Retail Honey: export from Canada to Southeast Asia
Retail honey is a branded consumer product and the questions differ from the bulk trade. Format, closure, label language, varietal claim and gifting presentation carry as much commercial weight as the honey itself.
Varietal honey (clover, canola, buckwheat, wildflower) supports a premium and a story, but varietal claims are regulated in most destinations and have to be substantiated. Confirm what may be claimed before designing the label.
Glass carries the premium positioning along with freight cost and breakage risk; squeeze bottles and sachets serve different channels.
Crystallisation is the consumer-facing issue. Honey crystallises naturally and consumers unfamiliar with that read it as spoilage, so either a creamed presentation or on-pack explanation is worth planning before you discover it through returns. Private-label programmes are available at export-relevant volumes from Canadian packers.
Retail honey may classify with bulk honey or separately depending on the destination, and varietal and origin claims carry their own substantiation requirements. Confirm both the line and what the label may say before printing.
Canadian export requirements
- HS classification
- 0409.00: Natural honey
- CFIA certificates
- Available on request: send your specification and destination and we'll confirm within five working days.
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
- Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
- Seasonality
- Packed year-round
- Pack formats
- 250 g jars, 500 g jars, Squeeze bottles
- Container configuration
- On request
- Indicative MOQ
- On request
Common questions
- What is the HS code for retail honey?
- 0409.00: Natural honey. 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
Last reviewed: September 1, 2026