U.S. Food Export to Oman

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

Why Oman

Oman’s stand-out advantage is the U.S.–Oman Free Trade Agreement, in force since January 2009 — one of only two U.S. free trade agreements in the Gulf. Qualifying U.S. goods enter on preferential terms, either wholly obtained or meeting a 35% U.S./Omani value content threshold, with an origin declaration filed on request.

U.S. agricultural exports were $82 million in 2023 and growing at around 3% annually. It is a smaller market, but one where the tariff position is materially better than in neighbouring states.

What We Do From the U.S.

We are a U.S. exporter. We do not operate warehouses or distribution in Oman — 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
• Arabic 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 Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) leads on imported-food control. In July 2025 it tightened requirements so that import approval depends on establishments in the country of origin meeting Omani food-safety requirements.

Standards sit with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and customs and health officials also have roles, so documentation needs to satisfy several audiences at once.

Oman is distinctive in requiring halal, health and country-of-origin certificates to be notarised and legalised by the Omani Embassy or Consulate before goods clear.

Labels must be Arabic or Arabic and English, with meat and poultry carrying country of origin and production and expiry dates in Arabic.

Sohar is the main commercial container gateway. Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat ceased container operations in 2014, and Salalah serves as the major transhipment hub.

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

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.

Do you have a warehouse or office in Oman?

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

Does the U.S.–Oman FTA reduce duty on our shipments?

For qualifying goods, yes. Products must be wholly obtained in the U.S. or meet the 35% value-content rule, and an origin declaration is provided on request. We prepare the origin documentation as part of the export pack.

What is consular legalisation, and who handles it?

Oman requires halal, health and origin certificates to be legalised by its embassy or consulate before goods clear. We manage that step in the U.S. so your shipment is not held while paperwork catches up.

How We Work With Partners in Oman

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 Oman.
• 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  ·  Multi-language labelling for exported U.S. food  ·  How to become a distributor partner  · How franchise export works ·  all export guides

Become Our Distributor Partner in Oman

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