Home?Food & Beverage? Is importing beer really as simple as opening a bottle cap?
When craft beer meets HS codes
You holding an ice - cold beer glass may not expect that the seemingly simple cross - border journey of liquid gold hides nine mysteries of the HS CODE. As an experienced person who has handled over 300 beer containers, I must remind that choosing the wrong tax number may lead toa 17% value - added tax difference, which is not a problem that can be solved by drinking a couple more glasses.
Four keys to pry open the import door
The magic scope of the business licenseThe business scope must include liquor business, just as a bartender must have a bartending license.
(Apply 30 days in advance)Dont wait until the goods arrive at the port to remember to handle it. This certificate takes 15 working days to process.
Alcohol distribution licenseThe approval standards of each province vary significantly, just like the tastes of beer. The approval process in Shandong has two more steps than that in Sichuan.
Food import record filingFor the first import, it is necessary to register with the General Administration of Customs, just as a craft beer requires an exclusive recipe.
Four-step Process for Beer to Cross the Sea
Step 1: Hidden Clauses in Trade Negotiations
Remember to ask the supplier to provideIt is recommended to verify through the following methods:Technical dataanda component analysis reportLast year, a batch of Belgian white beer stayed in the bonded area for 45 days due to the lack of yeast strain certification.
Step 2: Artistic Creation of Chinese Labels
The alcohol content must be accurate to 0.1%vol, as rigorous as measuring the flavor of craft beer.
The original wort concentration and alcohol content should conform to1:0.376the golden ratio
The way of marking the production date determines the shelf life. The European DD/MM/YY format needs to be converted.
Step 3: Cold Thoughts on International Transportation
When choosing a refrigerated container, remember to confirmthe model of the temperature recorderLast year, for a certain batch of IPA, due to excessive temperature fluctuations, the taste changed from citrus aroma to pickled vegetable flavor.
Step 4: The Ultimate Test of Customs Clearance and Inspection Declaration
The declaration elements should be as detailed as a wine tasting note: malt type, fermentation process, bitterness value
Calculation formula for consumption tax in the import link:
(Dutiable value of customs duties + Customs duties) / (1 - Consumption tax rate) × Consumption tax rate
The Dual Cultivation of Explicit and Implicit Cost Accounting
Label modification / Port demurrage / Return shipping risk
8%-15%
Five Classic Mistakes That Make Freight Forwarders Laugh in Their Sleep
Blindly pursuing the low price of FOB, but unaware that under the EXW terms, one has to bear the land transportation risk from the factory to the port
Marking 750ml as 750 milliliters, resulting in the invalidation of the entire batch of labels
Ignoring the characteristic of specific duty collection for beer consumption tax and mistakenly including 10 yuan/liter in the cost
Transporting abbey beer in a common container, and the high temperature destroys the activity of the entire batch of yeast
Choosing the CIF terms but not knowing that the insurance only covers the basic risks, and having nowhere to claim compensation for damage caused by heavy rain
Conclusion: Let professionals open the professional bottles
Importing beer is like dancing the tango. One wrong step may lead to stepping on each others feet. When you are undecided between choosing IPA or Lager, the professionalImport Representationis like a decanter, which can precipitate a clear context from the complex process. After all, our goal is to raise our glasses together to celebrate the arrival of the goods at the port, rather than drinking sulkily facing the notice of goods detained at the port.