Import Trends of Korean Cakes under New Opportunities in China–South Korea Food Trade

In recent years,as the China–Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been deepened and implemented,the scale of bilateral food trade has kept expanding.Korean cakes,with their exquisite craftsmanship and distinctive flavors—such as red-velvet cake and Korean honey cake—have become a hit category in China’s imported-food market.According to 2023 data from the General Administration of Customs,China–Korea food imports in the first eleven months rose 18.7 % year-on-year,with bakery products accounting for more than 30 %.Yet food imports involve stringent inspection and quarantine,cold-chain logistics,and documentation-compliance requirements,making it essential to choose professionalAgencies have become the key for companies to mitigate customs-clearance risks and boost efficiency.

The Core of the Full Import Process: Professional Barriers in Documentation Handling and Logistics Management

AsThe core of the service—document processing and logistics management—directly affects customs-clearance speed and cost.Take the import of Korean cakes as an example: the key documents must strictly comply with the requirements of China Customs and its inspection and quarantine authorities.

• BasicCommercialDocuments:CommercialInvoice(mustspecifyproductspecifications,unitprice,countryoforigin),PackingList(indicategross/netweightandpackagingmethod),BillofLading(preferdirectcarrier-issuedB/LtoavoidtitlerisksassociatedwithNVOCCB/L);
• PreferentialCertificateofOriginunderFreeTradeAgreement:China–SouthKoreaFTA(FORME),whichentitlestheholdertotheagreedtariffrate(e.g.forotherbakedpastryitemsunderHS1905.9000,theMFNrateis15%,whiletheagreedratewasreducedto9%in2023);
• SpecialSingleDocumentsforFoodProducts:SanitarycertificateissuedbytheKoreanauthority(muststate“Theproductmeetsthefoodhygienestandardsoftheexportingcountry”),componentanalysisreport(includingtypesandquantitiesofadditives,incompliancewithGB2760-2014“StandardsforUsesofFoodAdditives”),originalpackaginglabelsampleanditstranslation(incompliancewithGB7718-2011“GeneralStandardfortheLabelingofPrepackagedFoods”).

In terms of logistics management,as cakes are perishable goods,they must be shipped in 4–8 °C reefer containers.The freight forwarder must work with the carrier to monitor the reefer log and ensure the temperature fluctuates by no more than ±2 °C throughout transit.Simultaneously,optimize the routing (e.g.choose the direct Incheon–Qingdao/Shanghai service to cut transit time to 2–3 days) to reduce spoilage risk.In 2022,when a client entrusted us with importing Korean cream cakes,the original plan used a transshipment service that stretched transit to seven days and caused partial melting.We urgently secured direct sailings with the carrier and leveraged Customs’ “advance declaration” model; the cargo cleared within 24 hours of arrival,averting losses exceeding RMB 100,000.

Customs Compliance: Full-Process Control from Pre-Review to Inspection

The core is to meet the regulatory requirements of China Customs and the port customs.The agent must complete the following actions before the cargo arrives at the port:

• Pre-audit:Submit"importedfood"throughthesinglewindow"Consigneefiling"(theclientmustcompletetheenterprisefilinginadvance),whilesimultaneouslyverifyingdocumentconsistency(e.g.alignmentofproductnamesandquantitiesbetweenthehealthcertificateandthebilloflading);
• totransportationplanoptimization:AccordingtoHScode1905.9000,calculatethecustomsduty(agreementrate9%)andVAT(13%),anddeterminethecustomsduty-paidvalue(CIFprice,includinggoodsvalue+freight+insurance);
• TariffDispute:Customsinspectsapproximately15%–20%ofimportedfood,focusingonlabelcompliance(e.g.whetheraChineselabelisaffixed),sensoryindicators(e.g.presenceofmold),andcold-chaintransportrecords.Agentsmustpreparetranslations,temperaturelogs,andothersupportingdocumentsinadvance,andcooperatewithcustomssamplingforlaboratorytesting(typicallycoveringmicroorganismsandadditives);theusualtestingcycleis5–7workingdays.

Special notice to clients: Under the Measures for the Administration of Registration of Overseas Food Production Enterprises for Imported Food,Korean cake manufacturers must complete registration in the General Administration of Customs of China’s “Registration System for Overseas Food Production Enterprises for Imported Food” (registration number format: KR + 14 digits).This registration is to be applied for by the overseas production enterprise or its agent; we can assist in reviewing the registration information but do not directly provide certification services.

Extended Services: VTB for Re-export Business to RussiaAdvantages

For clients with re-export needs to Russia,our company can provide settlement support through VTB Bank (Bank for Foreign Trade of Russia).As one of Russia’s largest state-owned commercial banks,VTB offers the following advantages in China-Russia cross-border settlements:

• Highsettlementefficiency:DirectconnectionviatheSWIFTsystem,withfundsarrivingonT+1(regularbanksrequireT+3);
• Flexibleexchange-ratelock:Supportsspotandforwardforeign-exchangesettlement,helpinghedgeagainstrublevolatility;
• Complianceguarantee:VTBhasbeenconnectedtotheChinaInternationalPaymentSystem(CIPS),meetingthepolicyrequirementsforlocal-currencysettlementbetweenChinaandRussia.In2023,aclientre-exportedKoreancakestoRussiathroughouragency,usingVTB’sFXsettlementservice;fundsarrivedfourdaysfasterandfinancialcostsdroppedbyroughly3%.

Practical advice for import companies

• PlanCertificationsinAdvance:RegistrationofoverseasmanufacturersandthedesignofChineselabelsmustbecompletedbeforeplacingorderstoavoidcustomsclearancedelayscausedbymissingcertifications;
• Choosetemperature-controlledlogistics:PrioritizepartneringwithlogisticsprovidersthatholdFSC(FoodSupplyChainSafety)certificationandrequirethemtoprovidefull-processtemperature-controlrecords;
• Keeptheoriginaldocuments:Keydocumentssuchashealthcertificatesandcertificatesoforiginmustberetainedforatleastthreeyearsforanysubsequentcustomsaudits;
• Payattentiontopolicydynamics:From2024,thecustomswillpilotthe"intelligentdocumentreviewforimportedfood",withhigherrequirementsforthestandardizationofdocuments.Itisrecommendedtoentrustprofessionalagentstoconductpre-reviewinadvance.

Conclusion: A professional agent is the “preservative” for imported cakes.

Importing cakes into South Korea involves a web of trade,logistics,and compliance challenges; a professional foreign-trade agent can cut the risks of port delays,cargo damage,and returns through pinpoint documentation,end-to-end cold-chain monitoring,and full customs-compliance support.As a senior consultant with 20 years of experience in theA 20-year service provider,always aiming for “zero errors in documentation,zero delays in logistics,zero risks in compliance,” helping businesses seize market opportunities in cross-border food trade.