Processed Cheese: export from Canada to Southeast Asia
Processed cheese is formulated, and that formulation is what makes it suited to warm supply chains: it is markedly more shelf-stable than natural cheese and in some formats does not require refrigeration at all, which changes the logistics economics completely.
That stability is why processed cheese is often the right first dairy export into a market where the cold chain is uncertain.
The specification points are format (slices, blocks, portions, spreads) melt behaviour, firmness at ambient temperature in the destination climate, and the emulsifying salts used, which require destination clearance.
Milk content and whether the product qualifies as cheese under destination labelling rules is a live regulatory question and varies by market. Confirm the category treatment before designing the pack, since it determines what the label may say.
Processed cheese classifies apart from natural cheese in most schedules, and whether the product meets the destination's definition of cheese at all is a live labelling question. Confirm the classification and the category treatment together.
Canadian export requirements
- HS classification
- 0406.30: Processed cheese, not grated or powdered
- 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
- Slice packs, Blocks, Portion packs
- Container configuration
- On request
- Indicative MOQ
- On request
Common questions
- What is the HS code for processed cheese?
- 0406.30: Processed cheese, not grated or powdered. 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