Cold Chain Logistics for Fresh Food E-Commerce in China

China's cold chain logistics for fresh food e-commerce now spans a 556.71 billion yuan market with 267 million cubic meters of cold storage, yet it is governed by a single mandatory national standard — GB 31605-2020 — that sets hard temperature limits of -18°C for frozen and 0-10°C for chilled goods. For foreign brands selling fresh or frozen food into China, compliance with this standard is not optional; it is enforceable under the Food Safety Law.

Quick Facts

What Is GB 31605-2020 and Why Does It Matter?

GB 31605-2020 is China's first mandatory national standard for cold chain logistics, published on 2020-09-11 and effective from 2021-03-11. Because it is a food safety national standard rather than a recommended one, violations can trigger penalties under the Food Safety Law of the PRC (2021 amendment), Article 33 of which requires food operators to maintain proper storage and refrigeration equipment.

The standard covers the entire cold chain: basic requirements, handover, transport and delivery, storage, personnel management, traceability and recall, and documentation. You will typically need to align your warehousing and delivery contracts with these provisions before launching a fresh food e-commerce channel.

Source: National Health Commission — 42 New Food Safety National Standards

How Big Is China's Cold Chain Market?

According to China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing Cold Chain Committee data (relayed via the Fujian Commerce Department), 2025 total cold chain demand reached 381.4 million tonnes with total revenue of 556.71 billion yuan. Cold storage capacity stood at 267 million cubic meters, up 5.53% year-on-year.

Fleet expansion is equally striking: 81,969 refrigerated trucks were sold in 2025, a 30.2% increase, of which 36,769 were new-energy vehicles — a 44.86% penetration rate. For foreign entrants, this means capacity is abundant, but so is competition among service providers.

Source: MOFCOM Fujian — Cold Chain Committee 2025 Data

Which Temperature Rules Apply to Fresh Food E-Commerce?

Two temperature bands anchor the system. Frozen food must be transported and stored at temperatures not above -18°C, while chilled food must remain between 0°C and 10°C. Where a food carries its own labeled temperature requirement, that label takes priority over the general band — a point worth confirming with your supplier before shipping.

The standard also requires a documented temperature-recording regime: you must define measurement points, frequency, method, and the responsible person, and retain records for a stated period. In procurement contracts, an interval of no more than 10 minutes is a common industry practice (estimate), though no single official figure is mandated. Real-time digital monitoring is encouraged.

What Are the Main Cold Chain Standards and Policies?

Beyond GB 31605-2020, China maintains a layered standards system and a national development plan. The State Council's 2017 Opinion (Guo Ban Fa [2017] No. 29) called for stronger standards, infrastructure, innovation, informatization, and supervision, and the 14th Five-Year Plan for Cold Chain Logistics development continues this trajectory. The National Development and Reform Commission confirmed GB 31605-2020 as the first mandatory cold chain standard in a 2021 reply.

Source: NDRC — CPP Proposal Reply on Cold Chain Standards

Which Express Providers Handle Fresh Food E-Commerce?

Two major options illustrate the service landscape. SF Cold Transport Standard covers nearly 300 mainland cities, offering chilled and frozen temperature zones with next-day or day-after delivery within province and 2-5 days nationwide (reference times, not commitments). Parcels are limited to 20 kg per piece and 100 kg per shipment including packaging, and the service is available only to monthly-settlement customers who sign a dedicated cold transport product agreement.

JD Logistics' Fresh Express positions itself as a multi-temperature, door-to-door fresh food packaging service with stable, high-quality delivery. Actual transit times should be confirmed through each provider's official channels before you commit to service-level agreements.

Sources: SF Cold Transport Standard; JD Logistics Fresh Express

How Do You Import Fresh Food Into China Compliantly?

Importing fresh food involves two distinct tracks. Processed foods fall under the Registration Regulation for Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food (GACC Decree No. 248, effective 2022-01-01), which requires overseas manufacturers of imported food to register with the General Administration of Customs. However, Article 30 states that registration rules for primary agricultural products — fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh meat — will be issued separately; these instead follow market access lists and quarantine under the Law on Entry-Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine.

A practical sequence for fresh fruit looks like this:

1. Confirm the product and origin country are on China's market access list for fresh fruit.
2. Identify an overseas orchard or packhouse eligible for export registration where required.
3. Arrange pre-shipment quarantine treatment — cold treatment or heat treatment — as specified for the commodity (for example, lychee against fruit fly and fruit borer pests).
4. File an advance declaration through the customs single window and use green-channel inspection where available.
5. Ensure cold chain continuity from origin to bonded or domestic cold storage, with temperature records retained.
6. Clear customs with phytosanitary documentation and release the goods for domestic e-commerce distribution.

Shenzhen Customs illustrates the speed now possible: its "advance declaration + intelligent verification + green channel" model performs label checks in seconds and automatic cold-treatment data comparison, achieving "inspect on arrival, release after inspection." In the first eight months of 2026, Shenzhen cleared 40,900 tonnes of African fresh fruit worth 331 million yuan, aided by zero-tariff treatment for African countries with diplomatic relations effective 2024-12-01.

Sources: GACC Decree No. 248; Shenzhen Customs — African Fresh Fruit Fast Track; Guangdong Customs — Export Fruit Quarantine Treatment

What to Watch Out For

Personal-channel imports are largely prohibited. Fresh fruit, meat, and dairy may not be brought in by travelers or mailed personally under GACC Announcement No. 338's quarantine list. Selling "personally couriered cherries" is unlawful; you must use general trade or the cross-border e-commerce channel for eligible frozen goods on the positive list.

Temperature excursions must be logged honestly. GB 31605-2020 requires immediate corrective action and truthful recording of any exceedance and its duration. Falsified or missing records expose you to Food Safety Law penalties.

Equipment must match your product volume. Facilities need effective temperature control and monitoring devices that correctly display internal temperature, cleaned, calibrated, and maintained on schedule. Under-sized or poorly calibrated equipment is a common audit finding.

Label temperatures override general bands. Some products require tighter ranges than the 0-10°C or -18°C defaults. Always check the product's stated storage temperature first.

Provider terms are narrow. SF's cold transport service, for instance, excludes items outside processed food and primary agricultural products and caps single-piece weight at 20 kg. Confirm current terms directly with providers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What temperature must frozen food be kept at during transport in China?

A: Under GB 31605-2020, frozen food must be transported and stored at temperatures not above -18°C. Chilled food must stay between 0°C and 10°C. Where a product label specifies a different temperature, the label requirement takes priority over the general band.

Q: Is GB 31605-2020 mandatory or voluntary?

A: It is mandatory. Published 2020-09-11 and effective 2021-03-11, it is China's first compulsory national standard for cold chain logistics hygiene. Because it is a food safety standard, breaches can trigger penalties under the Food Safety Law (2021 amendment), Article 33.

Q: How large is China's cold chain logistics market?

A: In 2025, total cold chain demand reached 381.4 million tonnes with total revenue of 556.71 billion yuan, according to China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing Cold Chain Committee data. Cold storage capacity reached 267 million cubic meters, up 5.53% year-on-year.

Q: Can I mail fresh cherries to a customer in China from abroad?

A: No. Fresh fruit, meat, and dairy are on the quarantine prohibition list for personal carriage and postal import under GACC Announcement No. 338. You must import via general trade or the cross-border e-commerce channel for eligible frozen goods on the positive list.

Q: Do I need to register my overseas factory with Chinese customs?

A: If you export processed food to China, yes — GACC Decree No. 248, effective 2022-01-01, requires overseas food manufacturers to register. For primary agricultural products such as fresh fruit, separate rules apply under Article 30; these follow market access and quarantine procedures instead.

Q: How fast can fresh fruit clear Chinese customs?

A: At Shenzhen's green channel, the "advance declaration + intelligent verification + green channel" model achieves inspection on arrival and release after inspection — typically hours to one day (estimate, port-dependent). Label checks take seconds and cold-treatment data is compared automatically.

Q: What cold chain delivery options exist for e-commerce sellers?

A: SF Cold Transport Standard covers nearly 300 mainland cities with chilled and frozen zones, next-day or day-after in-province delivery and 2-5 days nationwide (reference). JD Logistics offers a multi-temperature Fresh Express service. Confirm current terms and transit times on official provider pages.

Q: Are there weight limits for cold chain parcels?

A: Under SF Cold Transport Standard terms, each piece including packaging may not exceed 20 kg, and each shipment may not exceed 100 kg. Sub-shipment (multi-parcel) formats are permitted. Other providers set their own limits, so verify before contracting.

Q: How often should temperature be recorded in the cold chain?

A: GB 31605-2020 requires you to define measurement points, frequency, method, and responsible persons, and to retain records. An interval of no more than 10 minutes is common industry practice in procurement contracts (estimate), though no single official figure is mandated.

Q: Can CnBusinessHub help me evaluate my fresh food e-commerce entry?

A: Yes. Our advisory team can outline the registration, quarantine, and cold chain compliance pathway for your product category and coordinate with qualified local professionals. With 1,500+ foreign enterprises guided since 2019, we help you map the route before you commit.

Conclusion

1. China's cold chain for fresh food e-commerce is large and growing — 556.71 billion yuan in 2025 revenue and 267 million cubic meters of cold storage — but it operates under a mandatory standard, GB 31605-2020, with hard temperature limits of -18°C for frozen and 0-10°C for chilled goods.
2. Compliance is enforceable: temperature recording, excursion logging, and equipment calibration are all auditable requirements backed by the Food Safety Law.
3. Import pathways differ sharply by product type — processed foods need overseas manufacturer registration under GACC Decree No. 248, while fresh produce follows access lists and quarantine, with green-channel clearance now measured in hours at major ports.
4. Personal-channel imports of fresh fruit, meat, and dairy are prohibited; plan for general trade or eligible cross-border e-commerce from the outset.

For personalized guidance on your China e-commerce licensing pathway, contact the CnBusinessHub advisory team at consult@CnBusinessHub.com to book a consultation.

Written by the CnBusinessHub Advisory Team, China market-entry advisors since 2019 — 1,500+ foreign enterprises guided across 16+ cities.

Last updated: 2026-10-11 | Next review: April 2027

Sources

1. National Health Commission — 42 New Food Safety National Standards (incl. GB 31605-2020)
2. National Development and Reform Commission — CPP Proposal Reply on Cold Chain Standards and 14th Five-Year Plan
3. Shenzhen Customs — African Fresh Fruit Fast-Track Import (2026)
4. Guangdong Customs — Export Fruit Quarantine Treatment (Cold/Heat)
5. General Administration of Customs — Registration Regulation for Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food (Decree No. 248)
6. Jinan Customs — Quarantine Prohibition List for Personal Carriage and Postal Import
7. SF Cold Transport — Cold Transport Standard Product Page
8. JD Logistics — Fresh Express Product Page
9. MOFCOM Fujian — Cold Chain Committee 2025 Data (Relayed)
10. National Laws and Regulations Database — Food Safety Law of the PRC

Related Reading

• Selling Fresh Food and Imported Groceries on JD.com 2026: Cold Chain, Certification and Category Guide for International Brands