Importing foodstuff

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  • #36421
    Avatar photoJer
    Participant

    I want to import a large size of  food products from Europe, not just a box, and I found a lot of problems related to licensing and control.

     

    I have to say I want to be an entrepreneur, so any help or advice is good.

     

    Someone has imported something? do you know anyone who is importing food products? do you know anyone who has done it?

    #36429
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    A nice sunday,
    I’m opening a distribution of italian genuine food & beverage in Chengdu, I’m trying to resolve your same problems, is difficult but not impossible!
    Go on because is a business that need time for the startup but will give you good results in Chengdu and around.
    You need an interpreter but more important a custom broker or a company that do this for you.
    Take care,

    Federico

    #36443
    Avatar photong so fan
    Participant

    Good for you, Federico

    I have checked similar info for a friend not long time ago, only too bad I didnt keep the details.  But it is rather straight forward and easy search on the internet (to get the info and brokers details), your wife may help you cos those are mainly chinese company/websites.   Required documents/ license/ customs/process whatsover are all there.   then you may just contact these different brokers for the charges and further details.

    #36444
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    Sure, like Fan suggested, I found many contacts by Linkedin and on internet, after you can choose which service is better for you… the difficult part is obtain license for food & beverage.
    For example I sold Parma ham, salami, cheese… in Hong Kong without problems, here forget this!
    but you know that we are speaking about two really different area of China…

    #36445
    Avatar photong so fan
    Participant

    i was talking about mainland china too.   as far as i remember, one must be able to provide permit/certificates issued from some specific authorities of the exporting country.  you may also ask the broker to provide a copy of the others to see what it is.

    #36448
    Avatar photoJer
    Participant

    @ng so fan @Federico

    First of all than you for your help.

    I have tried to search on Baidu but my ability to read chinese is not enough to  understand most of the websites and Google Translator isn’t very helpful.  My chinese friend is helping me, but he is not very familiar with these kind of things.

    I am talking about Sichuan, getting the foodstuff from a chinese harbor. Is true that if you import everything to HongKong  and then from Hong Kong you bring it to mainland china is much cheaper and convenient? I read on the internet but I am sure about it.

    Another question, do you arrange and supervise the shipping? or does you broker do it for you?

    What about harbor, and shipping method.

    Related to Brokers on LinkedIn, I hope I am wrong, but I got the feeling that the chinese every time the chance they will rip you off and walk away so I am pretty afraid of that.

    @ng so fan I f you can remember any email address, name or phone number of those companies will be a great help 😉

     

    #36449
    Avatar photong so fan
    Participant

    Hi Jer

    I hope it helps:

    1. importing food into HK isnt simple cos HK has very strict control in food safety, it requires also plenty different health, safety related certificates from the exporting countries, then specific to transport and store etc etc.

    2. it is better to do the search in Chinese, I tried both English and Chinese search, and only Chinese search takes you to those local brokers sites.

    3. as said above, all required documents already given in the brokers sites. you may choose your own carrier or let the broker do it for you.  This I think is better to let the broker to do all so they take full responsibilities.

    4.  shipping from HK then into China, i dont see why it would be cheaper, cos the importing requirements into china is the same, only may the goods be transhipped from HK if there is no direct shipment from the exporting countries to where you want it landed in china, also depends on whether the carrier can provide the right container for food (not general merchandise)

    5.  the major problems that my friend encounter is in fact to obtain the health/food safety certificates from the supplier/exporter cos he was planning to buy from different small suppliers, consolidated into one shipment.  however,many of these small suppliers in europe are in fact very small, home-based that they either dont have the set up to pass for the requirements to get the certificate, or the costs just not justified.

    6. may be i try later to search some brokers details then forward the link to you.  please pm me your email address.  (well, but i cant promise i can do it fast.  🙂

    cheers

     

     

    #36451
    Avatar photong so fan
    Participant

    another possibility is that one buy from exporter in europe, so you get all the necessary papers.  however, since most of these exporters have already agent for HK/China market, so one may buy from HK then ship into China and thus more convenient and cheaper.  ?

    #36467
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    In my experience, every custom it’s ok in China, depend where you have your custom broker. Like I said this is a very important contact. Is true that after for national shipping, you can use road courier or by river and last one is really cheap but need more time, but not in every custom you can use this way. I’m speaking for Sichuan, Yunnan… all the province near. By the way, I know that online is difficult find information, but I’m using online translator and I found something. Linkedin is a really professional social network, take care about this because it’s really useful.
    In the end you need three people for open business here: custom broker, shipping company and business consultant. The last one isn’t really necessary if you know how to open and take care about a company in China.
    Anyway you are in Chengdu now? a day for a coffee together? see you

    #36469
    Avatar photong so fan
    Participant

    <span lang=”EN-US” style=”font-family: ‘Calibri’,’sans-serif’; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 新細明體; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: ‘Times New Roman’; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: ZH-HK; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;”><span style=”color: #000000;”>Sure shipping is not difficult to resolve, there are plenty ways to do it depends how large is the shipment, full or less than a container load, sea or air, loading ports, etc.<span style=”mso-spacerun: yes;”>  </span><span style=”mso-spacerun: yes;”>  </span></span></span>

    <span lang=”EN-US” style=”font-family: ‘Calibri’,’sans-serif’; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 新細明體; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: ‘Times New Roman’; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: ZH-HK; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;”><span style=”color: #000000;”>However, If those are meats/cheese… etc that needs to be stored/kept in certain temperature and sure no cheap stuffs, I think it is better you appoint a forwarder to do the whole for you .<span style=”mso-spacerun: yes;”>     (instead of booking shipping space by yourself directly with the shipping line, then a seperate inland carrier/transport, etc)  </span></span></span>

    internet search, 🙂  i still find it very handy if I could just type chinese and got directly to those chinese company websites.  but it is true that one must know chinese, got some businesses experiences to be able to  distinguish and decide to which ones to check further.

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