U.S. Food Export to Germany

Chihade International supplies American food products to importers and foodservice distributors in Germany, shipped from our SQF-certified facility in Georgia. We are looking for a distributor partner in Germany.

Why Germany

Germany took around $3.1 billion of U.S. agricultural exports in 2025, roughly $1.5 billion of it consumer-oriented. Food retail is worth $293.1 billion, with four buying groups controlling about 76% of it, and foodservice a further $93.7 billion.

USDA makes the case for a distributor partner more bluntly than we would: “Few German retailers import products directly from other countries.” Specialised importers handle clearance, warehousing and distribution — so without a partner, the shelf is effectively closed. Growth categories are almonds, pistachios, walnuts and hazelnuts, Alaska seafood, whiskies, food preparations and wine.

What We Do From the U.S.

We are a U.S. exporter. We do not operate warehouses or distribution in Germany — that is what our distributor partners do. Our job is everything on the American side of the shipment:

• Sourcing from more than 300 U.S. manufacturers, to your specification
• Consolidating mixed loads into full containers, so you are not forced into single-supplier minimums
• Dry, chilled and frozen storage in our 64,000 sq. ft. SQF-certified facility in Lawrenceville, Georgia
• German-language labelling, stickering and ink-jet date coding applied before goods leave the U.S.
• Export documentation — USDA and health certificates, halal certification where required, certificates of origin
• Ocean and air freight on contracted U.S. lanes, with expedited air for urgent replenishment

Import Requirements We Prepare For

The Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL) coordinates at federal level, maintains the approved-establishment databases and lists designated border control posts. Enforcement is carried out by the sixteen Länder rather than federally — the competent body is the authority where the German importer is located.

A word on meat, because it is where most U.S. exporters get this wrong. The restriction is on the treatment, not on American origin. Beef enters legally provided the cattle are certified under the USDA Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (NHTC) programme, with segregation at slaughter and an EU-approved establishment. Pork must move under the FSIS Pork for the EU (PFEU) programme, since ractopamine is not permitted. Poultry is the genuine problem: the pathogen-reduction treatments used by essentially all U.S. processors are not approved, so U.S. poultry does not form part of our programme here. Beef, dairy, grocery and foodservice lines are unaffected.

The EU operates a country-specific duty-free tariff-rate quota for U.S. high-quality beef, which reaches its full 35,000 tonnes in 2026, the first year at the top of the phase-in. Eligible product must meet the high-quality beef definition, including cattle under 30 months and a minimum 100 days on feed.

Labelling must be in German. The importer is, in BVL’s words, the first link in the domestic sales chain and is legally responsible for the marketability of the goods, and the customs declarant must be established in the EU.

Hamburg is the main container gateway at 8.3 million TEU in 2025, with Bremerhaven second. Frankfurt is Europe’s largest cargo airport.

What We Look For in a Distributor Partner

We are deliberately selective, because these relationships tend to last decades rather than seasons. We are typically looking for:

• An established importer of record, with the licences and clearance experience the market requires
• Real coverage of at least one channel — modern retail, wholesale, foodservice distribution, or franchise supply
• Temperature-controlled storage and distribution appropriate to the categories you want to carry
• A sales team that can place and support a new brand rather than simply warehousing it
• An interest in a long-term programme, including exclusive lines where it makes sense for both sides

If that is a reasonable description of your business, we would like to talk.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a warehouse or office in Germany?

No. Chihade International is a U.S. exporter based in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and we ship from there. We do not hold stock inside Germany. Local importing, clearance, storage and distribution are handled by our distributor partners — which is precisely the role we are looking to fill.

Do we have to order a full container of a single product?

No. Consolidation is one of the main reasons distributors work with us. We combine products from multiple U.S. manufacturers into one container, so you can carry a broad range without committing to full-truckload minimums from each supplier.

Can we get exclusive rights to a brand in our market?

In many cases, yes. Chihade International is the exclusive distributor of Country Sun, our own brand of American cheeses, mayonnaise, frying oils, cheese sauce and breakfast meats. Where it makes commercial sense on both sides, we grant exclusive Country Sun distribution rights by territory — a line your competitors cannot stock. See the range at countrysunfoods.com.

Why can we not simply sell direct to a German retailer?

Because German retailers very rarely import directly. USDA reports that specialised importers handle clearance, warehousing and distribution, and the customs declarant must be established in the EU. The importer is also legally responsible for the marketability of the goods — which is why the partner relationship carries real weight here.

Can you supply U.S. beef and pork to Germany?

Yes, within the rules. Beef must come from cattle certified under the USDA Non-Hormone Treated Cattle programme; pork must move under the FSIS Pork for the EU programme because ractopamine is not permitted. We source only from plants holding the right approvals and confirm eligibility before quoting.

Do you handle German-language labelling?

Yes, in Georgia before the container ships. A standard U.S. label does not meet EU requirements, so relabelling is not optional — we do it at the point of packing rather than leaving it to be corrected on arrival.

How We Work With Partners in Germany

Whichever channel you operate in, the U.S. side of the shipment is the same: sourcing, consolidation, preparation and documentation from our SQF-certified facility in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

• Franchise export — supplying U.S. franchise brands at their locations in Germany.
• Distributor partnerships — for importers and foodservice distributors carrying American lines.
• Retail and supermarket consolidation — an American grocery range without single-supplier minimums.
• Export warehousing and 3PL — dry, chilled and frozen under one roof in Georgia.
• All export services — the full picture of what we handle before a container sails.
• Beef and protein export — U.S. beef, poultry and seafood, including halal programmes, with plant eligibility confirmed for each market.

Useful reading: Export documentation, in plain English  ·  Cold chain for food exports  ·  How to become a distributor partner  · How franchise export works ·  all export guides

Become Our Distributor Partner in Germany

Tell us about your market coverage and the products you are looking for, and we will be in touch about a distribution program.