U.S. Food Export to Peru

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

Why Peru

U.S. agricultural exports to Peru were $889 million in 2024, with consumer-oriented product at $370 million. Retail food is worth $24 billion and growing around 6%, with foodservice at $7.5 billion.

Peru has the most traditional retail structure in the region: roughly 75% of grocery sales still go through traditional channels — more than 383,000 formal bodegas plus wet markets — against 25% modern trade across 319 supermarkets and superstores and 1,062 convenience outlets. Outside Lima the traditional share rises to 81%. A distributor with genuine bodega reach is worth a great deal here.

What We Do From the U.S.

We are a U.S. exporter. We do not operate warehouses or distribution in Peru — 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
• Spanish-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

Responsibility splits three ways: DIGESA under the Ministry of Health covers processed foods and beverages and is the one that matters for packaged goods; SENASA covers fresh produce and animal products; SANIPES covers fish and aquaculture.

Under the U.S.–Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, in force since 2009, roughly 90% of U.S. exports entered duty free at the outset and nearly all U.S. food now enters duty free, with a small number of lines completing phase-out mid-decade. We confirm the current position per product rather than quoting a date, because published sources disagree on the final year.

Labelling is in Spanish, and adhesive labels are acceptable before retail. Peru requires black octagon warnings — “ALTO EN SODIO / AZÚCAR / GRASAS SATURADAS” with “Evitar su consumo excesivo”, and a trans fat warning at any detectable level. The binding thresholds have been the stricter Phase 2 values since September 2021: 400mg sodium, 10g sugars and 4g saturated fat per 100g for solids. Some government-published guidance still shows the older Phase 1 numbers, so we work from the current values.

A Registro Sanitario from DIGESA is required, valid five years, and it must be filed by a Peruvian-registered company holding a valid RUC — so the registration sits with your business, not ours.

Callao is the primary gateway for U.S. cargo; Jorge Chávez 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 Peru?

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

Who holds the sanitary registration in Peru?

The local importer. Unlike Colombia, Peru requires the Registro Sanitario to be filed by a company registered with the Peruvian tax authority holding a valid RUC — so it sits with your business and we supply against it.

Which octagon thresholds apply?

The Phase 2 values in force since September 2021 — 400mg sodium, 10g sugars and 4g saturated fat per 100g for solids, with trans fats triggering a warning at any detectable level. Some official pages still display the superseded 2019 figures, so we work from the current binding values.

How do we reach retail outside Lima?

Through traditional trade, realistically. Around 75% of grocery sales nationally and 81% outside Lima still go through bodegas and wet markets. Mixed consolidated containers suit that structure well, because they let a distributor carry range without heavy per-line commitments.

How We Work With Partners in Peru

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 Peru.
• 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: Multi-language labelling for exported U.S. food  ·  Container consolidation for food importers  ·  How to become a distributor partner  · How franchise export works ·  all export guides

Become Our Distributor Partner in Peru

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