In this guide · 8 sections
- 01SFA licences and registrations food importers need
- 02How to show your SFA licence on the website
- 03Product pages: labels, claims and halal status
- 04Spec sheets and downloads trade buyers expect
- 05Trade-only pricing and online ordering
- 06B2B invoicing and InvoiceNow for food distributors
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Show the SFA licence or registration that covers your products and premises, keep product claims identical to approved labels, show a halal logo only where a valid certificate covers that product, put trade prices behind a customer login, and let orders flow into accounting software that issues tax invoices.
SFA licences and registrations food importers need
SFA's page on businesses that need a licence, permit or registration for import and export (last updated 7 September 2026) says you need a licence or registration from SFA to import food regulated by SFA, and a Cargo Clearance Permit (CCP) for every consignment. Which one depends on the product:
| Product type | What SFA requires to import |
|---|---|
| Meat and fish products | Licence for Import/Export/Transhipment of Meat and Fish Products |
| Fresh fruits and vegetables | Licence for Import/Transhipment of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables |
| Shell eggs | Licence to Import Shell Eggs |
| Processed food, processed eggs and food contact articles | Registration to Import Processed Food Products and Food Appliances |
| Rice | Licence to import, re-export and deal wholesale in rice |
Storage is licensed separately. SFA's food manufacturing and storage licensing page says cold stores for meat and seafood must hold a Licence to Operate a Coldstore before storing food for wholesale distribution, that repacking which breaks the primary packaging needs a Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment, and that non-meat, non-fish warehouses are encouraged to register for traceability.
How to show your SFA licence on the website
Trade buyers, especially supermarkets and caterers who are audited themselves, often ask for supplier licence details before opening an account. Putting them on the site saves a round of emails.
- An 'About' or 'Compliance' page listing each SFA licence or registration by its official name and number, and the premises it covers.
- The cold store or warehouse address that holds the licence, if different from your office.
- Certifications you actually hold (for example HACCP or ISO 22000), each with its certificate number and expiry date.
- A note that licence copies and certificates are available to trade customers on request, rather than posting full scans publicly.
- A review date, so expired details do not stay online after renewal.
Do not imply SFA approves or endorses your products. A licence means your business is allowed to carry out the activity, not that SFA has vetted each item you sell.
Product pages: labels, claims and halal status
SFA's labelling guidelines for food importers and manufacturers say importers must ensure imported prepacked food meets Singapore's labelling requirements, because manufacturers' labels often cater to several countries. Importers can apply sticker labels to fix gaps. The same guidelines also cover prohibited claims on labels and in advertisements, and note that since 2 May 2024 nutrition labelling and nutrition and health claims are regulated by the Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Board.
Your product pages are advertisements in this sense, so keep them in line with the Singapore label:
Product page compliance check
For halal, MUIS recognises foreign halal certification bodies for imported products. Its 24 September 2025 announcement said 101 foreign bodies were recognised at the time and introduced an enhanced recognition framework from 1 October 2025. On the website, name the certifying body per product rather than using a blanket 'halal' badge. Our guide to displaying halal certification online explains the rules on the MUIS mark.
Spec sheets and downloads trade buyers expect
Restaurant groups and retailers want documents, not marketing copy. A downloads section on each product page answers most pre-sale questions.
| Document | Public or trade-only | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Product specification sheet | Public | Pack sizes, carton quantity, shelf life, storage, origin |
| Allergen and ingredient statement | Public | Must match the Singapore label |
| Halal certificate | Trade-only or on request | Show certifying body and expiry |
| Price list | Trade-only | Behind login, per customer tier |
| Certificates of analysis | On request | Batch-specific; send per order |
Keep spec sheets as PDFs generated from one master product list, so a change in carton size updates every document. Date each file in the footer.
Trade-only pricing and online ordering
Most food distributors do not want wholesale prices visible to competitors or retail customers. The standard approach is a public catalogue without prices, a trade account application form, and prices plus ordering after login.
Public catalogue
Show products, pack sizes and spec sheets to everyone, with an 'Apply for a trade account' button instead of a price.
Trade account application
Collect business name, UEN, delivery address, contact person and expected volume. Approve manually before any prices are shown.
Price tiers after login
Approved buyers see the price list for their tier, with carton quantities and minimum orders enforced at checkout.
Delivery rules
Set delivery days per area, cut-off times for next-day delivery and chilled or frozen handling notes.
Payment by terms or card
New accounts pay by card or PayNow; established accounts order on 30-day terms by invoice.
Shopify's B2B features handle most of this on its standard plans. Our guide to B2B wholesale ordering portals compares the plan limits and the accounting setup.
B2B invoicing and InvoiceNow for food distributors
Your trade customers need proper tax invoices if you are GST-registered, and many restaurant groups now receive invoices electronically. If you are GST-registered, the IRAS GST InvoiceNow requirement will also apply, with phases from 2026 to 2031. IMDA's nationwide e-invoicing framework page explains the InvoiceNow network.
Let the website create orders and let your InvoiceNow-ready accounting software issue the invoice. That keeps one invoice numbering sequence and one record for IRAS. Our InvoiceNow setup guide lists the steps to get a Peppol ID.
Do it yourself or get help?
A small importer can start with a simple site: catalogue, compliance page, spec sheet downloads and an enquiry form. Add login-gated pricing and online ordering once trade customers are ready to use it.
Our Business Website package (S$1,490) covers the catalogue, compliance page and downloads. For trade logins, price tiers and online ordering, Online Store Pro (S$3,490) builds it on Shopify B2B, and InvoiceNow (Peppol) Setup (S$190) connects invoicing.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. SFA states that you need a licence or registration from SFA to import food it regulates, plus a Cargo Clearance Permit for every consignment. The type depends on the product: meat and fish, fresh produce and eggs need licences, while processed food needs a Registration to Import Processed Food Products and Food Appliances.
Only for products covered by a valid halal certificate from MUIS or a foreign halal certification body that MUIS recognises. Name the certifying body on each product page rather than adding a general halal badge to your site, and remove it promptly if a certificate lapses or a supplier changes.
Often, yes. SFA says importers must make sure imported prepacked food meets Singapore's labelling requirements, and that overseas labels frequently do not because they serve several markets. Importers can add sticker labels with the required information. Your website product details should match the compliant Singapore label.
Most do not show trade prices publicly. A common setup shows the catalogue and spec sheets to everyone and reveals prices only after a trade account is approved and the buyer logs in. This protects pricing from competitors and lets you set different price tiers for different customer types.
According to SFA, cold stores for meat and seafood products must be licensed before storing food for wholesale distribution, under a Licence to Operate a Coldstore. If you also repack products in a way that breaks the primary packaging, you need a Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment instead, which also covers cold storage on the same premises.