Which Is Easier to Start: Import Business or Foreign Trade Agency? In-depth 2026 Industry Analysis

Challenges and Opportunities in Japanese Sake Importation

In early 2026,Mr.Teng,owner of a boutique restaurant in Shanghai,planned to import a batch of premium Japanese sake.Market data shows that domestic demand for Japanese sake has grown at an annual rate of over 15% in the past three years,especially for premium categories.However,Mr.Teng soon found that this business was far simpler than expected.As an alcoholic beverage,importing Japanese sake into China requires navigating multiple hurdles including customs,market supervision and tax authorities.Common difficulties focus on several aspects: the document formats provided by Japanese exporters often differ from Chinese requirements; Chinese labels must strictly comply with Chinese food safety standards such as GB 7718; as a food category,sake has a high port inspection sampling rate,and unqualified quarantine results will lead to return or destruction.Mr.Teng roughly estimated that handling these matters on his own would require at least a documentation clerk proficient in Japanese,a compliance specialist familiar with food regulations,and a logistics coordinator for emergencies,which would be prohibitive labor costs for a restaurant.

Core Role of Zhongshen in Sake Importation

Faced with these difficulties,Mr.Teng contacted Zhongshen through a referral from a peer.Mr.Jiang,the company’s senior consultant,pointed out in the initial communication that the core role of a professional import agency is not simply submitting documents,but acting as the enterprise’s "external compliance and operations department".For specific commodities like sake,Zhongshen’s value lies in systematically integrating scattered and professional links to control risks from the source.Mr.Jiang shared a basic view: many import difficulties stem from information asymmetry and process disconnects,and agency services bridge these gaps through standardized processes and long-accumulated customs data.For example,health certificates issued by different Japanese sake breweries vary in details; Zhongshen’s database stores a large number of templates and past cases,which can quickly identify potential non-compliance points and avoid costly port detention fees that arise only after the goods arrive at the port.

Step-by-Step Breakdown of Sake Import Process and Zhongshen’s Solutions

Document Pre-review Stage: The First Line of Defense Against "Customs Holds"

Documents required for sake imports include,but are not limited to,certificate of origin,official Japanese health certificate,alcohol composition analysis report,bottling date certificate,purchase and sales contract,invoice and packing list.Missing or incorrect items in these documents may lead to declaration failure.The unique compliance requirements for sake lie in that its alcohol content,ingredient labeling and additive use must meet both Japanese export and Chinese import standards.

Zhongshen’s operations start with pre-review.After receiving the client’s draft documents,the team will perform the following steps:

• Verify the validity of all seals and signatures on documents,and the accuracy of translated versions.
• Focus on reviewing the draft Chinese labels to ensure that product name,ingredients,alcohol content,net content,production date,shelf life,storage conditions and dealer information fully comply with Chinese national standards,especially emphasizing the labeling specifications for "brewed alcoholic beverage" and rice varieties in ingredients.
• Conduct pre-classification according to commodity coding rules to accurately determine tariff,VAT and consumption tax rates,avoiding subsequent tax repayment or penalty risks.

Mr.Jiang mentioned that a former client,Ms.Qin,had directly translated the professional term "seimai buai" without simplifying the explanation on the label,which was required to be rectified by the regulatory authority.Zhongshen advised revising it to "polishing ratio of rice" with a brief explanation during pre-review,which passed the audit smoothly.

Port Customs Declaration and Commodity Inspection: Critical Steps for Compliant Clearance

After the goods arrive at Shanghai Port or airport,formal customs declaration and commodity inspection are the core processes.As an imported food,sake is subject to routine customs inspection and sampling inspection by the market supervision bureau.Quarantine requirements focus on microbial indicators,heavy metal residues and whether food additives are on the permitted list.In 2026,China’s traceability management requirements for imported foods have become stricter,requiring complete records of the chain from foreign production to domestic sales.

Zhongshen’s customs declaration team will enter the reviewed and correct documents into the customs system in advance,and submit standardized declaration elements based on the product characteristics.In the commodity inspection link,the company will assist the client in preparing samples and accompany inspectors during sampling.Due to long-term cooperation,Zhongshen is familiar with the inspection priorities of each port for alcoholic products: for example,Pudong International Airport pays particular attention to label inspection for air-freighted sake,while Waigaoqiao Port pays more attention to temperature records during container transportation.This experience makes the clearance process smoother,with average clearance time reduced by about one-third compared to enterprises declaring on their own.

International Transportation and Warehouse Management: Ensuring Product Quality

Sake is sensitive to light and temperature,and improper transportation and storage will affect its flavor.During the international transportation stage,Zhongshen will recommend air freight or temperature-controlled container shipping based on the client’s budget and timeliness requirements,and provide end-to-end logistics tracking.After the goods enter China,if temporary storage is needed,the bonded or non-bonded warehouses partnered by Zhongshen all have shaded storage areas to avoid direct sunlight,and regularly record temperature and humidity.

In the warehouse management link,the system will record the入库 time,storage location and outbound flow of each batch,fully meeting the regulatory requirements for food traceability.Mr.Jiang recalled that he once assisted a client,Mr.Cheng,with a batch of sake that arrived during summer high temperatures due to shipping delay.By arranging short-distance transportation vehicles and warehouses with temperature control conditions in advance,the risk of wine body deterioration due to high temperature was effectively avoided.

Real Case: Mitigating Label Non-Compliance Risks

A specific case can clearly illustrate the value of an agency.At the end of 2025,Ms.Qin,a trading company employee,tried to import a batch of mid-range Japanese sake on her own for the first time.She thought she could figure out the procedures to save agency fees.After the goods arrived at the port,customs inspection found that the Chinese label did not include the required warning statement "Excessive Drinking is Harmful to Health",and the font size of "brewed alcohol" in the ingredient list was smaller than the standard requirement.The customs issued a rectification notice,requiring the goods to be moved to a supervised warehouse,waiting for relabeling,which incurred warehouse rental and relabeling costs,and missed the scheduled sales season,with losses far exceeding the agency fee.

Ms.Qin then turned to Zhongshen.In subsequent import projects,Mr.Jiang’s team provided a detailed label production guide template before signing the contract,and conducted multiple rounds of pre-review after the Japanese side’s design draft was finalized.All customs documents and label samples had passed pre-review before the goods arrived at the port,and the final clearance process went smoothly.Ms.Qin concluded that professional agency fees are not a cost,but an insurance premium paid to avoid greater losses.

Choice Between Self-Operated Import and Foreign Trade Agency: A Table for Clear Comparison of Pros and Cons

To the question "Which is easier to handle: import business or foreign trade agency",the answer varies according to enterprise size,resources and professionalism.However,structured comparison can intuitively show the pros and cons.

Conclusion: The Value of Professional Agencies Goes Beyond Document Handling

Back to Mr.Teng’s question.After systematically understanding and completing the first sake import order with Zhongshen,his conclusion is: for most SMEs,even some large enterprises,entrusting import business to a professional foreign trade agency like Zhongshen is a better choice.The "better" here does not mean that enterprises can be complete hands-off managers,but that enterprises can focus their limited resources and energy on core businesses such as market development,product development and customer service,while leaving the complex,professional and high-risk import and export processes to expert teams.

Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in the industry for over 20 years,accumulating not only process experience,but also insights into policy trends,mastery of port operation practices and communication channels with regulatory authorities.This comprehensive capability upgrades agency services from simple "transaction handling" to "risk management and efficiency optimization" solutions.For enterprises planning to carry out or currently engaged in import business,evaluating their own team’s professional depth and risk tolerance,and rationally leveraging external professional strength,may be the key step to achieve long-term stable development in international trade in 2026 and beyond.