Is it necessary to find a local agent for food imports in Saudi Arabia?

According to the latest regulations of the Ministry of Commerce and Investment of Saudi Arabia in 2025,Compulsory requirements for food importsBusiness must be carried out through local agents. There are two exceptions that allow self - operation under special circumstances:

• Having obtained the Class A importer qualification issued by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
• Establishing a wholly - owned subsidiary in Saudi Arabia and completing commercial registration

In actual operation, 95% of foreign companies choose the agency model. Take a Chinese red date exporter as an example. In 2023, through the agency channel, it successfully avoided the risk of cargo clearance delay worth $1.2 million.

How to identify professional foodImport agent?

High - quality agents should possess the following core capabilities:

• Qualification verification
  • Food circulation license filed with SFDA
  • Warehouse certified to GCC standards (essential for temperature - controlled storage)
• Capacity of service
  • Fast - track customs clearance channels covering Jeddah Port and Dammam Port
  • Local distribution network (especially in key cities such as Mecca and Riyadh)
• Compliance guarantee
  • Familiar with the new version of Halal certification (updated standards in 2024)
  • Master the operation of the SFDA label pre - review system

What are the new changes in the Halal certification in 2025?

The latest requirements of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs of Saudi Arabia:

• Added newReal - time monitoring of the production processRequirements (installation of a specified monitoring system is required)
• Animal - derived ingredients must be providedDNA Traceability Report
• The Halal certification for packaging materials is extended to tier-3 suppliers

It is recommended to choose those withGAC certificationThe agency has a 37% higher certification pass rate than ordinary agencies (Data source: GCC Customs 2024 Annual Report).

What special requirements should be noted for food transportation?

Three core elements of Saudi food logistics:

• Temperature control
  • Frozen food: Record the whole process at -18℃±2℃
  • Normal temperature food: The transportation environment is ≤25℃
• Effect of transportation
  • From port to warehouse ≤72 hours (including quarantine time)
  • Unboxing inspection must be completed in the supervised warehouse
• Document preparation
  • The new health certificate must contain a QR verification code
  • The ingredient list needs to be in Arabic/English bilingual

How to prevent payment risks under the agency model?

Recommended adoptionInstallment PaymentSolution:

• 30% advance payment (after contract signing)
• Pay 40% upon seeing the copy of the bill of lading
• 30% of the balance (after completing the SFDA filing)

At the same time, the agent is required to provideBank guaranteeorcredit card. A condiment enterprise successfully recovered $250,000 of overdue accounts through this model in 2024.

How to resolve common trade disputes?

High - frequency controversial points and countermeasures in the past three years:

• Shelf - life disputes
  • Require the remaining shelf - life to be ≥18 months (3 months before the production date)
• Label violations
  • Must pass the SFDA online pre - review system
  • Disable sensitive terms such as "healthcare functions."
• 20. Quality Dispute
  • Designate a SASO - certified laboratory for re - inspection
  • Purchase transportation insurance to cover quality risks