I. Trade Situation and Market Opportunities for Italian Coffee Imports

In recent years, global coffee trade has been driven by a dual trend of "specialization + regionalization." Italy, as the EU's largest coffee roasting country (accounting for about 28% of the EU market), represented by brands like illy and Lavazza, has seen its demand in the Chinese market grow by over 15% annually due to the craftsmanship of Italian espresso. According to China Customs data, the total import of green and roasted coffee beans from Italy from January to October 2023 reached 12,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 22%, mainly flowing to core coffee consumption cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou.

In the current international trade environment, the EU is accelerating its "Green Deal," requiring carbon footprint declarations for agricultural products like coffee starting in 2024. At the same time, China Customs is strengthening its dual-track supervision of "document review + inspection" for imported foods, placing higher demands on the compliance ofCertificate of Origin, health certificates, etc. Against this backdrop, a professionalforeign tradeagent's capabilities in "document pre-review + logistics optimization + compliance backstop" become key for companies to lower their import barriers.

II. Core Services: Document Processing and Full-Chain Logistics Management

Document processing is the "lifeline" of coffee imports. The agent needs to manage 8 core documents throughout the process: Commercial Invoice (must reflect FOB/CIF price terms), Packing List (detailing net/gross weight and specs of each box),?Ocean shipping?Bill of Lading (must be a clean on-board B/L), EU Certificate of Origin (EUR.1 format, issued by Italian customs), Health Certificate (must state "complies with EU food hygiene regulation (EC) 178/2002"), Certificate of Analysis (COA, including key indicators like caffeine content, water activity), endorsed Bill of Lading (if it is an order B/L, it must be endorsed for transfer), and Insurance Policy (under CIF terms, must cover 110% of the cargo value with all risks).

Taking the certificate of origin as an example, if a company incorrectly fills in "FORM E" (China-ASEAN Certificate of Origin) when self-declaring, customs will determine it as "non-preferential origin," and a customs duty of 8% (the MFN rate) will be levied (the preferential rate is 0%). A professional agent, by pre-reviewing document elements (such as the visa-issuing authority's stamp, consistency of manufacturer information with the bill of lading), can proactively mitigate such risks, shortening the customs clearance time by an average of 3-5 working days.

The logistics stage requires a "door-to-door" solution. From major Italian export ports (Genoa, Naples) to Chinese destination ports (Shanghai Yangshan, Qingdao Qianwan), the agent, based on the cargo volume (under 500kg choose?Air freight?, over 1 ton choose LCL, over 5 tons choose FCL) to match the optimal mode of transport. Sea freight usually uses 20GP/40HQ containers from Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) or Maersk, with a transit time of about 35-40 days. Air freight prefers cargo charters from Lufthansa (LH) or Air China (CA), with a transit time of 7-10 days.

In terms of logistics risk control, the agent will purchase "Ocean Marine Cargo Clauses (CIC)" insurance for the client, covering additional risks like Theft, Pilferage, and Non-Delivery (TPND) and Fresh Water Rain Damage (FWRD). At the same time, the container's movements are tracked in real-time through the shipping line's EDI system. In case of delays (such as congestion in the Suez Canal), warehousing at the destination port (e.g., Waigaoqiao Bonded Zone warehouse in Shanghai) can be quickly arranged to avoid exceeding demurrage charges.

III. Expansion of Business with Russia: VTB?Foreign exchange settlement?Advantages Boost Cross-Border Capital Flow

For clients transshipping through Russia or exporting directly to Russia, the agent provides specialized settlement services based on a long-term partnership with VTB Bank. As Russia's largest state-owned commercial bank (ranked among the top 50 global banks), VTB has three major advantages in China-Russia local currency settlement: first, preferential rates, with a settlement fee of only 0.15% (industry average 0.3%); second, fast arrival time, with cross-border RMB/Ruble remittances arriving on a T+1 basis (traditional banks require T+3); third, exchange rate locking, supporting both spot settlement and forward locking (up to 6 months), helping companies mitigate exchange rate fluctuation risks (e.g., in 2023, the Ruble's fluctuation against the RMB was 12%).

In a real case, a client imported 50 tons of Italian coffee transshipped through St. Petersburg to Moscow. By handling the T/T payment (30% advance + 70% upon arrival) through VTB, the settlement cost was about 30,000 RMB less than using other banks, and payment delays due to SWIFT system restrictions were avoided.

IV. Key Points for Import Compliance: Certification Notification and Risk Warning

Special Note: Our company does not directly provide product certification services, but we will clearly inform clients of the certifications they need to complete themselves and the support our agency can provide. According to GACC Decree 248 ("Administrative Provisions on Registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food"), Italian coffee producers must be registered in China (the registration number can be verified on the "Imported Food Overseas Manufacturer Registration Information Inquiry Platform"). At the same time, imported coffee must comply with the "National Food Safety Standard - General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods" (GB 7718-2011), and the Chinese label must include 11 elements such as "Country of Origin (Italy), Name and Address of Domestic Importer, Production Date/Shelf Life." The label filing must be submitted through the "Internet + Customs" platform.

The agent can assist clients in preparing the necessary materials for certification (such as the overseas manufacturer's business license, HACCP certification) and provide a label pre-review service (checking the compliance of the nutrition facts table and allergen information). If a company ignores certification requirements, it may face customs "rejection and fines" (according to the "Food Safety Law," fines for goods worth less than 10,000 RMB range from 50,000 to 100,000 RMB) or "removal from shelves for rectification" by market supervision authorities.

V. Full-Process Agency Services: Closed-Loop Management from Consultation to Feedback

The agency service covers a "9-step full process," with professional operations embedded in each stage:

1. Client Consultation: Use a needs questionnaire (import volume/specs/target market/budget) to define the service scope, for example, distinguishing the different regulatory requirements for green beans (HS 0901.21) and roasted beans (HS 0901.22) (green beans require "anti-pilferage" packaging, roasted beans need to indicate "roast level").

2. Negotiation and Contract Signing: Review key contract terms (payment method preference: 30% T/T advance + 70% upon sight of B/L copy, avoiding the high bank fees of 100% L/C), quality standards (stipulating "defect rate ≤ 2%"), and dispute resolution (choosing the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission).

3. Orders & Payment: Make payments through the agent's foreign exchange account (regulated by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange) to avoid the quota limits of self-payment by the company. If using a?L/C?(L/C), the agent will review "soft clauses" (e.g., "inspection certificate to be issued after buyer's representative inspects the goods") to prevent traps.

4. Production supervision: Commission SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance) for a Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI), focusing on verifying "coffee bean moisture content ≤ 12% (ISO 6673 standard)" and "impurity content ≤ 0.5%" to ensure compliance with contract specifications.

5. Logistics Management: When booking, choose vessels with an "age ≤ 15 years" (to reduce the risk of cargo moisture) and arrange for a "Telex Release" to speed up customs clearance. Simultaneously, pre-enter the customs declaration (via the Single Window system), reporting the HS code, transaction method, and other information to customs in advance.

6. Customs Compliance: Calculate the comprehensive tax rate (8% customs duty + 13% VAT, no consumption tax). If the "China-EU Investment Agreement" preferential terms apply, an application for the agreement rate can be made. Cooperate with customs inspections (approx. 15% inspection rate) and provide a "cargo damage appraisal report" (in case of transport damage) to seek tax reduction.

7. Delivery and Distribution: Achieve "48-hour delivery" through our own warehousing network (3 major distribution centers in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu), supporting "door-to-door" delivery (in cooperation with JD Logistics, SF Cold Chain), with cold chain transport temperature controlled at 18-22°C (the optimal storage temperature for coffee).

8. Quality Assurance: Commission the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC) for final inspection upon arrival. If quality issues such as a "mold rate exceeding 1%" are found, the agent assists in filing a claim (with the insurance company or shipping line), shortening the average compensation period to 15 days (from the industry average of 30 days).

9. Summary Feedback: Provide an "Import Execution Report" (including logistics timelines, cost structure, document compliance score) and complete electronic settlement through a "Foreign Trade Agency Service Platform" to ensure the alignment of "capital flow, goods flow, and document flow."

Conclusion: In essence, importing Italian coffee through an agent is about reducing a company's "compliance costs + time costs + trial-and-error costs" through professional expertise.?Zhong Shen?With 20 years of foreign trade experience, we achieve "zero-error pre-review" in document processing, a "98% on-time delivery rate" in logistics, and maintain a "zero-delay record" in settlements with Russia, truly becoming a "compliance guardian" and "efficiency accelerator" for businesses expanding their Italian coffee import operations.