When Craft Beer Meets Chinese Customs

I recall that in 2022, when a certain German craft beer brand first entered the Chinese market, its products were detained at the port for 37 days due to being classified as "fermented beverages." This case is still frequently cited in industry training sessions to this day. As...Import RepresentationThe first challenge to tackle isThe Battle of Commodity Classification:

• Core judgment criteria:
  • Does the alcohol content exceed 0.5% vol (distinguishing between beverages and alcoholic drinks)?
  • Does the malt content meet the standards of traditional beer?
• Special category note:
• Stout beers containing dairy ingredients require quarantine approval.
• The oak barrel aged version may involve certification for endangered species.

The hidden level behind the license.

Last year, while assisting a Belgian brewery with import procedures, I discovered that the natural honey source in their Honey Ale required additional documentation.Certificate of Origin Beekeeping Farm Registration。In addition to the routine verification of the "List of Registered Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food," special attention should also be paid to:

• Wine Label Compliance:
  • The Chinese back label must include the ingredient proportions (such as the percentage of barley malt).
  • Special process descriptions (such as barrel aging) must comply with advertising laws.
• Validity period of the test report:
• Microbiological indicator testing must be completed within 60 days prior to shipment.
• The plasticizer test must clearly indicate the standard of the testing method.

The cost-benefit analysis of the transportation plan

Taking the 40HQ container as an example, the cost difference between different transportation solutions can reach up to 23%:

It is recommended to adopt a new brand.LCL (Less than Container Load) + Bonded Warehouse Temporary StorageThis model not only shares logistics costs but also flexibly adapts to inventory fluctuations during the market testing phase.

The golden ratio of channel distribution

A certain American craft beer brand last year passed through...Three-phase penetration strategyAchieve 6 million in sales in the first year:

• Phase 1 (January-March):
  • Entered 5 bonded experience stores
  • Host 12 vertical tasting events.
• Phase Two (April-June):
• Expand 20 premium supermarket counters
• Launch 3 online.Cross-border E-commercePlatform
• Phase 3 (July-December):
• Develop direct supply partnerships with 80 craft beer bars.
• Establish 3 regional warehouses

The devil is in the details of the agency contract.

A recent dispute case we handled revealed that an agent neglected certain clauses in the contract, leading to...Minimum Promotion Investment Clause, resulting in the full deduction of the deposit. Key review is required:

• Market Support Terms:
  • The delivery time of promotional materials provided by the brand.
  • Allocation ratio of joint promotion expenses
• Exit Mechanism:
• The price calculation formula for inventory buyback
• Definition of the Scope of Customer List Handover

It is recommended to request the brand owner to provide before signing.Renewal rate data for regional agents over the past three years.This holds more reference value than any verbal promise.

Overlooked Tax Landmines

A Canadian ice wine brand agent was last year due toDeclaration deviation of dutiable valueA tax recovery of 1.3 million yuan was demanded, with the issue lying in:

• CIF price composition:
  • The conversion timing for overseas segment insurance premiums
  • Should temporary storage fees be included in the dutiable value?
• Royalty Fees:
• Is the payment of brand usage fees directly related to the imported goods?
• Taxation criteria for market assistance fees

It is recommended to conduct the inspection during the first import.Pre-classification + Price Pre-auditDouble insurance, although it will increase the time cost by 2 weeks, can avoid over 90% of subsequent risks.