your coconut charcoal supplier is carbonizing (making coconut charcoal) by itself rather than buying from other factories or farmers.
Factory capacity
The production capacity of the supplier’s factory is very important. You have to check whether the supplier has the capacity to meet your demands consistently.
Very easy – in most cases the minimum order for shisha charcoal is 20”ft container, that can fit up to 18-19 tons of coconut charcoal.
You are a shisha wholesale or distributor understand that this volume of charcoal is very easy and fast to sell. In my experience, most of the coconut shell charcoal briquettes buyers are ordering 1-2 containers per month.
That is why it is very important to check what is the production capacity of the coconut charcoal manufactory. How many tons they can make per month?
Besides it, you have to check how many production lines are at the factory, how many ovens and oven capacity. And how many packing lines are at the charcoal factory?
Knowing with will help you to estimate the real volume of production of this supplier.
A reliable supplier should be able to scale production according to your needs, ensuring a steady supply of coconut charcoal. Otherwise, you are risking having an interrupted supply of charcoal.
Focus on Shisha Charcoal or Making BBQ Charcoal Too?
Another aspect to consider is the supplier’s specialization. While some factories focus primarily on shisha charcoal production, others may also manufacture BBQ charcoal.
It is better to choose a coconut charcoal supplier who specializes in shisha charcoal only, as they are more likely to have a deep understanding of the product and maintain consistent quality.
BBQ production is very different from shisha coals production. It is next to impossible to make both BBQ and shisha charcoal on the same equipment.
Quality Control at the Factory
Constant quality control is very crucial. Remember, that coconut shells are natural products and may vary a lot. So please make sure that your coconut shell charcoal briquettes suppliers have a house QC team that constantly checks the quality.
And they checking not only raw materials but make comprehensive checks on all production stages, including packaging and shipping.
Independent Quality Control
In addition to the supplier’s internal quality control, independent third-party testing adds an extra layer of assurance.
Verify whether the supplier conducts independent quality control inspections or collaborates with reputable testing agencies. In Indonesia, the best are Carsurin and Backjorindo laboratories. They are specialized in shisha charcoal.
Please do not forget to request the results of the analysis and certificates of quality from the coconut charcoal supplier. Note, that all certificates should be fresh, not from the last year, and issued by a reputable laboratory. And the certificate should contain the manufactory name on it.
These are all simple steps that can be performed by you to be sure of your supplier.
However, evaluating a supplier’s capabilities involves asking the right questions. Let’s explore the key questions you should ask potential coconut charcoal suppliers.
Questions to Evaluate Coconut Charcoal Supplier
I make the following list of questions to make it easy for you to find a good supplier for your shisha charcoal. Ask the following questions to choose the right coconut charcoal manufactory.
- What is your production capacity? How many tons of charcoal can produce daily?
- What is your production time? How long it will take to make you a 20 or 40” ft container of charcoal?
- Can you do OEM, under my brand
- What is your quality control procedure
- Can I make a video call and see the factory
- How can I get samples of charcoal?
- What certification do you have?
- What are your payment terms and methods?
- Can you help with the shipping of charcoal?
Conclusion
We discussed the key characteristics and benefits of coconut charcoal. Understand its superiority in terms of heat temperature, lack of smell or taste, eco-friendliness, long-lasting burn, and durability.
Moreover, we delved into the process of finding the perfect coconut charcoal supplier, emphasizing the importance of verifying their authenticity, assessing production capacity, considering specialization, and evaluating quality control measures. By asking the right questions and conducting due diligence, you can secure a partnership with a reliable and reputable coconut charcoal supplier.
Remember, the shisha world is changing, and staying informed and connected with industry experts is key to success. Happy sourcing, and may your hookah sessions be filled with the finest coconut shell charcoal.
Please let me know if you have any ideas or questions about this article.