Home»Food & Beverage» How to act as an agent for exporting Hungarian red wine? What qualifications and procedures are required?
1. How to Select High-Quality Hungarian Red Wine Suppliers?
When selecting a Hungarian red wine supplier, it is essential to focus on three key dimensions:: Customs AEO certification, Class A foreign exchange management enterprises,Production scaleandTerms of Cooperation。Priority should be given to wineries with EU BRC/IFS certification, as their production standards comply with international norms. During on-site inspections, focus on whether the winery's annual production capacity remains stable at over 500,000 bottles to ensure supply chain reliability. Pay special attention to the following in the cooperation terms:
Minimum Order Quantity: Traditional wineries typically require a minimum order of one container (approximately 12,000 bottles).
Payment method: 30% down payment + 70% upon copy of bill of lading is the mainstream model.
Quality Assurance: Request to provide the annual inspection report (must include key indicators such as methanol and sulfur dioxide).
II. What procedures are required for Hungarian red wine exports to China?
According to the latest 2025 trade agreement, the following core procedures must be completed for the import of Hungarian wine:
Health certificate: Must include 18 testing data items such as alcohol content and total acidity.
Filing of Chinese back labels:Submit the label pre-review to the General Administration of Customs 6 months in advance.
Special Reminder: Starting from 2025, China will implementTraceability QR codeEach bottle of liquor must have a traceable electronic label affixed to its body.
III. What risks should be considered when transporting Hungarian red wine?
There are three key risk points to focus on during wine transportation:
Temperature control: Maintain a constant temperature of 12-18°C throughout transportation. It is recommended to use active refrigeration containers.
Vibration Protection: Containers must be equipped with seismic brackets, with a maximum stacking height of no more than 8 layers per container.
: Require the agent to purchase liability insurance of at least 5 million yuan: It is recommended to purchase A+ grade insurance.Maritime TransportationRisk, with special mention of the Breakage Clause.
Experience and advice:China-Europe Railway Express(Chongqing-Budapest) Saves 10 days of transportation time compared to maritime shipping, with dedicated wine carriages equipped with temperature control systems by 2025.
4. How to Calculate the Comprehensive Cost of Importing Hungarian Wine?
Taking the 2025 market conditions as an example, calculate the import cost for a standard container (12,000 bottles):
FOB price: Mid-range dry red wine approximately €2.8-3.5/bottle
Consumption Tax: 10% specific tax (¥1.5 per 500ml)
Real-life case: A company imported Tokaji Aszú wine at €3.2 per bottle, with the total landed cost reaching approximately ¥45.6 per bottle (including customs clearance fees).
V. How to Avoid Cross-Border Payment Risks?
Here are three recommended secure payment solutions:
L/CPurchase credit insurance: Request the winery to provide a SWIFT-certified bank account.
Escrow: Pay in installments through the Europacco third-party supervision platform.
Blockchain settlement: Some wineries accept digital currency payments (please note China's foreign exchange control policies).
Important Notice: The EU will strengthen anti-money laundering regulations in 2025, requiring proof of fund source for any single cross-border payment exceeding €10,000.
6. How to file a claim for quality issues?
Establish a three-tier quality assurance mechanism:
Pre-shipment inspection: Entrust SGS to conduct random sampling of containers (the sampling ratio shall not be less than 5%).
Re-inspection upon arrival: The error in alcohol content testing by China Customs laboratories must not exceed ±0.5% vol.
Insurance claims settlement: The insurance claim procedure can be initiated if the breakage rate exceeds 3%.
It is recommended to explicitly stipulate in the trade contract that the costs of return shipment due to quality issues shall be borne by the Hungarian supplier.
7. How to Develop Sales Channels in China?
For the characteristics of Hungarian red wine, it is recommended to lay out three types of channels:
Premium catering channels: Featuring Tokaji Aszú wines with 5 Puttonyos or above.
Cross-border E-commercePlatform: Utilize the 1210 model of comprehensive bonded zones to reduce operational costs.
Custom Private Wine Cellar: Promote special blended products such as Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood of Eger).
Market Data: From January to June 2025, China's imports of Hungarian wines increased by 37% year-on-year, with sweet wines accounting for 68% of the market share.