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The short answer
Dried zobo (hibiscus calyces) and tiger nuts are plant products and foods, so they face two sets of checks: plant health rules based on the species and form, and general food rules including registration, labelling and, in the US, prior notice and supplier verification. Neither appeared on the UK's Nigeria-specific high-risk food list or sampling plan when checked in October 2026. Selling a ready-made sweetened zobo drink in the UK brings in the Soft Drinks Industry Levy as well.
Zobo, made from the dried red calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa, and tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus, known as aya, ofio or imumu, and the base of kunun aya) are increasingly sold abroad, both to the diaspora and to buyers interested in "superfood" drinks. They are easier to import than egusi or dried fish, but not free of rules. This page covers dried product for resale and finished drinks.
Step 1: plant health
Both are plant products. Great Britain sorts plant products from non-EU countries into high, medium A, medium B and low risk. Low risk goods are exempt; others need a phytosanitary certificate from Nigeria's NAQS, and high and medium A goods need IPAFFS pre-notification and border checks. Look up the category in GOV.UK's "Check plant health information and import rules" service by scientific name. We did not confirm the categories for Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces or Cyperus esculentus tubers for this article; the service is the authority.
In the US, plant import conditions are set by APHIS and listed in its ACIR database, which should be checked for each product and form.
Step 2: food safety
United Kingdom
The FSA's GB import restrictions list names Nigerian sesame, egusi and dried beans, but not hibiscus or tiger nuts. That means no Nigeria-specific increased checks on these products at the date checked, not that they are never sampled. Contamination problems that affect other dried seeds and nuts, such as moulds and pesticide residues, are worth testing for, and a buyer will expect a certificate of analysis.
United States
- Each commercial shipment needs prior notice, which the rules require to be confirmed before arrival: 8 hours ahead for water, 4 hours for air.
- The US importer must run a Foreign Supplier Verification Program, with a written hazard analysis and supplier evaluation.
Step 3: labelling for resale
Retail packs need the full mandatory label for the market. The FSAI summary of EU Regulation 1169/2011 lists the particulars: name of the food, ingredients, allergens emphasised, quantity of key ingredients where relevant, net quantity, date mark, storage conditions, the name and address of the food business, origin where its absence would mislead, instructions for use where needed and, for most prepacked foods, a nutrition declaration. Name, net quantity and (for alcohol) strength must be in the same field of vision, and text must meet a minimum size.
Two points specific to these products:
- Avoid health claims ("lowers blood pressure", "boosts fertility") on packs or listings. Health claims on food are regulated in the UK, EU and US; check the rules before using any.
- Despite the name, tiger nuts are tubers, not tree nuts. Label them accurately, and if the product is packed alongside nuts or sesame, consider cross-contact.
Our guide to labelling Nigerian food for sale abroad goes into each market.
Buying from aggregators
Dried hibiscus and tiger nuts usually reach exporters through aggregators who buy from many farms in the north. That makes traceability harder: a single bag can mix several harvests. Ask the exporter how it cleans, sorts and dries the product, how it stores it before shipment, and how it codes lots so a test result can be tied to the goods you receive. A supplier that can show a lot code on each bag, matched to a certificate of analysis, is worth paying more for. If it cannot, test on arrival before you repack for sale.
Ready-made zobo and kunun aya drinks
A bottled drink is a different product from the dried ingredient. In the UK, HMRC's Soft Drinks Industry Levy applies to packaged drinks with added sugar of at least 5 g per 100 ml and alcohol no higher than 1.2%. From 1 April 2026 the rates are £0.208 per litre for 5 g to under 8 g of sugar per 100 ml and £0.278 per litre for 8 g or more. For imported drinks, the business that brings them in for its own stock is usually liable, and must register and file quarterly returns. Milk-based drinks above a set milk content are exempt; a kunun aya made with milk may fall there, and HMRC's page sets the test.
Worked example (illustration only)
Example: a London shop imports 1,000 bottles of sweetened zobo, 500 ml each, with 9 g of added sugar per 100 ml. That is 500 litres at the higher rate of £0.278, so the levy is £139. At 6 g per 100 ml the lower rate of £0.208 would apply: £104.
What to check first
- Look up the plant health category for the species and form.
- Ask the supplier for NAQS and, for processed goods, NAFDAC export documents.
- Get a certificate of analysis for the lot.
- Approve the English label before printing, with no health claims.
- For drinks, check the sugar content against the SDIL thresholds.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Business Account holds GBP, USD, EUR and NGN, so you can pay a Kano or Jos aggregator in naira and receive sales in pounds or dollars, with Swap showing the rate and the fee before you approve. Invoicing helps if you also sell to other shops.
Questions people ask
Do I need a phytosanitary certificate for dried zobo leaves?
It depends on the GB risk category for Hibiscus sabdariffa in that form. Look it up in the GOV.UK plant health checker; anything above low risk needs a NAQS certificate.
Is there a sugar tax on zobo drinks in the UK?
Yes, if the packaged drink has at least 5 g of added sugar per 100 ml and is not exempt. From 1 April 2026 the rates are £0.208 or £0.278 per litre, depending on sugar content.
Are tiger nuts an allergen?
Tiger nuts are tubers, not tree nuts, so they are not one of the named allergens. Check for cross-contact if they are packed with nuts or sesame.
Can I sell zobo with health claims on the label?
Avoid them. Health claims on food are regulated in the UK, EU and US, so check the rules in your market before using any claim.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Check plant health information and import rules (updated 23 Oct 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Import plants and plant products from non-EU countries to Great Britain (updated 27 Aug 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- FSA on GOV.UK: Foodstuffs with GB import restrictions (updated 10 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- eCFR: 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart I, Prior notice of imported food (current text) · accessed Oct 2026
- eCFR: 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart L, Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (current text) · accessed Oct 2026
- FSAI: Food Information to Consumers · accessed Oct 2026
- HMRC on GOV.UK: Check if your drink is liable for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (updated 25 Mar 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.