Local or imported improver: comparing the real landed cost

Many buyers compare a local improver and an imported improver on the price of the bag. That is the wrong unit. An improver is judged on the **landed cost per tonne of flour treated, for an equivalent result in a trial baking**.

**1. The dosage.** Two improvers at the same face price can be dosed differently to reach the same target (volume, tolerance, machinability). A product formulated on your wheats often reaches the target at a lower dosage than a standard product. To compare: cost of the bag ÷ number of tonnes of flour it treats for **your** result.

**2. Transport.** A product imported from Europe includes freight, insurance, customs clearance and handling. A product made in Casablanca and delivered in 24-48 hours has none of these items.

**3. Lead time and safety stock.** A European restock takes weeks: you must tie up more stock to never run out (an out-of-stock = out-of-target flour delivered to the customer). With a local supplier holding permanent stock, the safety stock melts away.

**4. Exchange rate.** A price in euros exposes you to currency risk for the whole life of the contract. A price in dirhams is stable.

**5. Support.** Calibrating the dosage on your line, answering a problem on the morning bake the same morning, the comparative trial baking: that is service included with a local formulator, billed or absent elsewhere.

**How to run the comparison, concretely:** ask for both samples, run a trial baking with the same protocol, note the dosage that reaches your target for each, then calculate the landed cost per tonne (product + transport + stock immobilisation). That figure is what we compare, not the price of the bag.

See also: choosing your corrector supplier · FortoPain / ExtraPain comparison · prices & pricing model.