U.S. Food Export to Taiwan

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

Why Taiwan

Taiwan is the ninth-largest market in the world for U.S. agricultural exports, taking $4.30 billion in 2025, up 12% year on year. Consumer-oriented food accounted for $2.09 billion of that — nearly half — with beef alone at $668 million and fresh fruit at $303 million.

Retail is unusually fragmented and convenience-led: small local grocers hold 27%, convenience stores 19%, supermarkets 17%, hypermarkets 15% and warehouse clubs 11%. There are over 10,000 convenience stores, roughly one for every 1,500 people. Foodservice is worth $32.6 billion.

What We Do From the U.S.

We are a U.S. exporter. We do not operate warehouses or distribution in Taiwan — 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
• Traditional Chinese 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 Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA), under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, is the competent authority. Animal and plant quarantine sits with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA).

Labelling must be in Traditional Chinese characters, covering product name, ingredients, net weight, additives, country of origin, expiry date and the importer’s name, address and telephone number. English is optional alongside. Bulk product going for further processing rather than retail is exempt.

Import operators must complete food business registration under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, filing with municipal or county authorities and declaring product liability insurance and storage locations. USDA states plainly that appointing an import agent is critical for most exporters — which is the role we are looking to fill on the Taiwan side.

U.S. beef must come from establishments approved under the AMS Export Verification programme. Ractopamine pork has been permitted since January 2021. Access widened in February 2026 to include U.S. ground beef plus heart, liver and kidney; brains and spinal cords remain excluded. Seafood gained full access in August 2025.

Kaohsiung is the largest container port, with Keelung, Taichung and Taipei also handling containers. Taoyuan 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 Taiwan?

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

Does the new U.S.–Taiwan trade agreement mean lower tariffs now?

Not yet. The Agreement on Reciprocal Trade was signed in February 2026 and commits Taiwan to eliminate or reduce tariff barriers on 99% of U.S. agricultural products, but it still requires approval by Taiwan’s legislature and is not in force. We quote on the duties actually applying at the time of shipment, not on anticipated ones.

Who handles the Traditional Chinese labelling?

We do, in Georgia, before the container ships — including the importer details Taiwan requires on the label, which we take from your registration.

How We Work With Partners in Taiwan

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 Taiwan.
• 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  ·  Container consolidation for food importers  ·  How to become a distributor partner  · How franchise export works ·  all export guides

Become Our Distributor Partner in Taiwan

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