Imported Wine Bonded Warehousing & Nationwide Distribution
Client Background
A Shanghai-based imported wine trading company sourcing bottled red wine from regions such as Bordeaux in France, the Central Valley of Chile and the Barossa Valley in Australia, supplying premium supermarkets nationwide (Ole', Hema Fresh, CitySuper, etc.) and star-rated hotels, with annual imports exceeding RMB 30 million.
Client Requirements
- Imported wine requires temperature-controlled warehousing (15–18°C), with temperature fluctuation not exceeding ±2°C.
- Each bottle requires a Chinese back label (product name, region, vintage, alcohol content, importer information, etc.).
- After warehousing, goods are released in batches and duty-paid based on supermarket orders across regions.
- Nationwide cold-chain distribution (20+ cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen).
- Bonded warehousing to defer customs duty + VAT + consumption tax (combined tax rate of about 48%).
Our Solution
Yangshan Bonded Warehouse Temperature-controlled Storage
Upon arrival, the wine is trucked directly to a temperature-controlled warehouse in the Yangshan bonded zone. The warehouse is kept at a constant 16°C (the optimal storage temperature for wine), with 24-hour temperature and humidity monitoring and automatic alarms when limits are exceeded. After warehousing, duty is not paid immediately; goods are released on demand against domestic orders. For a single batch valued at RMB 1 million, deferring duty payment by 3 months frees up about RMB 480,000 in working capital.
Chinese Label Rectification
Chinese back-label application is completed inside the bonded warehouse. Under China's Food Safety Law, imported pre-packaged food must carry a Chinese label showing: product name, country of origin, production date, shelf life, storage conditions, importer name/address/contact, net content, alcohol content and a warning ("Excessive drinking is harmful to health"). We maintain a professional labeling team with a daily capacity of 3,000 bottles.
Nationwide Cold-chain Distribution
| Region | Cities Covered | Delivery Time | Temperature Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| East China | Shanghai / Hangzhou / Nanjing / Suzhou / Ningbo | 1–2 days | 15–18°C refrigerated truck |
| North China | Beijing / Tianjin / Jinan / Qingdao | 2–3 days | 15–18°C refrigerated truck |
| South China | Guangzhou / Shenzhen / Xiamen / Fuzhou | 2–3 days | 15–18°C refrigerated truck |
| Southwest China | Chengdu / Chongqing / Kunming | 3–4 days | 15–18°C refrigerated truck |
Results
- The combined import tax rate of about 48% is deferred through bonded warehousing, freeing up about RMB 4.8 million in working capital per year (based on RMB 10 million in annual imports).
- 5,000+ cartons of wine handled monthly with zero labeling errors.
- Zero temperature alarms all year (supported by the temperature-control system plus a backup generator).
- Nationwide cold-chain on-time delivery rate of 98.6%, with a damage rate below 0.3% (industry average about 1%).
- The client has entrusted us with full management of warehousing and distribution for all its imported wines, renewing the contract for 3 years.