Edible bird's nest buying FAQ

No. Natural bird's nest comes in a range of natural shades, such as ivory and pale yellow, and colour alone does not indicate quality.

Bird's nest is a natural raw material. A few fine feathers may remain even after cleaning by hand, and this is normal.

Natural bird's nest is built by swiftlets, so each nest differs naturally in size, curvature and thickness.

Natural bird's nest may carry a faint egg-white smell or the smell of the raw material, and this varies from batch to batch.

What the market calls "blood nest" usually means bird's nest that is reddish or reddish-brown in colour. The colour may be related to the environment, mineral build-up and long-term oxidation. It does not mean there is blood in the nest.

Cave nests come from natural cave environments. House nests come from purpose-built swiftlet houses that suit swiftlets for nesting. The two differ in colour, raw-material characteristics and stability of supply.

No. The swiftlets fly out freely to feed. A swiftlet house simply provides an environment that suits them for nesting.

We suggest looking at the nest's texture, its dryness, how it behaves when soaked and the test data together. Colour alone should not be the basis for judging.

Not necessarily. Base thickness depends on the raw material itself, the cleaning method and how the nest is shaped in processing. Base thickness alone cannot tell you whether a nest has been patched.

Because nests differ in thickness, density, shape and moisture content, how big a nest looks does not necessarily reflect its weight.

Dried bird's nest is generally priced by net weight (grams); the number of nests serves only as a specification reference. Because every nest differs in size and weight, wholesale usually takes weight as the main standard.

Natural bird's nest varies in size, curvature, thickness and completeness, so it is sorted into specifications according to the actual raw material.

1. By nesting habitat — house nests and cave nests. House nests: swiftlets build them inside man-made swiftlet houses; they are whiter in colour and soft in texture, carry fewer feathers and have a good mouthfeel. Cave nests: the swiftlets live in caves; these nests are greyish or yellowish, carry more feathers, have a higher mineral content, and take longer both to soak and to stew.

2. By shape — whole nests, corners, strips and fragments. Whole nests: complete cup-shaped or boat-shaped nests selected from the raw nests; they are the cleanest, highest-quality category of bird's nest product (a nest built on a beam takes a boat shape, one built in a wall corner takes a triangular shape). Corners: the harder, more pointed parts at the two ends of a whole nest, which are also where the swiftlet's saliva is most concentrated. Strips: uneven raw nests, and whole nests that broke during cleaning; their expansion ratio is roughly the same as that of whole nests.

3. By finished-product type — traditional dried bird's nest, ready-to-eat bird's nest, and pure (no-soak) bird's nest.

Actual grades are assigned by looking at nest shape, size, completeness, cleanliness and raw-material quality together.

Cave nests and house nests differ in environment, difficulty of harvesting, raw-material characteristics and output, so their prices differ. Cave nests are scarce and hard to harvest, so the price is high; house nests have a steady output and are easy to obtain, so the price is relatively low.

For wholesale and OEM, though, house nests are the mainstream source: output is predictable, hygiene can be controlled and grades can be sorted, and only then can supply be steady. What we ship is mainly house nests.

A higher price does not mean higher quality — what suits your own market positioning and needs matters more.

Bird's nest is a natural product and the weight of each nest is not fixed. It is generally around 5 g to 8 g.

A nest over 10 g may have been joined from pieces or had fragments stuck on — but that is not a hard rule. Very large natural nests do exist; they are just less common.

For purchasing, the main standards are net weight, grade and specification; we do not accept or reject goods on the weight of individual nests.

Pressing with your fingers is the traditional test: a base that is rock hard, very even and without gaps points to patching with fragments; one that is soft, slightly fluffy, crumbles easily when pressed and has natural gaps points to a natural base.

Even so, do not draw a conclusion from hardness or appearance alone — we suggest looking at the nest's strand pattern, structure and processing method, and how it looks after soaking.

Corners are the thickest, densest parts at the two ends of a whole nest. Because they are so dense, they need about 2 hours of soaking to open up, and their texture is also firmer.

Seen another way, this is also their strength: high density, a full expansion ratio and a crisper bite make them dependable both for stewed dishes and as a processing ingredient.

It depends entirely on raw-material cost. Original-shape nests have to be processed from raw nests with the fewest feathers and the least impurity — only when the raw nest has few feathers can it be cleaned without damaging the nest, so that it keeps its original shape.

This top-grade raw material costs noticeably more to buy than mid-grade material. The exact difference varies with raw-material grade and batch, and the quote given at the time prevails.

There are two lines:

1. OEM / ODM and export · plain packaging — 100 g, 250 g and 500 g.

2. Gift-box packaging · drop shipping / corporate gifting (Malaysia and China) — 50 g and 100 g.

Choose the size that suits your wholesale, retail or gifting needs.

Please give us your product type, specification, purchase quantity and target market, and we will quote according to your actual needs.

There is no minimum-order threshold. The minimum differs by product and by the way we work together: drop shipping can be arranged from 100 g; for bulk purchases, please ask separately about wholesale prices.

Yes. Samples are provided at a charge (at the retail price at the time).

Bulk buyers are also welcome to book a visit to inspect the goods and tour the factory, and see the raw material, the cleaning workshop and the filling line on site.

Stock products ship according to stock on hand; custom products generally take about 2–3 weeks, subject to the product specification, quantity and production schedule.

For custom orders we generally take a 30% deposit to start production, with payment in full before shipment.

It may all be called bird's nest, but the difference lies in raw-material grade and processing method. We clean by hand, with no bleaching and no glue coating, use RO-purified water throughout and keep records batch by batch — all of which adds cost.

When comparing prices, we suggest comparing dryness, cleanliness and test data as well. Comparing the price per kilogram alone tells you very little.

This is the most reasonable concern a new buyer can have. Here is how we address it: we trade openly as a registered company (Birdnest Taiko Sdn. Bhd., registration no. 536032-X, established in 2014), our factory address is public and a visit can be booked at any time, and our Google Business Profile has genuine reviews rated 4.9★.

A safer way is to start with a small order or come and see the goods at the factory first — we never push customers to place a large order in one go.

Once the product, specification, quantity and delivery details are confirmed, we will issue a formal quotation and an order confirmation.

We accept Malaysian bank transfer, bank transfer in China, Alipay and WeChat Pay.

Yes. We can provide a Quotation, Proforma Invoice, Commercial Invoice and other related documents.

Before an order goes into production or shipment, changes can be discussed. Orders already in production, or custom orders, have to be confirmed case by case.

Please keep the packaging, take photos and contact us. We will help check against the order and the shipment records.

Please keep the outer carton, the product and photos of the damage, and contact us promptly so we can deal with it.

Please send photos, video and the batch details. We will investigate and handle it according to the actual situation.

First check the quantity, product specification and outer packaging, then store the product as directed on its label.

We arrange supply and shipping within Malaysia, to China and to other overseas markets, confirmed case by case according to the destination and its import requirements.

Markets we have served include mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Italy, the United States and the Middle East.

It is calculated from the destination, weight, product type and shipping method. Once the order details are confirmed, we will propose a suitable shipping plan.

Yes. We have dispatch points in China in Shanghai, Hubei, Guangzhou and Fuzhou, and can arrange dispatch within China according to stock and the delivery area.

Normally 7–14 days. It is faster when a dispatch point inside China has the goods in stock.

Port inspections or festive peak seasons may cause delays — we give you the tracking number after dispatch, so the shipment can be followed all the way.

It depends on the entry and quarantine rules of the destination country or region. Requirements differ from country to country, so please check the local customs rules before you travel.

For commercial purchases or goods in bulk, we recommend arranging shipment through proper import and export channels — see the next question.

No. Bird's nest is a product subject to market-access controls by China Customs, and bird's nest carried in by an individual will be seized.

For commercial purchases or bulk sales, please use a qualified import and export channel, with inspection, quarantine and traceability documents accompanying the goods — we can help provide these.

Bird's nest is a natural, fragile product. Breakage of 2–3% of nests in transit is normal loss.

If breakage exceeds 10%, please notify us immediately and we will help deal with it according to the actual situation.

Yes. Insurance is included in the shipping cost. If the goods are confiscated we will resend the bird's nest, so there is no need to worry on this point.

Not normally. Before dispatch the bird's nest is always fully dry, and it ships in sealed packaging.

Please unpack soon after receipt and store it as described in the next question. For long sea voyages or the rainy season we add extra moisture protection.

Dried bird's nest should be kept sealed in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, high temperatures and damp.

In regions with four distinct seasons or a pronounced rainy season, put a sachet of desiccant in the container.

The shelf life of dried bird's nest is generally about 3 years. It differs by product and packaging, so please follow the storage instructions and shelf life shown on the product packaging.

Yes. We offer OEM / ODM production under your own brand, and can discuss the details according to your product specification, packaging and target market — bird's nest content, bottle shape, label and outer packaging can all be specified.

For the full OEM process, minimum order and the information we need from you, see the OEM / ODM page.

Yes. Drop shipping in Malaysia and China can be arranged from 100 g; in China, orders are sent from the nearest dispatch point in Shanghai, Hubei, Guangzhou or Fuzhou.

For how drop shipping works and how to choose between it and bulk export, see the traceability and drop shipping page.

No. None of Xing Chen's contact details appear on the box or on the waybill. Your customers cannot reach us, and we will not contact your customers on our own initiative.

Your customer base belongs entirely to you. The full terms for agents are available on request.

Very much so. Just tell us your budget, quantity and the specification you need — the brand logo, the gift box and the product contents can all be customised, and gift boxes commonly come in 50 g and 100 g sizes.

Please ask us about gift box designs, the minimum quantity for adding a logo, and lead times.

Raw nest procurement, raw nest washing / cleaning, dried bird's nest wholesale, freshly stewed / ready-to-eat bird's nest, drop shipping, OEM / ODM, swiftlet house management and overseas supply.

Want to see the factory before you decide? Book a factory visit — visits are by appointment, and once the time is confirmed we arrange for someone to receive you.

Yes. We supply ready-to-eat and freshly stewed bird's nest wholesale and as OEM / ODM custom products, and can put together a proposal based on your purchase quantity and market needs.

For the product line and how the processes differ, see the ready-to-eat bird's nest page; for freshly stewed bird's nest, please ask us.

Ready-to-eat bird's nest: from 100 bottles, for both stock products and custom recipes.

Freshly stewed bird's nest: OEM within Malaysia from 100 bottles (the same for stock and custom versions).

For export orders, the minimum is confirmed according to the destination country, product specification and the relevant requirements.

We calculate it mainly as the grams of dried bird's nest actually used in each bottle, so that buyers can see clearly how much bird's nest goes into every bottle — rather than looking only at the bottle volume.

Flavour (honey rock sugar, rock sugar, sugar-free and others), volume, bottle shape, label and outer packaging can all be customised; the exact MOQ is confirmed by product and customisation requirements. Please note: freshly stewed bird's nest currently has no export certification. For export, see ready-to-eat bird's nest (keeps 18–24 months at room temperature).