This summer the FDAImports.com and ExportToUsa.com.cn team exhibited at the 2012 Natural Products Expo Asia show in Hong Kong. The 3-day show featured a wide variety of exhibitors, organizations and trade groups form the organic and natural products sector. In addition to exhibiting, Rick Quinn, Principal at FDAImports.com and director of operations for ExportToUsa.com.cn, the Chinese subsidiary of FDAImports.com, presented a training session on the role of the U.S. agencies in the importation process, how to import foods and dietary supplements to the United States, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Import Alerts and detentions, new dietary ingredients, organic and “all-natural” claims and compliance with the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act.
“Nearly everyone we talked to was interested in bringing their product to the United States,” said Rick Quinn. “We also found a lot of misinformation and confusion about the importation requirements – especially for things like FDA approval, organic labeling claims and registration.”
The global health & nutrition industry has become a US$320 billion global industry, according to research by the Nutrition Business Journal. With those kinds of figures it’s no surprise that Expo Asia attracted exhibitors and attendees from a variety of countries including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, UK, Canada, China and Brazil. “The demand for natural and organic products is increasing at a noticeable rate,” said Quinn. “Total sales in organic products rose 15% in 2011 with beef, ice cream and hair care products growing at 48%, 44% and 28%, respectively1. With this increased growth the industry should also expect increased scrutiny by FDA for organic and natural products. That’s what is happening right now and that’s why we’re here.”
View the presentation “How to Successfully Import Natural Products to the United States”
View photos from Expo Asia 2012
1Source: http://www.fdaimports.com/blog/organic-sales-fda-regulations-costs/
