Mission:

If you want to sell food into China, the first hurdle is not the product label—it's whether your factory holds a GACC Overseas Manufacturer Registration number. Under GACC Decree No. 248 (Measures for the Registration Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food, effective 2022), all imported food—except for a few exempted categories—must complete China registration, obtain an 18-digit "China Registration Number," and declare it on product labels or customs documents. Without it, customs will refuse clearance at the port.

Overseas manufacturers constantly hit the same fork in the road: for my product, which route should I take — "Novel Food Raw Material" or "Health Food"? Both can get you into the Chinese market, but the cost, timeline, and marketing upside are worlds apart.

In the business of importing food products, health supplements, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-related products, “food-medicine homology” is a frequently used term—and also a major compliance risk area. Many products that are marketed overseas as ordinary foods or dietary supplements may face a completely different classification when entering the Chinese market. Whether an ingredient belongs to the “Food and Medicinal Substance List” directly determines whether the product is classified as a general food, health food, or even a pharmaceutical product.