The Story of Laoshan Food's Overseas Expansion: 3 Agency Secrets You Don't Know

At the foot of Laoshan Mountain in the early morning, boxes of pre - packaged foods printed with Chinese and English labels are being loaded into containers. Mr. Zhang picked up a pack of Laoshan green tea biscuits and carefully checked the label. This was the 17th export order he had handled this month. "Every link, from QS certification to FDA filing, is related to the enterprise's reputation," he sighed. With the maturity of China's food industry, more and more Laoshan enterprises are turning their attention to overseas markets, and professional export agency services are becoming the key drivers in this "export of taste" battle.

In the data of Qingdao Customs in 2023, the export value of pre - packaged foods in Laoshan District increased by 23% year - on - year, but 37% of enterprises still encountered returns due to qualification problems. The value of professional export agencies is first reflected in three aspects:

• Navigation in the Regulatory Maze: The EU's NO.1169/2011 regulation requires the nutrition facts table to be accurate to 0.1 grams, and the US FDA has 16 mandatory regulations on allergen labeling
• Improvement of Logistics Efficiency: The time - limit from inspection application to customs clearance of cold - chain foods directly affects the shelf - life. Professional agencies can shorten it by an average of 5 - 7 working days
• Room for Cost Optimization: Through the origin certification of free trade agreements, the tariffs of some products can be reduced from 12% to 0

After Ms. Li's Laoshan seaweed processing factory exported its first batch of goods through an agency last year, the repurchase rate stabilized at 82%. The successful experience she summarized exactly confirms the standardized process of professional services:

• Qualification Pre - review Stage: The agency will simultaneously check 7 basic documents such as the enterprise's production license, HACCP certification, and export food filing certificate
• Customized Solutions: For the Muslim market, a separate halal certification needs to be applied for, and for exports to Japan, additional tests under the Positive List System are required
• Full - chain Tracking: From factory inspection to port - of - destination sampling inspection, the digital system can trace each box of goods
• After - sales Guarantee: A professional team handles overseas customer complaints, and the average response time is controlled within 48 hours

A Laoshan mineral water enterprise was once detained by the EU for not labeling the "natural carbonation" ingredient on the label, with a loss of 200,000 euros. Common risks include:

• Packaging taboos caused by cultural differences (e.g., the cross - shaped pattern is prohibited in the Middle East market)
• Quality problems caused by temperature and humidity changes during transportation
• Profit erosion caused by exchange rate fluctuations

With the application of blockchain technology, now scanning a QR code can view the whole - process data of Laoshan green tea from picking to export. The intelligent customs declaration system can automatically identify HS code errors, and AI translation tools can accurately convert the ingredient list into 36 languages. Data from an agency platform shows that for enterprises adopting digital services, the operation time per ticket is shortened by 40%.

When the sea breeze of Laoshan blows across the Pacific Ocean, these pre - packaged foods that have been professionally "escorted" are appearing in New York supermarkets and Parisian dining tables with a more elegant posture. Is your enterprise ready to join this global journey of flavors? Welcome to share your export stories or questions in the comment area, and we will invite experts to answer them for you.