PREMIUM MOROCCAN OLIVE OIL
Procurement-to-Market Reverse Countdown Timeline
All operational milestones mapped relative to D-Day
KEY DEFINITION
D-Day (Day 0) = the date a customer can make a purchase based on completed allocation to the sales channel. Everything in this document counts backward from this anchor point.
This timeline maps every operational step in Daralbeida's procurement, export, import, and distribution workflow backward from D-Day — the moment product is available for customer purchase. The full cycle from new supplier identification to customer availability spans approximately 120 days. For repeat orders with an already-qualified supplier, the cycle compresses to approximately 75 days (Phase 1 is skipped entirely). All day references throughout this document are expressed as "D−X" (X days before D-Day); parallel activities are noted where applicable.
The master table below presents every milestone in sequential order from the earliest activity (D−120) through to D-Day (D−0).
| Day Ref. | Phase | Milestone | Responsible Party | Duration | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D−120 | 1. Sourcing | Identify regional cooperatives and private estates | Daralbeida sourcing team | ~25 days | Market research, referrals, trade fairs |
| D−95 | 1. Sourcing | Request samples and certificates of origin from candidates | Daralbeida sourcing team | ~10 days | Initial screening of 3–5 candidates |
| D−85 | 1. Sourcing | Conduct on-site audit (facility, grove, practices) | Daralbeida QA lead | ~5 days | Includes travel to Morocco regions |
| D−80 | 1. Sourcing | Decision gate: Meets Daralbeida standards? | Daralbeida sourcing team | ~2 days | Pass → proceed; Fail → return to sourcing pool |
| D−78 | 1. Sourcing | Supplier formally approved and onboarded | Daralbeida sourcing team | ~3 days | Contracts, payment terms, quality SLAs signed |
| D−75 | 2. Quality Control | Receive harvest lot samples for lab testing | Supplier → Daralbeida QA | ~2 days | Samples shipped from supplier's facility |
| D−73 | 2. Quality Control | Lab analysis: acidity, peroxide value, polyphenols, organoleptic panel | Third-party lab + internal panel | ~7 days | Acidity < 0.4%; peroxide < 15 meq/kg; organoleptic score 6.5+ |
| D−66 | 2. Quality Control | Decision gate: Batch approved? | Daralbeida QA lead | ~1 day | Approved → continue; Rejected → redirect or source new batch |
| D−65 | 2. Quality Control | Issue internal batch certificate and assign lot number | Daralbeida QA lead | ~1 day | Lot number links to all traceability records |
| D−63 | 3. Morocco Ops | Moroccan entity (SARL) issues purchase order to supplier | Moroccan SARL | ~2 days | Formal purchase commitment triggered by QC approval |
| D−61 | 3. Morocco Ops | Coordinate bottling, labeling, and packaging at certified facility | Moroccan SARL + bottling facility | ~11 days | Labels must meet both Moroccan and U.S. FDA requirements |
| D−50 | 3. Morocco Ops | Obtain ONSSA Export Health Certificate | ONSSA | ~3 days | Issued on the FINAL packaged product — cannot precede bottling |
| D−47 | 3. Morocco Ops | Obtain Chamber of Commerce Certificate of Origin | Chamber of Commerce (Morocco) | ~2 days | Required for preferential duty treatment |
| D−44 | 4. Export Prep | Engage licensed customs broker (Morocco) | Moroccan customs broker | ~2 days | Broker reviews all documentation for completeness |
| D−42 | 4. Export Prep | Prepare export documentation: commercial invoice, packing list, draft bill of lading | Moroccan SARL + customs broker | ~3 days | All documents must match — quantities, values, HS codes |
| D−39 | 4. Export Prep | Arrange ocean freight: book FCL or LCL via Casablanca port | Freight forwarder | ~2 days | Book early in peak season (Oct–Jan); confirm vessel schedule |
| D−37 | 4. Export Prep | Container sealed and loaded at Casablanca port | Freight forwarder + port authority | ~2 days | Container number recorded for tracking |
| D−35 | 4. Export Prep | Vessel departs Casablanca | Shipping line | — | Transit begins; est. 20–22 days to U.S. East Coast or Gulf port |
| D−33 | 5. U.S. Import | U.S. customs broker files ISF 10+2 | U.S. customs broker | ~1 day | PARALLEL — filed during transit with final manifest data |
| D−28 | 5. U.S. Import | FDA Prior Notice filed | U.S. importer of record | ~1 day | PARALLEL — filed during transit; no more than 15 days before arrival |
| D−13 | 5. U.S. Import | Vessel arrives at U.S. port | Shipping line | — | Port of entry: Newark, Savannah, Houston, or Long Beach |
| D−12 | 5. U.S. Import | CBP entry summary filed | U.S. customs broker | ~1 day | Classification under HS code 1509 (olive oil) |
| D−11 | 5. U.S. Import | Decision gate: CBP examination required? | U.S. Customs and Border Protection | ~1–3 days | If YES: container held for inspection (adds 2–5 days — build buffer); If NO: proceed |
| D−10 | 5. U.S. Import | Duties paid and container released | U.S. customs broker + importer | ~1 day | Duty rate depends on origin certification and trade agreements |
| D−8 | 6. U.S. Distribution | Transfer container to 3PL or bonded warehouse | 3PL / logistics provider | ~2 days | Drayage from port to warehouse |
| D−6 | 6. U.S. Distribution | Inventory logged and quality re-check | 3PL + Daralbeida QA | ~2 days | Verify units, check for transit damage, confirm label integrity |
| D−4 | 6. U.S. Distribution | Allocate inventory to sales channels: DTC, wholesale, specialty retail | Daralbeida operations | ~2 days | Channel allocation based on lot grade: Premium Reserve vs. Standard line |
| D−2 | 6. U.S. Distribution | Pre-sales and channel notifications sent | Daralbeida sales team | ~2 days | Update website, notify wholesale accounts, prep DTC launch email |
| D−0 | D-DAY | Product available for customer purchase | All teams | — | Orders begin fulfilling from allocated inventory |
Day Range: D−120 to D−78 | Duration: ~42 days | Owner: Daralbeida Sourcing Team
This phase encompasses the identification, evaluation, and formal onboarding of a new olive oil supplier in Morocco. The sourcing team surveys regional cooperatives and private estates, requests samples, conducts on-site facility and grove audits, and makes a go/no-go decision against Daralbeida's quality and ethical sourcing standards.
Milestones:
⚠ Watch Out
For repeat orders with qualified suppliers, skip directly to Phase 2 at D−75. This saves approximately 45 days from the overall cycle.
Day Range: D−75 to D−65 | Duration: ~10 days | Owner: Daralbeida QA Lead
Harvest lot samples are received and submitted to an accredited third-party laboratory for chemical analysis (acidity, peroxide value, polyphenol content) alongside an internal organoleptic panel evaluation. The QA lead renders a batch approval decision and, upon passing, issues an internal batch certificate with a unique lot number that anchors all downstream traceability.
Milestones:
⚠ Watch Out
Lab turnaround can stretch to 10+ days during peak harvest season (October–January). Build buffer into the schedule during these months.
Day Range: D−63 to D−47 | Duration: ~16 days | Owner: Moroccan SARL
The Moroccan operating entity formalizes the purchase, coordinates bottling and packaging at a certified facility ensuring dual compliance with Moroccan and U.S. FDA labeling requirements, and secures the mandatory ONSSA Export Health Certificate and Chamber of Commerce Certificate of Origin.
Milestones:
⚠ Watch Out
The ONSSA certificate is issued on the FINAL packaged product. Bottling delays cascade directly into export delays — there is no way to parallelize this dependency.
Day Range: D−44 to D−35 | Duration: ~9 days | Owner: Moroccan Customs Broker / Freight Forwarder
The Moroccan customs broker is engaged to review and prepare all export documentation. Ocean freight is booked through Casablanca port, the container is sealed and loaded, and the vessel departs for the United States. Transit time to the U.S. East Coast or Gulf port is estimated at 20–22 days.
Milestones:
⚠ Watch Out
Vessel schedules from Casablanca are weekly or biweekly. Missing a sailing adds 7–14 days to the timeline. Confirm vessel schedule at the time of booking and plan accordingly.
Day Range: D−33 to D−10 | Duration: ~23 days (includes transit) | Owner: U.S. Customs Broker / Importer of Record
While the vessel is in transit, the U.S. customs broker files the ISF 10+2 and the importer of record submits FDA Prior Notice — both parallel activities. Upon arrival at the U.S. port, the CBP entry summary is filed, a potential examination decision is rendered, duties are paid, and the container is released for inland transport.
Milestones:
⚠ Watch Out
ISF and FDA filings happen IN PARALLEL with ocean transit — they do not add days to the critical path if initiated on time. CBP examination is the wild card: budget 2–5 extra days if the container is selected for inspection.
Day Range: D−8 to D−0 | Duration: ~8 days | Owner: Daralbeida Operations / Sales Team
The released container is drayed to a 3PL or bonded warehouse, where inventory is logged and subjected to a final quality re-check. Units are then allocated across DTC, wholesale, and specialty retail channels based on lot grade. Pre-sales notifications are issued, and the product becomes available for customer purchase on D-Day.
Milestones:
⚠ Watch Out
Quality re-check at the U.S. warehouse is the last gate. Damaged units are set aside and not allocated. Factor potential shrinkage into channel allocation planning.
The following activities occur simultaneously with ocean transit (D−35 to D−13) and do not extend the overall timeline when executed on schedule.
| Activity | Day Ref. | Runs In Parallel With | Critical Path Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISF 10+2 Filing | D−33 | Ocean transit (D−35 to D−13) | None — if filed on time. Late filing triggers CBP penalties and potential hold. |
| FDA Prior Notice | D−28 | Ocean transit (D−35 to D−13) | None — if filed on time. Must be received by FDA before vessel arrival. |
KEY PRINCIPLE
These parallel filings are on the critical path only if LATE. When filed on schedule, they add zero days to the timeline. Calendar reminders should be set relative to vessel departure date to ensure timely execution.
The table below summarizes the three operational scenarios and their corresponding cycle times. Scenario selection depends on whether the supplier is new or pre-qualified, and whether inventory already exists in the U.S.
| Scenario | Phases Included | Total Days | Start Point | Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Supplier (full cycle) | Phase 1 → Phase 6 | ~120 days | D−120 | New market entry or supplier diversification |
| Repeat Supplier (qualified) | Phase 2 → Phase 6 | ~75 days | D−75 | Seasonal re-order from established partner |
| Re-order (inventory in U.S.) | Phase 6 only | ~8 days | D−8 | Replenishment from existing U.S. warehouse stock |
The critical path represents the longest chain of dependent activities that determines the minimum cycle time. Any delay on the critical path delays D-Day by an equal number of days.
The critical path runs through the following chain of dependencies:
QC Lab Analysis → Bottling & Packaging → ONSSA Certificate → Export Documentation → Ocean Transit → CBP Clearance → Warehouse Intake → Channel Allocation
| Risk Event | Buffer | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Lab analysis delay (peak harvest season) | +5 days | Third-party labs are backlogged Oct–Jan; internal panel may need rescheduling |
| Missed vessel sailing from Casablanca | +7 days | Weekly/biweekly departures mean a missed booking pushes to the next vessel |
| CBP container examination | +5 days | Random or targeted inspection at port of entry; container held until cleared |
| Port congestion (U.S. side) | +3 days | Chassis shortages, berth delays, or drayage scheduling at major ports |
TOTAL RECOMMENDED BUFFER
15–20 days on top of the base 120-day cycle for first-time shipments. For repeat supplier orders (75-day base), a buffer of 10–15 days is recommended. These buffers are not cumulative with certainty — they represent a risk-weighted allowance. Leadership should target a planning horizon of 135–140 days for new supplier orders and 85–90 days for repeat orders.