🇵🇭Import Korean Food to the Philippines
Registration, labelling, duties and freight — what a distributor needs to bring Korean noodles, snacks, sauces and beverages into the Philippines, with vetted Korean suppliers at 0% commission and one logistics partner from factory to shelf.
Why the Philippines
Filipino consumers are enthusiastic K-food buyers — Korean noodles and snacks are fixtures in supermarkets and sari-sari distribution alike. FDA product registration takes time, so importers who file early convert the demand fastest.
Product registration in the Philippines
Importer LTO
The Philippine importer first obtains a Licence to Operate (LTO) as a food importer from the FDA.
CPR per product
Each food SKU then needs a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) with label artwork and ingredient documents before distribution.
Compliant labelling
Labels must meet Philippine rules (English/Filipino) including allergen declarations and the importer’s details.
Typical lead time: CPR processing commonly takes several weeks to a few months per SKU — file while your first freight is being planned.
Duties & taxes
With an AKFTA certificate of origin many Korean processed foods enter the Philippines at reduced or zero duty; check sensitive lists by HS code.
Philippine VAT is 12%, charged at import on the customs value plus duty.
Estimate your landed cost per HS code with our free import duty calculator. Open the import duty calculator
Regulations, duty and tax information is general guidance and may change. We confirm the exact requirements for your product and HS code before every shipment.
Shipping from Korea to the Philippines
We consolidate LCL and FCL cargo from Busan every week. Below are indicative LCL rates from our internal tariff — the same data our freight team quotes from.
| Destination port | LCL rate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| MANILA | $1 / CBM | 5 days |
| CEBU (VIA SINGAPORE) | $35 / CBM | 21 days |
| MANILA(SOUTH) | $1 / CBM | 5 days |
Indicative LCL ocean rates from Busan, Korea — from TY's internal tariff, updated regularly. Ocean freight portion only; your final DDP quote covers the full door-to-door cost.
How importing with TY works
Tell us your product
Send your category, target price and market — the matching form takes 3 minutes.
Supplier match + DDP quote
Within one business day we propose a vetted Korean supplier and a total landed-cost quote.
Samples & first order
We arrange sample shipping and consolidate small first orders with weekly LCL departures.
Ship, clear, deliver
TY handles export docs, ocean or air freight, customs and duty, and final delivery — tracked on our portal.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need product registration to import Korean food to the Philippines?
Yes — the importer needs an FDA Licence to Operate, and every SKU needs a Certificate of Product Registration before sale. TY prepares the Korean factory documents the CPR filing requires and times freight to your approval date.
How long does shipping from Korea to the Philippines take?
LCL from Busan to MANILA takes about 5 days port-to-port. Add customs clearance and inland delivery for the full door-to-door DDP timeline. We consolidate weekly, so small first orders move fast.
What does DDP shipping mean for my order?
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) means one all-in price to your door: pickup in Korea, ocean or air freight, customs clearance, import duty and taxes, and final delivery. You see your total landed cost before you commit to the order.
More import guides for the Philippines
Ready to source and ship from Korea?
Tell us your product and market — we reply with a matched Korean supplier and an all-in DDP quote within one business day. 0% commission: we make money on shipping, not on you.