U.S. Food Export to Malaysia

Chihade International supplies American food products to registered importers and foodservice distributors in Malaysia, shipped from our SQF-certified facility in Georgia. Malaysia is a priority market for us and we are actively looking for a distributor partner there.

Why Malaysia

Malaysia imports roughly $25 billion of agricultural products a year, and the U.S. currently supplies only about $1 billion of that — around 4%. Retail food is worth $16.6 billion, the hotel, restaurant and institutional sector around $13 billion, and food processing $8.63 billion.

The headroom is real. Malaysia imported roughly $600 million of beef in the first eight months of 2025 with almost none of it U.S. origin. For a distributor with the right approvals in place, that is an unusually open field.

What We Do From the U.S.

We are a U.S. exporter. We do not operate warehouses or distribution in Malaysia — 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
• Bahasa Malaysia or English 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

Malaysia is one of the more demanding markets to enter properly, and the halal regime is the reason. We set that out plainly so you can plan the range around it.

The Food Safety and Quality Division (FSQD) of the Ministry of Health enforces the Food Act 1983 and approves labels. The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) registers foreign meat, poultry, dairy and egg plants. MAQIS issues e-permits and carries out border sampling. JAKIM is the sole halal authority.

The critical point on halal: using a JAKIM-recognised U.S. certifier is not sufficient on its own for meat and poultry. The abattoir or processing plant itself must be jointly audited by JAKIM and DVS and appear on Malaysia’s approved-plants register, under the Malaysian Protocol for Halal Meat Production (MS 1500). We work only with plants that hold the right approvals, and we will tell you honestly at the quoting stage whether a given product can actually ship.

Labels may be in Bahasa Malaysia or English. Import permits are requested through the e-permit system by registered Malaysian importers, and the foreign plant must already hold DVS registration before a permit can be requested — so the partner relationship is structurally necessary, not just convenient.

Port Klang and Tanjung Pelepas are the container gateways; Kuala Lumpur International handles air freight.

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.

See all markets we serve →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a warehouse or office in Malaysia?

No. Chihade International is a U.S. exporter based in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and we ship from there. We do not hold stock inside Malaysia. 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.

Is it enough that your halal certifier is recognised by JAKIM?

No, and this is where most exporters get caught out. For meat and poultry, the plant itself must be jointly audited by JAKIM and DVS and listed on Malaysia’s approved-plants register. Certifier recognition alone will not clear a shipment. We check plant approval status per product before quoting.

Can you supply U.S. poultry to Malaysia?

Not currently, as far as we can establish. U.S. fresh and frozen poultry produced on or after 20 July 2022 has not been eligible for Malaysia. Trade discussions have been ongoing and the position may change, so we confirm current eligibility per category at the time of enquiry rather than assuming.

Who applies for the import permit?

The registered Malaysian importer, through the e-permit system — and only after the foreign plant holds DVS registration. That sequence is why we need a properly licensed partner rather than an agent.

How We Work With Partners in Malaysia

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 Malaysia.
• 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: Halal certification: what actually matters  ·  Export documentation, in plain English  ·  How to become a distributor partner  · How franchise export works ·  all export guides

Become Our Distributor Partner in Malaysia

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