Mozzarella: export from Canada to Southeast Asia
Pizza mozzarella is bought on functional performance under heat, not on eating quality cold, and that is the frame for the whole specification: melt, stretch, browning behaviour, oil release and blister formation.
Moisture and fat content drive those properties, and low-moisture part-skim is the standard pizza product for exactly that reason. A buyer specifying only mozzarella may receive fresh high-moisture cheese, which is a different product entirely and will not perform on a pizza.
Age matters too: mozzarella needs a short maturation before it melts correctly, and cheese that is too fresh behaves poorly.
The formats are blocks, shreds and diced. Shredded product carries anti-caking agents requiring destination clearance. Cold chain integrity is the operational risk, and frozen mozzarella is a viable route for long supply lines though it changes the texture slightly.
Mozzarella may classify differently from cheddar and other hard cheeses, and fresh versus low-moisture forms can be distinguished. Confirm the line for the exact product; a general cheese position will not price it.
Canadian export requirements
- HS classification
- 0406.10: Fresh (unripened or uncured) cheese, including whey cheese, and curd
- CFIA certificates
- Health certificate for the export of dairy products and dairy based products for human consumption (CFIA/ACIA 5813)
Six-market position
| Market | MFN duty | Preferential | Registration category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | On request | On request | On request |
| Thailand | On request | On request | On request |
| Philippines | On request | On request | On request |
| Indonesia | On request | On request | On request |
| Malaysia | On request | On request | On request |
| Singapore | On request | On request | On request |
MFN duty is the destination's applied general rate for this tariff line. Preferential is the rate under an agreement in force between Canada and that market.
Both are customs duty only: destination excise, value-added tax and local levies are additional and are not shown here.
Available on request: send your specification and destination and we'll confirm within five working days.
Commercial terms
- Producing provinces
- Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba
- Seasonality
- Year-round production
- Pack formats
- 20 kg blocks, Shredded bags, Diced cartons
- Container configuration
- On request
- Indicative MOQ
- On request
Common questions
- What is the HS code for mozzarella?
- 0406.10: Fresh (unripened or uncured) cheese, including whey cheese, and curd. This was read from Canada Border Services Agency on 2026-09-18. The first six digits are the same in every country that uses the Harmonised System; digits beyond that are set by the destination.
Sources
- Customs Tariff (T2026), Chapter 4 · Canada Border Services Agency, retrieved September 18, 2026
- Vietnam: export requirements for milk and dairy products · Canadian Food Inspection Agency, retrieved September 19, 2026
- Thailand: export requirements for milk and dairy products · Canadian Food Inspection Agency, retrieved September 19, 2026
- the Philippines: export requirements for milk and dairy products · Canadian Food Inspection Agency, retrieved September 19, 2026
- Indonesia: export requirements for milk and dairy products · Canadian Food Inspection Agency, retrieved September 19, 2026
- Malaysia: export requirements for milk and dairy products · Canadian Food Inspection Agency, retrieved September 19, 2026
- Singapore: export requirements for milk and dairy products · Canadian Food Inspection Agency, retrieved September 19, 2026
Last reviewed: September 1, 2026