Italian Biscuit Imports: Growth Opportunities in the Chinese Market and the Need for Professional Agency

In recent years,Chinese consumers’ appetite for high-quality imported foods has kept climbing.According to 2023 data from the General Administration of Customs of China,food imports from Italy for January–October rose 21 % year-on-year; bakery products (biscuits included) accounted for 35 % of the total,making them the fastest-growing sub-category.Italian biscuits—celebrated for time-honored craftsmanship,premium raw materials such as Sicilian pistachios and Amalfi lemons,and the EU’s stringent food-safety standards—are now staples on the shelves of China’s upscale supermarkets andand are favored by imported food distributors.However,the import process involves multiple steps such as documentation compliance,logistics coordination,and customs supervision; non-professional handling can easily lead to customs clearance delays,increased demurrage charges,or the risk of cargo return.It is essential to choose a partner with extensive experience.Service providers are the key for companies to reduce costs and control risks.

Core Service 1: End-to-end document processing,ensuring zero-defect compliance

Documentation is the “l(fā)egal proof” of import trade; its accuracy directly affects customs-clearance efficiency and corporate credit.For importing Italian biscuits,a professional agent must focus on the following documents:

• CommercialDocuments:IncludingtheCommercialInvoice,PackingList,andBillofLading.Verifythattheproductnames,specifications(e.g.gramweight,flavor),andquantitiesmatchthecontract,withspecialattentiontothe“clean”statusoftheBillofLading(CleanB/L)topreventanyremarksfromhinderingbanknegotiationorcustomsinspection.
• Officialdocuments:MustbeissuedbyanofficialItalianauthority.(CertificateofOrigin,usuallyFORMEorageneralcertificateoforigin)tobenefitfromthetariffpreferencesundertheChina-EUtradeagreement;aHealthCertificatemustalsobeattached,certifyingthattheproductcomplieswithEUfood-hygieneregulations(EC852/2004)andChina’simport-foodrequirements(GB29921-2021NationalFoodSafetyStandard—LimitsofPathogenicMicroorganismsinPrepackagedFoods).
• Supportingdocuments:Ifspecialpackagingisinvolved(e.g.alcohol-basedcoating),aComponentAnalysisReportmustbeappended;forcertified-organicproducts,eitherEUOrganiccertificationorChinaOrganiccertificationisrequired(ifoutsidethescopeofouragencyservices,thecustomermustobtainitindependently).

A professional customs broker’s expertise lies in accurately classifying HS codes (Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System): Italian biscuits normally fall under 1905.31 (filled biscuits) or 1905.32 (other biscuits),and each subheading carries distinct supervision requirements (e.g.Category A requires an Entry Cargo Clearance Form) and duty rates (MFN rate 15 %,provisional rates may vary under trade agreements).Misclassification can trigger overpaid duties or customs inspection; seasoned brokers pre-empt such risks through Pre-classification Consultation.

Core Service 2: Logistics Management – Balancing Speed and Cost from Milan to China

Italian biscuits,as food-grade cargo,have strict requirements for transport conditions (temperature,humidity) and transit time.A professional forwarder must design a logistics plan based on client needs—such as e-commerce promotion windows or supermarket replenishment cycles:

• SelectionofTransportationMode:Smallbatches(under500kg)canbeused(e.g.MilanMalpensaAirporttoShanghaiPudong,4–5daystransittime),butthecostishigh;forlargeshipments(over2,000kg),itisrecommendedLCLorFCL,departingfromthePortofGenoaorthePortofNaples,viatheMediterranean-SuezCanalroutetoShanghai/Shenzhen,withatransittimeofapproximately35–40days.Moisture-proofpackagingforbiscuitsmustbeobserved(typicallyrequiringwaterprooffilmplusreinforcedcartons);theforwardercanarrangewiththeshippinglineorairlinefor“hanging-garmentcontainers”(forcrush-sensitivecargo)or“temperature-controlledcontainers”(biscuitscontainingchocolatemustbeshippedbelow20°C).
• InsuranceConfiguration:ItisrecommendedtotakeoutMarineAllRisksorAirTransportationAllRisks,coveringbreakage,moisture,theftandotherrisksduringtransit.Theagentcanassisttheclientinnegotiatingthedeductiblewiththeinsurer(usually0.5%–1%ofthecargovalue)tolowertheclaimthreshold.
• Customsclearancecoordinationatthedestinationport:TransmitthemanifesttoCustoms10workingdaysinadvance,completethe“SingleWindow”pre-declaration,andcoordinatewiththewarehousetoreserveaninspectionarea.Forfoodproducts,Customsnormallyappliesa10%random-inspectionratio;thebrokermustpreparelabelsamplesinadvance(theymustcomplywithGB7718-2011“GeneralStandardfortheLabelingofPrepackagedFoods”)topreventreturnduetonon-compliantChineselabels.

Extended Services: VTB in Russia-Related BusinessAdvantages and Responses to the International Trade Situation

It is worth noting that some Italian biscuit exporters ship via Russia or trade directly with Russia (e.g.to Chinese-funded enterprises operating there).In such transactions,the foreign-exchange settlement capability of the agent is critical.VTB Bank (RussiaBank) As one of Russia’s largest state-owned commercial banks,it offers the following advantages in cross-border settlements: first,it supports direct RUB-CNY conversion,mitigating the risk of USD exchange-rate volatility; second,settlement is fast (T+2 crediting),better than the T+5 offered by some small and mid-sized banks; third,for food-related trade it provides a “document pre-review” service to ensureThe documents under the (L/C) fully match the Russian side’s requirements.

The current international trade situation is complex.The European Union has increasingly tightened restrictions on food additives (such as artificial colorants) (EC 1333/2008),and Chinese customs has also strengthened the "double random" inspections of imported food (randomly selecting enterprises and randomly selecting goods).Professional agents need to dynamically track policy changes.For example,starting from 2024,the European Union will implement the "New Food Regulation",requiring that food exported to third countries be registered in the European Union’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).Agents can assist clients in reviewing supplier qualifications to ensure that they meet the latest requirements.

Customer Notice: Certification Prompts and Service Boundaries

It should be specifically noted that the import of Italian biscuits requires the completion of the following certifications (not within the scope of agency services; clients are advised to prepare in advance):

• Registrationofoverseasproductionenterprises:ItalianbiscuitmanufacturersmustcompleteregistrationintheGeneralAdministrationofCustomsofChina’s“RegistrationSystemforOverseasFoodProductionEnterprisesforImport”(registrationnumberformat:CN-IT-XXXX);applicationscanbesubmittedthroughItaly’sMinistryofEconomicDevelopment(MISE).
• Chineselabelfiling：Pre-packagedbiscuitsmustcompletelabelfilingbeforeimport(through"ImportedFoodLabelManagementSystem”),focusingonreviewingtheingredientlist,productiondate(mustindicate“seespecificpartofpackaging”),andimporterinformation.
• OtherSpecialCertifications:Ifthebiscuitscontaindairyingredients(e.g.cheeseflavor),anadditionalDairyProductHealthCertificateisrequired;iflabeled“gluten-free,”athird-partytestreport(suchasISO21415:2015certification)mustbeprovided.

Full-process service breakdown: closed-loop management from consultation to feedback

The value of a professional agent lies in meticulous control of every detail throughout the entire process:

• CustomerConsultationPhase:Clarifytheservicescopethroughaneedsquestionnaire(coveringvolume,purpose,budget,andleadtime);forinstance,distinguishthedifferingregulatoryrequirementsbetween“generaltradeimport”and“cross-bordere-commerceretailimport(B2C)”(thelatterisgovernedbytheNoticeonCross-BorderE-CommerceRetailImportTaxPolicies,withaper-transactionlimitofRMB5,000).
• NegotiationandContractSigningStage:Reviewkeyclausesinthecontract,suchastheclaimperiodforqualitydiscrepancies(typically30daysafterarrivalattheport),forcemajeureclauses(e.g.howtohandlestrikesatItalianports),andrecommendaddingaclausestatingthat"disputeresolutionshallbegovernedbyChineselaw."
• OrderandPaymentStage:Choosethepaymentmethodbasedonthecustomer’screditstatus—newcustomersareadvisedtouseaLetterofCredit(L/C)toreducetheriskofadvancepayment;forlong-termpartners,30%T/Tinadvance+70%againstdocumentsisrecommended.
• ProductionSupervisionPhase:Uponcustomerrequest,athird-partyinspectionbody(e.g.SGS,BV)maybecommissionedtocarryoutapre-shipmentinspection(PSI),focusingonraw-materialbatches(e.g.ISO22000certificationofflour),theproductionenvironment(implementationoftheHACCPsystem),andpackagingsealintegrity.
• CustomsCompliancePhase:Calculatethecustomsduty-payingvalue(CIFprice=goodsvalue+freight+insurance),confirmtheapplicabletariffrate(ifnocertificateoforiginisavailable,theMFNrateof15%willapply),andpaytheimportVAT(13%)onbehalfoftheclient,issuingthe“CustomsSpecialPaymentCertificate.”
• DeliveryandDistributionPhase:Partnerwithdomesticlogisticsproviders(e.g.SFExpress,JDLogistics)tooffer“door-to-door”delivery;forsupermarketandhypermarketclients,“PalletTransport”canbearrangedtocutloadingandunloadinglosses.
• QualityAssuranceandFeedbackStage:Completesamplingandsubmissionforinspectionwithin7daysofarrival(toalaboratoryrecognizedbytheGeneralAdministrationofCustoms,e.g.CCIC);iftheproductfailsinspection(e.g.microbiologicallimitsexceeded),assisttheclientininitiatingreturnordestructionproceduresandfileaclaimagainstthesupplier.

Conclusion: A professional agent is the “risk reducer” for importing Italian biscuits.

The core challenge of importing Italian biscuits lies in striking a balance between “compliance” and “efficiency”: meeting both Chinese and European regulatory demands while delivering the goods within the market window.A professional agent helps companies avoid hidden costs—such as demurrage (typically US $200–500 per container per day) and customs penalties (up to 20 % of the cargo value)—through precise document handling,scientific logistics planning,and real-time policy tracking,truly “l(fā)etting professionals do what professionals do best.” Whether you are an SME making its first import attempt or a seasoned trader seeking process optimization,choosing an agent with more than 20 years of experience is a smart move to reduce risk and increase profit.