Why Distributors Are Essential for Navigating Compliance in Southeast and North Asian Export Markets

By: Will Gordon, Commercial Director at Incite

Expanding into Southeast and North Asia offers exciting growth opportunities for FMCG brands, but navigating compliance across diverse markets can be daunting. From product registration to labelling requirements, each country has its own set of rules and getting it wrong can be extremely costly.

Compliance: Where Distributors Add Real Value

Distributors play a critical role in helping brands meet local compliance requirements. Whether it’s managing product registration, translating labels, or advising on product ingredient approvals, they bring local expertise that can save time and prevent costly delays.

For example:

• Indonesia requires food products to be registered with BPOM and Halal certification is increasingly essential across both retail and food service channels.

• In Japan, products must comply with the Food Sanitation Act, which includes detailed testing and documentation before product is imported.

• South Korea’s MFDS enforces strict standards around additives, labelling and claims, often requiring adjustments to both packaging and formulation.

• Thailand and Vietnam have evolving regulatory environments, with specific expectations around documentation and allergen declarations.

These processes often take several months and can vary based on product type, ingredients and even packaging format. A well-connected distributor not only understands what’s required, but they know how to get it done efficiently.

Regional Nuances: No Two Markets Are the Same

Even within Southeast and North Asia, there’s no “one size fits all” approach to compliance:

• Singapore is relatively accessible with English labelling accepted under the SFA, but health claims are tightly regulated.

• Malaysia places high commercial importance on Halal certification, which is often a prerequisite for shelf placement.

• Hong Kong is open and fast-moving, but labelling and nutritional panels are closely monitored.

• Taiwan requires detailed allergen declarations with strict enforcement by the TFDA.

These local nuances are where distributors prove their value. Competent distributors provide more than logistics—they are compliance partners, cultural navigators and strategic advisors.

Let’s Talk Strategy

If you’re considering export growth across Southeast and North Asian export markets, having the right distributor relationship can make all the difference, especially when it comes to compliance. Contact us to discuss your market priorities and how we can help support your brand’s success across these regions.