How to check a wholesale supplier before your first order
Published 1 November 2026 · 7 min read · Buying
Before a first order, the buyer usually pays a deposit to a company it has never received goods
from. That is normal in FMCG wholesale — and it is exactly why fake “wholesalers”
exist. Fifteen minutes of checks in public registers, before any money moves, removes most of the
risk.
General guidance, not legal or tax advice. Registers and rules differ by
country and change over time. For a large order or anything unusual, take advice from your bank,
lawyer or accountant.
1. Confirm the company exists
Every EU company is registered somewhere public. For a Polish limited company that is the
KRS (National Court Register), searchable online for free; sole traders appear in
CEIDG instead. Check that the legal name, registration number, registered address
and management board match the proforma and the website. For companies in other EU countries, the
European e-Justice portal links to the national business registers.
2. Check the VAT number
The EU’s VIES service shows whether a VAT number is valid for intra-EU
trade and, for many countries, the name it belongs to. An invalid or mismatched VAT number on a
proforma is a reason to stop. It also matters for your own paperwork: see
0% VAT invoices from Poland.
3. Check the bank account before you pay
The account should be in the company’s own name, and in the country the
company operates from. For Polish VAT-registered businesses, the Ministry of Finance’s public
VAT payer list (the “white list”) shows the bank accounts the company has reported; the
account on the proforma should be one of them. If bank details arrive changed by email, call the
supplier on a number you already had. Our guide to
paying a new
supplier covers transfers, deposits and letters of credit in more detail.
4. Look for these red flags
Prices far below the market for well-known brands, especially spirits and other high-value
lines.
Pressure to pay today, or a “last stock” story with no time to check.
Payment to a private person, a third company or an account in another country.
Only a free webmail address, or an email domain that does not match the website.
No written quote or proforma, or a proforma without full company and registration details.
Large volumes of scarce goods promised with no questions about your market or documents.
5. Ask for documents and details
A genuine wholesaler can answer practical questions quickly: product specifications, case and
pallet configuration, remaining shelf life, the loading address and the
Incoterm. Ask for a proforma you can check
line by line — our guide to reading a
proforma invoice lists what it should contain. For branded drinks sourced across EU markets, see
also parallel import of branded drinks.
6. Reduce the risk on the first order
Start with a smaller trial order before committing to full trucks, agree in writing what triggers
the balance payment, and consider a
pre-shipment inspection for a large
first consignment. Check the goods carefully at delivery and record any problems on the CMR note.
Checking us before you order
Our registration details — legal name, VAT/NIP, KRS and REGON numbers, registered office
— are on our About page so you can check them in the public registers
before you pay anything. Our bank details appear only on a proforma invoice sent from
enquiries@francoalvaspzoo.pl, and we never change account details mid-order by email; if in doubt,
call us on a number from our contact page. Payment is by bank transfer in
EUR or USD to the company account: a 20–50% deposit, with the balance before release.
What an EU food label must carry, which language your market needs, how to sticker imported food correctly, and what to ask your wholesaler for before you order.
