Ten Lei Yen sorts its edible bird's nest into two internal grades: S and A. S grade is the top tier - our Blue Label Supreme and Red Label Super nests, the cleanest and most intact pieces. A grade covers everything else in the range - still genuine whole nest, judged a step below the very top on cleanliness, shape, and size. Grading is about appearance and handling, and it is separate from colour.
- Ten Lei Yen grades nest as S and A: S = Blue Label Supreme + Red Label Super; A = everything else in the range.
- Grades reflect cleanliness, shape integrity, and size.
- Grade is separate from colour: white, golden, and red describe appearance, not quality tiers.
- Whole nest grades higher than broken; broken nest is the same nest, priced lower.
- Each dry nest piece is about 8-14 g, whatever the grade.
How Ten Lei Yen grades bird's nest
S grade - Blue Label Supreme and Red Label Super
S grade is our top tier: the cleanest, most intact, most uniform nests we carry. It is made up of Blue Label Supreme and Red Label Super. These pieces hold a full cup shape, have the fewest residual feathers, and look the most consistent in the box.
A grade - the rest of the range
A grade covers everything else in our inventory. It is still genuine, whole, naturally cleaned bird's nest - just judged a step below the very top on cleanliness, shape, or size. A grade is excellent everyday value and cooks exactly the same way as S grade.
What grading is based on
Grading comes down to a few visible, verifiable things:
- Cleanliness - how few feathers and how little debris remain after hand-cleaning.
- Shape integrity - whether the nest holds its natural cup, or has broken into fragments.
- Size and uniformity - larger, more consistent pieces sit higher.
Grade describes how a nest looks and how carefully it was handled, and it does not indicate a different bird. The nest material is the same across grades.
Grade is not the same as colour
White, golden, and red bird's nest describe appearance - tied to the swiftlet and the environment where the nest formed - not quality. You can have a top S-grade white nest and an A-grade golden nest, or the reverse. Choose colour by preference and grade by cleanliness and shape. For more, see our guide to white vs golden vs red nest.
Whole nest vs broken nest
Whole nests that keep their cup shape reflect careful handling through harvesting, cleaning, and drying. Broken nest - loose strands or fragments - is the same nest that simply did not hold its shape through processing. It contains the same strands and is priced lower, which makes it great for everyday bowls. See our guide to whole vs broken nest.
Dry weight and value
A single dry nest piece typically weighs about 8-14 g, whatever the grade. When you compare products, normalise to price per gram of dried nest and factor in the grade - that is a fairer comparison than the label alone.
How to prepare bird's nest (any grade)
Soak the dry nest in clean, room-temperature water for 4-6 hours or overnight until it fully expands. Remove any visible feathers, then double-boil for about 40 minutes. Add rock sugar in the last 10 minutes if you are making a sweet bowl. Every grade cooks the same way.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prepare bird's nest regardless of grade?
Soak 4-6 hours or overnight, remove any feathers, and double-boil for about 40 minutes. Each whole dry nest makes one generous whole-nest bowl, or about 2-4 standard servings of 3-5 g.
