How Can Xi'an Enterprises Import Food Safely and Efficiently? Senior Agents Break Down Full Processes and Risk Control

Last month,Manager Luo spotted several types of New Zealand honey and French biscuits at an international food exhibition in Xi’an,and the quotes from the brand owners were very competitive.He was excited to start the business,only to find that multiple barriers stood between transporting the goods from Shanghai Port to his Xi’an warehouse,including GACC registration,component testing,Chinese label filing,port inspection and domestic transportation.He originally thought a local customs broker could handle everything,but the broker could not give clear explanations on the qualification requirements for overseas food manufacturers.This is the real dilemma faced by many importers in Xi’an and even the entire northwest region: they see opportunities in the end market,but get stuck at the front end of the complex import supply chain.

I have been handling food import for more than 20 years,and one deep insight I have gained is that most of the work for food import should be done before the goods arrive at the port.If you find insufficient qualifications only after the goods reach the port,the daily detention and storage fees will cause tangible losses.Today,focusing on the specific demand of "Xi’an food import agent",I will break down the whole chain from overseas to Xi’an warehouses,and explain the key steps and common pitfalls clearly.

Step 1: Lock the Access Thresholds Before Shipment to China

Many clients in Xi’an hold the idea that they can ship the goods to Shanghai Port first and handle the formalities slowly.This is the most dangerous mindset.Food import has strict pre-access conditions,and missing any one may lead to the return or destruction of the whole batch of goods.

Three core documents are required:

• China registration number of overseas manufacturers: This is the registration management for overseas food production enterprises implemented by GACC in accordance with Decree No.248.Without this number,food produced by the enterprise cannot be declared for import at all.You need to confirm whether your supplier’s factory is included in the registration list of the corresponding product category.The list is updated dynamically in 2026,and special attention should be paid to emerging plant-based food and functional food.
• Official health certificate / phytosanitary certificate: Issued by the official competent authority of the exporting country.For example,meat and dairy products require official veterinary health certificates,and fruits require phytosanitary certificates.The information on the certificate (product name,manufacturer,consignee) must be completely consistent with the customs declaration documents.I once encountered a client who used an abbreviation for the enterprise name on the certificate but used the full name for customs declaration,leading to document inconsistency at Shanghai Port and a one-week delay.
• Self-inspection of product ingredients and additive compliance: This is a key review item of domestic customs inspection.You must check the product ingredient list one by one in accordance with China’s national standards (GB).In particular,the use scope and dosage of food additives must comply with the provisions of GB 2760.Some additives legal in foreign countries,such as certain pigments and sweeteners,may not be allowed for use in this type of food in China.This step is best completed before placing orders,to avoid import failure due to unqualified ingredients after the goods arrive at the port.

Step 2: Port Customs Clearance - A Centralized Point of Professional Competence and Risks

After the goods arrive at coastal ports such as Shanghai,Tianjin and Ningbo,the real test begins.For clients in Xi’an,the long physical distance leads to more serious information asymmetry.

Document Preparation and Customs Valuation

The full set of customs declaration documents includes contracts,invoices,packing lists,waybills,certificates of origin,the aforementioned health certificates and registration numbers,among others.Among them,certificate of origin is directly related to tariff costs.If the goods come from RCEP member states such as New Zealand,Australia and ASEAN countries,providing a valid certificate of origin can entitle you to the agreed tariff rate and greatly reduce tax costs.Our team will help clients pre-review documents to ensure that the format and signature meet customs requirements.

Valuation is another key point. Customs has the right to question the declared price.If your declared price is significantly lower than the price database of similar goods mastered by customs,you may be transferred to the valuation procedure,and required to provide documents proving the authenticity of the transaction,such as foreign exchange payment vouchers,brand authorization letters,and communication emails with suppliers.This process lasts from a few days to several weeks,and will generate demurrage charges.We usually recommend that clients prepare price explanation materials in advance for new products for reference.

Customs Inspection and Label Rectification

Food is always subject to inspection,which is a rigid rule.Customs inspection mainly checks whether the goods are consistent with the declaration,whether the sensory properties are normal,and whether the labels meet the requirements.

Here we focus on Chinese labels.Prepackaged food must complete Chinese label design and filing before entry (some regions allow labeling first and then filing,but you need to bear the risks yourself).Labels must include food name,ingredient list,net content,production date,shelf life,storage conditions,country of origin,agent information,etc.and the format and font size are also regulated.We often see labels made by clients themselves that either miss "storage conditions" or have the wrong order of ingredient list.

A real case: Last year,Mr.Ding from Xi’an imported a batch of Italian pasta sauce.When the goods arrived in Shanghai for inspection,customs officers pointed out that a spice ingredient marked on the label should be labeled with its specific name instead of a general category name according to national standards.The goods were ordered to be sent to a customs supervised warehouse for label rectification.Since Mr.Ding did not have a familiar rectification warehouse in Shanghai,the temporary supplier he found charged exorbitant prices.He spent more than 20,000 yuan extra on rectification and additional storage alone,and also missed the sales schedule.This mistake could have been completely avoided with professional review in the early stage.

Step 3: From Port to Xi’an - Connection of Domestic Logistics Chain

After customs clearance and payment of customs duty and value-added tax,the goods can be picked up from the port.How to transport them to Xi’an?There are two mainstream paths:

• Port customs clearance + domestic transportation: Complete all customs clearance procedures in Shanghai,and the goods become "domestic goods",then transported to Xi’an by road or railway.This method has high customs clearance efficiency,and Shanghai Port has rich service resources,so we can operate very quickly.It is suitable for most general food goods.
• Transit customs declaration: Handle transit customs procedures when the goods enter China at Shanghai,apply customs seals,transport them to Xi’an via supervised transport vehicles,and complete customs clearance at the local customs in Xi’an.In theory,this method allows clients to handle customs clearance locally in Xi’an,but in actual operation,transit has specific requirements for carrying vehicles,and coordination between customs of the two places will increase uncertainty,and the overall time consumption may be longer.

For the Xi’an clients we serve,the first mode is more commonly used.With the efficient customs clearance capacity of our Shanghai headquarters,we arrange reliable domestic logistics partners immediately after fast release,and deliver the goods directly to the warehouse designated by Xi’an clients via constant temperature trucks or general cargo trucks,realizing seamless connection between "port customs clearance" and "domestic distribution".We also monitor the in-transit temperature for food requiring cold chain,and provide full logistics trajectory for clients.

Several Practical Suggestions for Xi’an Importers

Based on years of experience,I have summarized several suggestions for food importers in Xi’an and surrounding areas:

Front-loaded risk control brings the lowest cost. Before signing an overseas procurement contract,you should entrust a professional agent to verify the GACC registration qualification of the supplier and the compliance of product ingredients.This consultation fee is far smaller than the loss caused by failed declaration after the goods arrive at the port.

Understand the total cost instead of only looking at freight. The total import cost includes: cargo value,international freight,insurance premium,customs duty,value-added tax,port miscellaneous fees (document exchange,THC,port construction fee,etc.),domestic freight,label rectification fee,and agency service fee.Some quotations seem very low,but may hide port document exchange fees and document fees,or give unclear explanations on rectification costs after inspection.Be sure to require itemized quotations and clarify the boundary of responsibilities.

Choose an agent with national service network and practical port operation capacity. Local agents in Xi’an may be familiar with local warehouses,but their information on the ever-changing inspection priorities and practical operation processes of first-tier ports such as Shanghai and Tianjin may be delayed.Only an agent with a strong customs clearance team in Shanghai and the ability to integrate national logistics resources can truly provide end-to-end stable services for Xi’an clients.Our company Zhongshitong relies on the port advantages of the Shanghai headquarters,combined with a nationwide cooperation network,to ensure that goods can be delivered to Xi’an efficiently and compliantly no matter which port they enter from.

The imported food business is essentially a game between supply chain efficiency and compliance risks.Only by finding a reliable partner to help you pay attention to every detail can you focus on market development and brand operation.I hope these practical breakdowns can help you sort out your ideas.