The Profitable Truth of Chinese Food Exports

When the shelves in German supermarkets are filled with Sichuan prickly ash, and when the back kitchens of Chinese restaurants in New York are stacked with Liuzhou Luosifen, you may not know——Behind these phenomena is a Chinese food export agency industry chain worth tens of billions of yuan. Mr. Zhang's company transported 300 tons of Chongqing noodles seasoning to Southeast Asia last year, and Ms. Li's team is helping Shanxi aged vinegar enter high-end supermarkets in Europe. Today, let's dissect this secret passage that brings "Chinese flavor" to the world.

I. Cross-border Business on the Tip of the Tongue

The scale of Chinese food exports has maintained an annual growth rate of more than 8% for five consecutive years, exceeding 70 billion US dollars in 2022. Different from traditional export commodities such as clothing and electronics, the food industry has three special thresholds:

• Certification Maze: EU EC No 852/2004 regulations, US FDA standards, Middle Eastern Halal certification... Each document may lead to the rejection of the entire container of goods
• Cold Chain Game: Frozen dumplings require constant temperature transportation at -18℃, while some mushroom products will deteriorate if the temperature difference exceeds 3℃
• Cultural Adaptation: Spicy strips exported to Japan need to reduce the spiciness, and mooncakes sold to the Middle East must remove alcohol

II. The "Invisible Champions" of the Agency Industry

Professional agencies such as Zhongshitong are building moats in this field. What they provide is not only customs declaration and clearance services, but also solutions covering the entire chain:

• Help Yunnan coffee beans pass 237 items of pesticide residue testing
• Design a production flow line in line with Islamic law for Fujian fish balls
• Develop a traceable QR code system to meet the EU GS1 standard

A project manager of a certain agency company revealed: "Now, what is most sought-after are compound talents who understand both food technology and are familiar with CPT trade terms. The annual salary of such talents can be twice that of traditional foreign trade positions."

III. The Code of Rise for Small Workshops

Surprisingly, it is not large food groups that have grown the fastest in recent years. A dried vegetable workshop in a county in Zhejiang has now exported 40 containers to South Korea every year through the connection of an agency company. The secret lies in:

• Build a laboratory with German imported testing equipment
• Adjust the salt content and dryness according to the preferences of the exporting country
• Participate in professional exhibitions such as the Gulf Food Exhibition in Dubai

"Finding the right agency partner is equivalent to getting the universal key to the global market," Workshop owner Mr. Zhang summed it up like this.

IV. Where is the Next Focal Point?

With the entry into force of the RCEP agreement and the development of cross-border e-commerce, new trends are emerging in the industry:

• Plant-based foods are growing at a rate of more than 30% in Europe and the US
• Customized seasonings have become a new demand for food service chains
• Blockchain technology is used for the traceability of organic food

Ms. Li's team recently received an interesting order: Help a Sichuan enterprise develop hot pot base materials that meet Jewish kosher standards. "This is like being a translator in the food field, maintaining its original flavor while making the world understand it."

Which Link is Your Opportunity In?

When a pack of spicy strips travels across the ocean and becomes a trendy snack in New York, it is the precise cooperation of dozens of professional links behind it. Perhaps the secret sauce passed down through three generations in your family could be the next export hit? You are welcome to share the "amazing exported food" you have seen in the comment section. The reader with the highest likes will receive an e-book of the Import and Export Compliance Guide.