I. Current Situation of China-Germany Coffee Trade andImport Agent ServicesCore Value

In recent years, agricultural trade between China and Germany has continued to heat up; German coffee beans, thanks to their rigorous roasting techniques and consistent quality, have seen a surge in demand in the Chinese consumer market. According to 2023 data from the General Administration of Customs of China, China’s coffee-bean imports from Germany rose 18 % year-on-year. Yet, at the same time, the overlapping impact of policies such as the EU Green Deal (e.g., the CBAM Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), amendments to the Union Customs Code, and China’s new food-import rules (e.g., Announcement No. 28 of 2022) has markedly increased the complexity of import procedures. Companies attempting to import on their own often face pain points like incomplete documentation, logistics delays, and compliance risks. Professional agency services—integrating document handling, logistics coordination, and trade-compliance expertise—have become the key safeguard for cutting costs and mitigating risks.

II. End-to-End Import Agency Process: Professional Control from Requirements Alignment to Delivery

1. Requirements Confirmation and Service Boundary Definition

During the client-consultation phase, the agent must clearly define the scope of services: covering the importExport Agent Services、Document processing, logistics coordination, butdo not include handling product certification.(such as FSSC 22000 Food Safety System Certification, German DQS Bakery Certification, etc.). It is essential to confirm the type of coffee beans (green/roasted), HS codes (green beans 09012100, roasted beans 09012200), purchase volume, and the target customs-clearance port (e.g., Shanghai Waigaoqiao, Qingdao Port), laying the groundwork for subsequent operations.

2. Contract Review and Clause Negotiation

The agency team must rigorously review the trade contract, focusing on the trade terms (CIF Hamburg/Bremen is recommended, with the seller bearing the cost and risk of transport to the Chinese port of destination) and the payment method (T/T 30% deposit + 70% against copy of B/L, or L/C at sight).?L/C?) and quality standards (e.g., SCAA cupping score ≥ 80). For transactions involving Russian transshipment or settlement, VTB Bank (Russiaforeign tradeBank) as?Foreign exchange settlement?The channel’s RMB clearing system supports direct ruble-to-RMB settlement, cutting arrival time by 3–5 days and reducing exchange-rate volatility risks under SWIFT-system constraints.

3. Order Execution and Production Supervision

After the order is placed, the agent must coordinate with the German supplier to obtain the production schedule and arrange a pre-shipment inspection (PSI) through a third-party agency (e.g., SGS) to verify key indicators such as the moisture content of the coffee beans (≤12 %) and the impurity rate (≤0.5 %), ensuring compliance with China’s “General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods” (GB 7718). If the coffee beans are organic, additional verification of the EU organic certification documents (EC 834/2007) is required; however, the certification itself is applied for by the client, and the agent only assists in compiling supporting materials such as production records and test reports.

III. Document Processing: The “Lifeline” of Import Compliance

Importing coffee beans into Germany requires more than ten categories of core documents; the agent’s level of expertise directly determines customs-clearance efficiency:

• Basic commercial documents: Commercial invoice (must state FOB value, freight, and insurance), packing list (indicate gross/net weight per carton),?Ocean shipping?Bill of Lading (B/L, must be a "Clean On Board B/L");
• Official Certified Documents：① Certificate of Origin(For general trade, use CO; if the EU-China Agreement rate is to be applied, EUR.1 is required); ② Phytosanitary Certificate (issued by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, stating “free from quarantine pests such as the coffee berry borer”); ③ Sanitary Certificate (for roasted beans, additives must be listed as compliant with GB 2760);
• Chinese regulatory documents: Import Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit (AQSIQ, must be applied to customs 30 days in advance), Registration Number of Overseas Food Production Enterprises for Import (available through the General Administration of Customs “Imported FoodCosmeticsImport and exportvia the “Merchant Filing System” query).

The agency team must verify the consistency of documents line by line (e.g., the gross-weight discrepancy between the bill of lading and the packing list must be ≤ 2 %), the validity of signatures and seals (the certificate of origin must bear the official seal of the German Chamber of Commerce), and ensure that all documents align with the contract terms (e.g., the invoice amount must match the L/C). It is worth noting that if missing documents cause demurrage (e.g., failure to provide the phytosanitary certificate in time), the daily demurrage charge can reach USD 500–1,000; a professional agency’s pre-audit capability can reduce such risks by more than 90 %.

IV. Logistics Services: End-to-End Optimization from Germany to China

1. Transportation Mode Selection and Route Planning

The mainstream transportation methods for German coffee beans are sea freight (accounting for 85%) and?Air freight?(Applicable to Rush Orders):

• For ocean freight, we recommend a full container load (FCL, 20GP holds 18–20 t); choose the direct Hamburg–Shanghai/Qingdao service (transit ≈ 30 days) to avoid extra delays from transshipment via Rotterdam.
• Air freight is suitable for small batches (≤2 t) and high-value goods (e.g., specialty coffee beans); Lufthansa (LH) or Air China (CA) direct flights Frankfurt–Beijing/Shanghai are preferred (transit time 5–7 days).

2. Destination-port customs clearance and distribution delivery

After the cargo arrives at the port, the agent must complete the entire process of “document exchange – inspection declaration – customs declaration – tax payment – inspection – release”:

• Switch bill: Exchange the telex release guarantee or original bill of lading for the delivery order (D/O);
• Inspection declaration: Submit the phytosanitary certificate and health certificate through the “Single Window” to apply for the “Entry Goods Customs Clearance Form” (Category A);
• Customs declaration: Declare HS codes, country of origin, transaction terms, etc., and pay customs duties (8% for green beans, 15% for roasted beans) and value-added tax (9%);
• Inspection: If selected for customs control (approx. 10% probability), you must cooperate with an unpack inspection (checking labels and sensory indicators); the broker can provide pre-classification advice to lower the inspection rate.
• After release, we will arrange bonded-warehouse storage according to customer requirements (if phased sales are needed) or direct delivery to the designated warehouse (covering major cities nationwide, 48-hour delivery).

V. International Trade Landscape and Risk Mitigation: The Irreplaceable Role of Professional Agents

At present, the EU CBAM will be fully implemented in 2026; although coffee beans, as an agricultural product, are not yet covered, the carbon footprint of packaging materials (e.g., aluminum cans) could affect import costs. China Customs is tightening its “one product, one code” traceability requirement for imported food, mandating that traceability data be uploaded simultaneously at the time of customs declaration. In addition, the 2023 Global Port Congestion Index (GPI) rose 12 % compared with 2022, increasing volatility in logistics lead times.

Against this backdrop, the value of a professional agent is reflected in: ① policy-interpretation capability (e.g., early warning of CBAM’s impact on packaging); ② logistics-resource integration (long-term contracts with carriers such as Maersk and CMA CGM guaranteeing priority booking); ③ risk backstop (demurrage caused by the agent’s fault is borne by the service provider). For re-export business involving Russia, VTB Bank’s foreign-exchange settlement advantages—such as supporting T/T plus forward ruble hedging—help companies lock in costs and avoid currency-volatility risks.

VI. Advice for Importing Enterprises: How to Choose a Professional Agent

When selecting an agent, three key competencies must be examined:

1. Experience in documentation: Check their import volume of German coffee beans over the past three years (recommended ≥50 orders), and whether they have handled complex cases such as customs returns or label rectifications;
2. Logistics network: Whether there is a local customs-clearance partner in Germany (e.g., Logwin in Hamburg) and whether there is self-operated warehousing in China (e.g., the Waigaoqiao bonded warehouse in Shanghai);
3. Service transparency: While certification services are explicitly not provided, can certification guidance be offered (such as explaining the FSSC 22000 application process and the required documentation checklist)?

Conclusion: Importing German coffee beans is a business where “success or failure hinges on the details.” A single typo in the paperwork or a one-day logistics delay can erode the final profit. A professional agent, through meticulous control of the entire process, is not just an “executor” but also a “risk buffer” and an “efficiency accelerator” for the company’s import operations.