The Amazing Journey from Belgian Monasteries to Chinese Dining Tables

When the amber Hoegaarden beer forms its delicate foam, few people know that this globally popular craft beer must undergo 34 standard tests before entering the Chinese market. As the first beer brand in the world to obtain ISO 22000 certification, Hoegaarden maintains...Original bottle importWith an almost stringent requirement—the temperature must be strictly maintained at 4±1°C throughout the entire journey, from the Brussels filling line to the Chinese customs inspection zone. Behind this seemingly simple number lie three critical customs clearance codes that importers must master.

Four Key Milestones in Preparing for Import Qualifications

• Trap of Poor Recordation Efficiency:The newly revised "Regulations on the Registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food" requires beer importers to complete the registration of overseas manufacturers six months in advance. In 2024, an importer had a full container of goods detained at the port for 47 days due to the absence of a sanitary certificate issued by the Wallonia region of Belgium in the registration materials.
• Authentication Matching Principle:The unique HoegaardenSecondary fermentation processThe Chinese back label must clearly indicate "contains active yeast," which significantly differs from the standard labeling requirements for imported beer.
• Customs clearance code selection:Proper use of tax code 22030000.90 (Other malt brewed beer) instead of the regular beer tax code can avoid the need for supplementary declarations due to classification disputes.
• Quality Traceability System:The importer must establish a complete electronic traceability archive, including 18 types of documents such as malt procurement records and yeast strain test reports for each batch of beer.

Cost Control Sheet for Cold Chain Transportation

Real-life Case: Lao Zhang's 200,000 Tuition Fee

In March 2024, a seasoned trader named Lao Zhang believed he had made all necessary preparations: authorization from the Belgian manufacturer, Chinese back-label filings, and a sufficient tax deposit. However, when the cargo ship arrived at Tianjin Port, customs inspection revealed that the40-foot refrigerated containerNot certified by China Classification Society, the goods require transshipment to Dalian Port for secondary supervision using compliant equipment. This seemingly minor issue of equipment certification ultimately resulted in additional costs totaling 198,000 yuan, including demurrage fees, transshipment transportation fees, and relabeling expenses.

Five-Dimensional Evaluation Method for Selecting Proxy Services

• Customs clearance record verification:Request the agent to provide customs clearance records for beer products over the past three years, with a focus on inspection rates and the timeliness of issue resolution.
• Cold chain resource verification:Conduct an on-site inspection of the temperature control system at the cooperative warehouse, and request the provision of 72-hour continuous temperature monitoring records.
• Tax review mechanism:High-quality agents should be equipped with a dual taxation system, conducting independent tax calculations simultaneously during the customs valuation phase.
• Crisis management capability:Inquire about the 2024 EU new food contact material regulation compliance cases and test the regulatory response speed of testing agents.
• Value-added Service Package:Give priority to service providers that can offer distributed warehousing and integrated regional distribution solutions.

When you hold the distribution rights for Hoegaarden in China, the real challenge has only just begun. Every container departing from Brussels is engaged in an extreme test of temperature, time, and compliance. Professional.?Import Agency?Its value lies not only in ensuring smooth customs clearance for goods, but more importantly, in helping you preserve the freshness of every bottle of beer and the rational utilization of every penny of your budget.