How we score manufacturers

Each manufacturer on the Sourcing platform receives an editorial 1–5 score on five axes that buyers consistently ask about. Scoring is derived from public evidence and our editorial assessment. Scores are not a paid placement.

How the rubric is applied

For each axis, we apply the rubric below to the available evidence — the manufacturer's own published material, our direct correspondence with their team, third-party references, and (where relevant) our own observations from inquiries we have brokered.

When direct evidence is missing, we derive a default from adjacent fields (for example, certification breadth is derived from the published certifications list; lead time defaults to the manufacturer's listing tier when no response-time statistics have been reported). Defaults are conservative — they round down rather than up.

The overall score is the simple sum across the five axes (out of 25), reported as a percentage on the manufacturer page and the compare view. We do not weight axes — buyers weight them themselves based on their priorities.

English support

How easily an overseas buyer can communicate with the manufacturer in English, from first inquiry through to purchase order.

Score	Band	Editorial criterion
5	Excellent	Dedicated English website / native or fluent English speaker on staff.
4	Strong	English listed as a working language on the team; bilingual staff handle inquiries.
3	Adequate	English email correspondence supported; brochures or product sheets available in English.
2	Limited	English available on request but not the default communication mode.
1	Minimal	Japanese only; OEM JAPAN intermediation strongly recommended.

Export experience

Track record of shipping product overseas and dealing with destination-market regulatory and logistics constraints.

Score	Band	Editorial criterion
5	Excellent	Active export to 5+ countries with documented track record.
4	Strong	Active export to 3–4 countries.
3	Adequate	Active export to 1–2 countries, or generic 'international clients' history.
2	Limited	Past export experience flagged but no specific markets named.
1	Minimal	No export experience; export will be a first.

Certification breadth

Number and recognisability of third-party certifications the manufacturer holds (ISO 22716, FSSC 22000, COSMOS, Ecocert, Halal, JAS Organic, Kosher, etc.).

Score	Band	Editorial criterion
5	Excellent	5+ certifications, including at least one internationally recognised standard.
4	Strong	3–4 certifications.
3	Adequate	2 certifications, typically domestic Japanese standards plus one international.
2	Limited	1 certification.
1	Minimal	No documented certifications. Buyer must verify quality systems independently.

MOQ flexibility

How willing the manufacturer is to accept smaller-than-standard initial orders, including pilot runs and brand-development trials.

Score	Band	Editorial criterion
5	Excellent	Routinely accepts pilot batches well below catalogue MOQ; multiple buyers cited as references.
4	Strong	Open to negotiated MOQ reductions for credible new buyers.
3	Adequate	Standard MOQ enforced but flexible on packaging variants within a single run.
2	Limited	MOQ is firm; buyer must order at the published threshold.
1	Minimal	Large MOQ enforced; small orders explicitly declined.

Note: MOQs sit on individual ingredient records, not the manufacturer record itself. This score reflects the manufacturer's commercial flexibility across their catalogue, not any single ingredient's published MOQ.

Lead time

How quickly the manufacturer typically responds to inquiries and progresses an order from PO to shipment-ready.

Score	Band	Editorial criterion
5	Excellent	First response within 24 hours; production lead times consistently at the fast end of category norms.
4	Strong	First response within 48 hours.
3	Adequate	First response within 72 hours.
2	Limited	First response within 5 business days.
1	Minimal	Slower than 5 business days, or response time unknown.

Note: When the manufacturer has reported response-time statistics to OEM JAPAN, those statistics are used directly. Otherwise, the score is derived from listing tier as a proxy.

Updates and corrections

We re-review scores when a manufacturer publishes new certifications, opens a new export market, or otherwise changes the underlying evidence. Manufacturers can submit updates and evidence to info@oemjp.com.

Score changes that reflect updated evidence are made within 10 business days of receipt. Scoring decisions can be challenged under the corrections process described in our Editorial policy.