Bulk order & container load calculator
Kilos to bags, pallets and 20 ft or 40 ft containers
Enter the product, form and quantity in kg, MT or lb. The calculator returns the number of bags or cartons, pallets (about 1,000 kg each) and container loads (10 pallets in a 20 ft, 20 in a 40 ft), flags the 500 kg first-order minimum and shelf life, and sends the figures straight into a quote request.
From kilos to container loads
Fried onions ship in 10 kg export cartons by default; a pallet nets about 1,000 kg, a 20 ft container takes 10 pallets and a 40 ft container 20.
- Container capacity: about 6 MT net for fried onions (they fill a 20 ft box by volume before weight), double in a 40 ft.
- Shelf life: 6 to 9 months in cool, dry storage, in original sealed packing.
- Minimum order: 500 kg for first orders, flexible for trials and samples.
Indicative export packing. Exact carton counts, pallet patterns and container loading depend on the form, destination and the packaging you choose; we confirm them on the quotation. About Premium Fried Onions
From a tonnage to a loading plan
The calculator applies the packing norms we use for export shipments from Mahuva, Gujarat, so the answer matches what arrives at your warehouse.
First the quantity is normalised to kilograms (1 MT = 1,000 kg, 1 lb = 0.4536 kg). It is then divided by the pack size you choose: 20 kg bags for dehydrated onion and garlic by default, 10 kg cartons for fried onions, with 14 and 25 kg options. Bags are stacked on standard pallets, 40 bags of 25 kg, 50 of 20 kg, 60 of 14 kg or 80 cartons of 10 kg, so a pallet nets about 1,000 kg of dehydrated product. Pallets are then placed in containers, 10 in a 20 ft and 20 in a 40 ft, which gives the familiar figures of about 10 MT and 20 MT of dehydrated product per box.
Fried onions break that rule. Crispy fried onion slices are bulky, so a 20 ft container fills by volume at about 6 MT net and a 40 ft at about 12 MT. The calculator uses the lower of the weight and volume limits for every product, so a 10 MT order of fried onions correctly shows two 20 ft containers rather than one.
The result also checks the quantity against our 500 kg first-order minimum and shows the indicative shelf life for the product, so you can plan call-offs that arrive well inside the best-before window. The Request this quote button carries the product, form, quantity and packing into our enquiry form, where you add the destination and any specification notes.
Full pallets and full containers cost less per kilo
Sea freight is charged per container, not per kilo, so the cheapest tonne of dehydrated onion is the one that completes a box. Rounding an order up from 9.2 MT to 10 MT, or choosing 25 kg bags so pallets stack to a full 1,000 kg, usually lowers the landed cost more than any negotiation on the ex-works price. The same logic applies to mixed loads: a 20 ft container can carry, say, six pallets of onion flakes, two of garlic granules and two of dehydrated fried onions, and the calculator sizes each line in turn.
Shelf life matters just as much. Dehydrated onion and garlic keep for 12 to 18 months and fried onions for 6 to 12 months depending on the type, so buyers typically plan quarterly or half-yearly call-offs rather than a full year of stock. If your requirement is below a pallet, start with the product finder to pick the right form and ask us about trial quantities and samples.
Packing and loading questions
How much dehydrated onion fits in a 20 ft container?
About 10 MT net. A 20 ft container takes 10 pallets and each pallet nets about 1,000 kg (for example 50 x 20 kg bags or 40 x 25 kg bags). A 40 ft container takes 20 pallets, about 20 MT net. Dehydrated garlic loads the same way.
How much fried onion fits in a 20 ft container?
About 6 MT net. Crispy fried onions are light for their volume, so a 20 ft container is full by space before it reaches 10 MT. Fried onions ship in 10 kg export cartons, 80 cartons to a pallet. A 40 ft container takes about 12 MT.
What packing sizes do you offer?
Dehydrated onion and garlic in 10, 14, 20 or 25 kg multi-layer paper or PP bags with an inner food-grade liner, 20 kg as standard. Fried onions in 10 kg cartons with an inner liner as standard. Retail and private-label packs are quoted separately.
What is the minimum order quantity?
500 kg for a first order, flexible for trials and samples. Many first-time buyers start with a mixed pallet of several forms; regular orders are usually one or more full containers.
What is the shelf life of dehydrated onion, garlic and fried onions?
In cool, dry storage in the original sealed packing: dehydrated onion and dehydrated garlic 12 to 18 months, dehydrated fried onions 9 to 12 months, fresh (standard) fried onions 6 to 9 months. Keep bags off the floor, away from heat and strong odours, and reseal opened packs.
Are the calculator figures binding?
No. They are our standard export-packing norms and are accurate for planning, but carton counts, pallet patterns and container loading depend on the form, destination and packaging you choose. We confirm the exact figures, along with pricing and lead times, on the quotation.
Before you order, get the form right
Onion & Garlic Conversion Calculator
Fresh onion or garlic to powder, granules, minced, flakes or fried onions, and back again, in spoons, cups and grams, with a rehydration tip.
Open the toolProduct Finder
Answer three questions about your application, texture and process and get the right onion, garlic or fried onion product and form.
Open the toolReady to move from numbers to samples?
Tell us the product, form, quantity and destination. Specifications, pricing and lead times come back within one working day.