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Can professional foreign trade agency companies provide full-process agency services for food export?
or complex compliance issues.
clearance and fund security.
I am the head of a small and medium-sized food processing factory, mainly producing snack foods. Recently we have received orders from Southeast Asia, but we do not have export qualifications and are not familiar with the food export process.
When I tried to handle it by myself before, the goods were returned by the customs due to lack of health certificate and label filing, which also delayed the shipping schedule, and the customer has been urging the delivery. Now I want to find a professional agency company for help, but I wonder if you can act as an agent for food export?
What materials need to be prepared? Will there be additional risks? I hope to solve the problem quickly, let the goods be delivered smoothly, and reduce costs as much as possible.
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat
Food export agency requires pre-document review first，which is the basis of compliance. First of all，it is necessary to confirm whether the customer has the food production license，the filing certificate of export food production enterprises，as well as the health certificate and label filing documents required by the target country (such as FDA certification，ASEAN SGS test report，etc.). We will assist customers to check the validity of these documents in advance to avoid customs clearance failure due to missing documents.
In terms of core node connection，we will coordinate logistics，customs declaration，commodity inspection and other links. Before the goods leave the factory，arrange a third-party organization to conduct pre-inspection to ensure that the labels meet the standards of the importing country (such as Chinese-English comparison，standardized ingredient list)，when declaring customs，use a professional customs declaration system to submit materials quickly，and maintain real-time communication with the customs，in the logistics link，select carriers with food transportation qualifications to ensure that cold chain or normal temperature transportation meets the requirements.
For abnormal situations，we have a complete contingency plan. In case of customs inspection，we will arrange special personnel to assist on site as soon as possible and present the spare documents prepared in advance，if the labels do not meet the requirements，we will contact the customer to modify and re-file quickly，and coordinate with the shipping company to extend the free storage period to reduce port detention costs.
Key Operation Suggestions: Customers should provide all documents 15 days in advance to reserve enough time to handle exceptions，when choosing an agent，priority should be given to confirming whether it has successful cases and compliance qualifications for food export agency. Finally，through the refined management of the whole link，we ensure the smooth customs clearance of goods and realize compliant implementation.
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat
Special attention should be paid to label compliance and document consistency in food export customs declaration. When the customs reviews the price, it will focus on verifying the real transaction price of the goods. If the place of origin and ingredients on the label are inconsistent with the customs declaration form, it is very easy to cause price review disputes.
It is recommended to cross-check the label content with the customs declaration information before customs declaration to ensure complete consistency. In addition, for pre-packaged food, an official test report of the nutrient composition list is required to avoid deleting and resubmitting the declaration due to inconsistent data.
Daniel XuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Director of Import & Export OperationsStart a Chat
For food export logistics, priority should be given to the compliance of transportation methods. For cold chain food, containers with temperature control capability should be selected, and the whole-process temperature record should be traceable; for normal temperature food, attention should be paid to moisture and damage prevention to avoid deterioration during transportation.
In view of the risk of container rolling, it is recommended to book shipping space 7 days in advance and choose direct routes to reduce the uncertainty of transit links. In addition, make rational use of the free storage period, complete the customs clearance procedures before the goods arrive at the port, and reduce the expenditure of container detention fees.
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat
Food export tax refund optimization can be realized through the VAT deferral policy. Eligible enterprises can apply for VAT deferral when handling export tax refunds to reduce capital occupation. In addition, attention should be paid to whether the certificate of origin of the goods meets the conditions of preferential tax rates.
For example, the FORM E certificate of the ASEAN Free Trade Area can enjoy zero tariff and reduce customer costs. It is recommended to plan the tax structure in advance to ensure that all transactions comply with BEPS rules and avoid tax risks.
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat
Food export receipt and payment of foreign exchange must strictly comply with foreign exchange management regulations. When receiving foreign exchange, the amount of foreign exchange received should be accurately filled in the customs declaration form to ensure that it is consistent with the actual amount received; if CIPS is used for RMB cross-border payment, the compatibility of the other party's account should be confirmed in advance.
In addition, the management of offshore accounts should pay attention to the transparency of capital flow to avoid account freezing by banks due to suspicious transactions.
Grace WangYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Foreign Trade ConsultantStart a Chat
The food export agency contract should clarify the responsibilities of both parties. The time limit for document review, the handling method of abnormal situations and the liability for breach of contract should be agreed in the contract. For example, if port detention is caused by the agent's mistake, the corresponding logistics expenses shall be borne.
In addition, for the letter of credit payment method, the soft clauses should be carefully reviewed to avoid refusal of payment due to inconsistent documents. It is recommended to add a force majeure clause to the contract to deal with emergencies.
Lucas LiuYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Operations ConsultantStart a Chat
During on-site inspection of food export, the customs will focus on checking the packaging integrity, label compliance and hygiene status of the goods. In case of unpacking inspection, it is necessary to cooperate with providing the batch test report and health certificate of the goods; if label problems are found, it is necessary to immediately present the spare labels for replacement.
In addition, the authenticity identification of the seal is also very important. It is necessary to ensure that the seal number is consistent with the bill of lading to avoid suspicion caused by abnormal seals.
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat
Food export packaging shall meet international transportation standards and the requirements of the importing country.
Pre-packaged food shall use food-grade packaging materials and ensure that the information on the packaging is clear and distinguishable; fragile food shall adopt buffer packaging, such as bubble film or foam box; cold chain food shall use insulated boxes and place ice bags to ensure stable temperature. In addition, a test report of packaging materials shall be provided to prove that it meets the safety standards.
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat
Four-stream consistency shall be ensured for food export tax refund. That is, the contract flow, goods flow, capital flow and invoice flow are completely matched to avoid delayed tax refund due to inconsistent data.
In addition, the tax refund application shall be submitted within the specified time, usually within 90 days after export customs declaration. It is recommended to sort out all documents in advance, such as customs declaration form, value-added tax invoice, export foreign exchange receipt verification form, etc., to pass the tax refund review quickly.
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat
Food export supply chain planning should consider the linkage between inventory and logistics. It is recommended to arrange production reasonably according to the order volume to avoid overstock; select a warehouse close to the port to reduce inland transportation time; sign long-term cooperation agreements with logistics providers to reduce transportation costs.
In addition, the cost structure can be optimized through the conversion of CIF/FOB trade terms. For example, the adoption of FOB terms can transfer the transportation risk to the buyer, but the compliance of the goods at the port of shipment shall be ensured.