Frequently asked questions about food export and working with us

A food export company manages the entire process of moving food products from a producer in one country to buyers in another. This includes finding qualified buyers, arranging freight and customs clearance, preparing all required documentation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and coordinating delivery. At Global Trade Solution, we handle all of these stages under one roof — so producers can focus on making great food while we handle the complexity of getting it to global markets.

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Starting food export involves five key steps: (1) identifying a viable target market with demand for your product, (2) understanding that market's import regulations and certification requirements, (3) finding qualified, vetted buyers or distributors, (4) arranging compliant logistics and documentation, and (5) managing customs clearance at both origin and destination. Working with a specialist trade partner like Global Trade Solution significantly reduces the time, cost, and risk of each step — especially for first-time exporters entering African or Middle Eastern markets.

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We primarily export to markets across Africa and the Middle East — including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. We also handle shipments to other regions on request. Our strongest trade corridors are West Africa, North Africa, and the Gulf states, where we have established buyer networks and regulatory knowledge. Contact us with your target market and we will confirm availability and advise on requirements.

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We work with food producers of all sizes — from family-run artisan producers making their first international shipment to established manufacturers expanding into new regions. Our services are fully scalable: we can manage a single container trial shipment or an ongoing multi-country distribution programme. We tailor the scope and intensity of our support to match your capacity and ambition.

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Most packaged, preserved, and shelf-stable food products are suitable for export to African and Middle Eastern markets. Key factors we assess include shelf life (minimum 6 months remaining at point of export is standard), packaging durability for long-distance transit, halal certification requirements for the destination market, and applicable import regulations. Perishable and fresh products are exportable but require cold chain logistics and stricter documentation. Contact us with your product details and we will give you an honest assessment at no cost.

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Delivery time depends on the shipping method and destination. Sea freight to West Africa typically takes 10–21 days from a European port; East Africa and the Middle East 14–28 days. Air freight is significantly faster at 2–7 days door-to-door but is more expensive and suited to perishable or urgent shipments. We advise the optimal method based on your product type, shelf life, volume, and budget — and provide realistic timelines before every shipment.

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Sea freight is the right choice for most food exports — it is significantly more cost-effective for bulk volumes and suits shelf-stable products like grains, canned goods, nuts, and beverages. Air freight is the better option for perishable or time-sensitive products (fresh produce, seafood, premium meats) where speed outweighs cost. Some exporters use air freight for initial trial shipments to a new market, then transition to sea freight once demand is established. We help you evaluate both options and recommend the most efficient route for your specific product and destination.

→ Read our sea vs air freight guide

Export costs vary based on product type, volume, destination, and shipping method. The main cost components are: freight (sea or air), export packaging, documentation and certification fees, customs clearance charges at origin and destination, cargo insurance, and our service fee. A 20-foot container of dry goods to West Africa typically ranges from €2,000–€5,000 in freight costs, excluding product. We provide a full cost breakdown with no hidden fees before any commitment. Request a free quote via our contact page.

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We handle both full container loads (FCL) and less-than-container loads (LCL). LCL consolidation is ideal for smaller volumes — your goods share a container with other compatible cargo, reducing cost significantly. This makes international export accessible for producers who are not yet shipping at full-container volumes. We advise which option is more cost-effective based on your cargo weight and destination.

→ Tell us your volume and we will advise

Yes. We manage cold chain and temperature-controlled logistics for frozen fish, meat, poultry, and other perishable food products. This includes refrigerated container (reefer) booking, temperature monitoring throughout transit, cold storage coordination at port, and ensuring the cold chain is not broken at any point from production facility to destination. We have particular experience in frozen protein exports to West Africa and the Gulf states.

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The standard documents required for international food export include: Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading (sea) or Airway Bill (air), Certificate of Origin, Health Certificate (for animal-based products), Phytosanitary Certificate (for plant-based products), Certificate of Conformity, and destination-specific import permits. For Middle Eastern and some African markets, a Halal Certificate is also required. The exact set varies by product type and destination country. Our compliance team prepares and verifies all documentation before every shipment.

→ Learn about our compliance and documentation service

Shipment holds at customs are usually caused by incomplete or incorrect documentation, labelling non-compliance, or missing certificates. When we manage your export, our pre-shipment documentation audit is specifically designed to prevent this. If a hold does occur — even on shipments not originally managed by us — we can intervene, identify the issue, liaise with our local customs agents, and work to release the cargo as quickly as possible. Speed of response is critical in these situations and our on-the-ground network is a significant advantage.

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We coordinate customs clearance both at the EU export point and at the destination country's port of entry. We work with a network of licensed customs agents in our key markets who handle the import declaration, duty payment, and port release process on your behalf. This end-to-end customs management is one of the main reasons clients choose to work with us — destination customs is often where delays and costs occur, and our local relationships minimize both.

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Yes — and they vary significantly by country. Common requirements include: local language translation on packaging (French for West Africa, Arabic for North Africa and Middle East), specific date formatting for best-before and production dates, minimum font size requirements, country-of-origin declarations, and nutritional information in the correct local format. Labelling non-compliance is one of the top causes of customs rejection in African markets. We check packaging against destination requirements before every shipment and flag any issues that need to be resolved before export.

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Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) are standardised codes that define who bears cost and risk at each stage of an international shipment. The most common for food exporters are: FOB (Free On Board — seller delivers to port, buyer handles freight and import), CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight — seller covers shipping and insurance to buyer's port), and DDP (Delivered Duty Paid — seller handles everything to buyer's door). For new exporters, FOB or CIF are the most balanced starting points. We advise the right Incoterm for each trade relationship and destination market.

→ Read our full Incoterms guide

Halal certification is mandatory for all meat, poultry, and animal-derived products exported to Muslim-majority markets — which includes most of West Africa, North Africa, and the entire Middle East. For plant-based products and beverages, halal certification may be required depending on ingredients (particularly additives and flavourings). We work exclusively with halal-certified suppliers for relevant product categories and can advise on whether your specific product requires certification for your target market.

→ See halal requirements by product category

Most African and Middle Eastern import markets require a minimum of 50–75% of the product's total shelf life remaining at the time of arrival at the destination port. In practical terms, this means a product with a 12-month shelf life should have at least 6–9 months remaining when it arrives. We factor transit time and port clearance duration into our shipment planning to ensure your products always meet the minimum shelf life requirement at destination.

→ Learn how we plan shipments around shelf life

We can guide you through the halal certification process and connect you with accredited certification bodies recognised in your target market. Certification must be obtained from an authority recognised by the importing country's halal regulatory body — and these vary between Saudi Arabia, UAE, Nigeria, Egypt, and other markets. We know which certifications are accepted where, which saves significant time and cost. Contact us with your product and destination market for specific guidance.

→ Ask us about halal certification for your product

Yes. Import restrictions vary significantly by country and product. Alcohol and pork products are prohibited in most Muslim-majority markets. Some countries restrict genetically modified (GMO) foods. Certain additives and preservatives approved in the EU are banned in specific African or Middle Eastern markets. Country-of-origin restrictions also apply in some cases — for example, some markets restrict imports from countries with active animal disease outbreaks. We screen your product against all relevant destination restrictions before shipment planning begins.

→ Ask us about restrictions for your product

Yes. We handle food exports with a range of certifications including organic (EU Organic, USDA, etc.), Fair Trade, non-GMO, and various national quality marks. Specialty certifications can be a strong commercial advantage in premium African and Middle Eastern retail markets, where demand for certified quality products is growing. We advise on which certifications carry the most market value in your target region and how to present them compliantly on export documentation.

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Getting started is simple. Contact us via our contact form, email, or WhatsApp with a brief description of your product, your target market, and your approximate volumes. We will arrange a free initial consultation — by video call, phone, or in person if you are near Hamburg or Cairo — to understand your situation fully and explain how we can help. There is no obligation and no cost for this first conversation.

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For a new export relationship to a market we are active in, a realistic timeline from initial consultation to first delivered shipment is 6–12 weeks. This covers: buyer identification and vetting (2–4 weeks), contract and documentation preparation (1–2 weeks), production and packaging (varies), freight booking and departure (1–2 weeks), and transit and customs clearance (2–4 weeks depending on destination). We provide a detailed project timeline at the start of every engagement so you can plan your production and cash flow accordingly.

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Both options are available. Many clients use our full end-to-end service — trade solutions, logistics, and quality control together. Others engage us for a specific need: for example, a producer who already has a buyer may only need our logistics and compliance services. We are flexible and build each engagement around what you actually need. We will be transparent about where our involvement adds the most value and where you may not need us.

→ See our three core services

Three things set us apart. First, we are genuinely specialized in food — not a general freight forwarder that also handles food. Every service we offer is built around the specific requirements of food trade. Second, we have real roots in the markets we serve — our Cairo office and founding team give us authentic relationships and cultural understanding in African and Middle Eastern markets that most European trade companies simply do not have. Third, we are founder-led and personally accountable — you will always deal directly with the people who own and run this business, not a junior account manager. That personal commitment is at the heart of everything we do.

→ Meet our team and read our story

We have two offices: our head office in Hamburg, Germany (20249) and a regional office in Cairo, Egypt. Our team works in English, German, and Arabic — which gives us a practical communication advantage when coordinating between European producers and African or Middle Eastern buyers. We are comfortable conducting business in any of these languages and can prepare documentation in the format required by your destination market.

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