HS 16 · 20
Food and seafood, where documentation decides everything.
Food sourcing carries a requirement the other categories do not: your destination country decides what is admissible, and it decides at the border. Getting the documentation question answered before production starts is worth more than any price negotiation.
What we can source
Product groups in this category.
Frozen seafood
Shrimp, tuna, snapper, octopus, and crab. Whole, portioned, or value-added depending on the processor.
Dried and salted seafood
Anchovy, seaweed, and dried fish. Longer shelf life and simpler logistics than frozen, with different moisture and salt specifications.
Processed ingredients
Coconut milk, palm sugar, sauces, pastes, and food-grade oils.
Snacks and packaged foods
Often available for private label. Ask about minimum runs early — they are usually higher than buyers expect.
What to specify
The details that decide the price.
A supplier who cannot answer these cannot quote. Sending them up front is the single fastest way to get comparable numbers back.
- Species and format
- State the scientific name where it matters. Common names differ between markets and cause real mismatches.
- Size or grade
- Shrimp by count per pound, fish by weight band. Confirm whether the count is before or after processing.
- Processing method
- Block frozen, IQF, cooked, raw, headless, peeled. Each changes yield and price substantially.
- Glazing percentage
- For frozen seafood this directly affects what you actually receive per kilo. Specify a maximum.
- Shelf life and storage
- Required temperature in transit and remaining shelf life on arrival. State both.
Commercial considerations
- Cold-chain shipping costs more and tolerates fewer delays than dry cargo. Build that into your timeline.
- Private label snack production usually carries a higher minimum run than trading finished goods.
- Seasonality affects both availability and price for wild-caught species.
- Ask what happens if a shipment is rejected at the destination — agree it in writing before, not after.
Packaging
- Frozen: inner poly bags in master cartons, with clear labelling of species, grade, and production date.
- Confirm carton dimensions and pallet configuration — reefer container space is expensive.
- Retail-ready packaging usually requires artwork approval and a separate minimum run.
- Labelling requirements are set by your destination market, not by the supplier. Send the exact requirement.
Certifications buyers may request
- HACCP, and an approved establishment number where the destination requires one
- BRC or IFS for some retail buyers
- MSC or ASC for buyers with sustainability commitments
- Halal certification, depending on destination market
- Health certificate and catch documentation, usually issued per shipment
Certifications listed above are ones buyers commonly ask for. They are not a claim that any particular supplier holds them. We record what each supplier actually holds, and say plainly what is missing.
Sourcing context
What affects your timeline.
- Approval requirements for food imports differ sharply between the EU, US, Japan, and the Middle East. Tell us the destination first — it determines which suppliers can serve you at all.
- A processor without the right establishment approval cannot ship to some markets regardless of product quality.
- We do not verify regulatory approvals ourselves. We collect what the supplier holds and tell you what is missing.
How suppliers are checked
You see the level, not just a badge.
Documents checked
Business registration (NIB), tax ID (NPWP), and any certifications collected and cross-checked for consistency with the company identity given to us.
Capability confirmed
Production capacity, lead times, packaging, and export experience confirmed in a direct call with the person responsible.
Seen in person
Production site visited in person, with dated photos and notes filed on record. Given only when the visit actually happened.
Before you ask
Include these and quotes come back faster.
Each missing item is one more round of email before a supplier can put a number on paper.
- 01Species, format, and grade
- 02Destination country — this decides the documentation path
- 03Required certifications and any establishment approval
- 04Volume, packaging format, and labelling requirement
- 05Temperature requirement in transit
- 06Whether you need a sample and how it should be shipped
Questions buyers ask
About sourcing this category.
- Can you confirm a supplier is approved to export to my market?
- We collect and pass on what the supplier holds, and we tell you plainly what they do not hold. We are not a certification body and do not verify regulatory approvals ourselves — your own compliance check still applies.
- How are frozen samples handled?
- Frozen samples need courier arrangements that not every supplier has used before. Sometimes a dry or vacuum-packed equivalent is sent first. We flag which suppliers have done this successfully.
- What is the most common reason food shipments fail?
- Documentation and labelling, not product quality. Sending your exact destination requirements at the RFQ stage prevents most of it.
Other categories
Sourcing more than one thing?
Put everything in a single request. It is easier for you, and it lets us look for suppliers who can cover more than one line.
- HS 09 · 18Agriculture & Commodities
- HS 94Furniture & Decor
- HS 61 · 62Textiles & Apparel
- HS 33Beauty & Wellness
- HS 46Handicrafts
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