Selling a supplement or food brand into India means clearing FSSAI before the first shipment, not after it. That means the right import licence, an Indian party who can hold it, product classification and any approval the formulation needs, and labels rebuilt to Indian rules. Most FSSAI guidance is written for domestic businesses, so foreign brands routinely discover these requirements at the port rather than in the plan.
We are the India-side regulatory partner for inbound brands: importer licensing, representation, product and label compliance, and import clearance, coordinated from one desk.
Who is this service for?
- Overseas supplement and food brands entering the Indian market
- Foreign manufacturers seeking an Indian importer or representative
- Distributors bringing an international brand into India
- Brands whose consignments have been held at import for compliance reasons
What is included?
- FSSAI importer licence and Import Export Code (IEC) guidance
- Authorized Indian representative and licence-holder structuring
- Product classification and any required FSSAI approval, including the non-specified food route
- India-format label and artwork adaptation to the 2020 Labelling regulations
- Import clearance and NOC support at the point of entry
How does the process work?
- 1Market-entry review of products, category and route
- 2Licensing and representation structure put in place
- 3Product approval and label adaptation where required
- 4Import clearance and first-consignment support
Which documents will you need?
- Product formulations, specifications and existing labels
- Free Sale Certificate and manufacturing details from origin
- Certificates of analysis for the products
- Intended import volumes and launch timeline
How long does it take?
Licensing within weeks
Licensing and representation are typically put in place within weeks of complete documentation. Where a product needs FSSAI approval or a label rebuild, that pathway governs the overall timeline, and we sequence the first shipment around it.
How long is it valid?
The FSSAI importer licence is issued for the period the licence holder elects, from one to five years, and has to be renewed before it expires. Where a product also needs FSSAI approval, that approval is tied to the product and conditions assessed.
Common mistakes we correct
- Shipping stock before the importer licence and product compliance are in place
- Assuming a label compliant in the origin market is acceptable in India
- Treating a Free Sale Certificate as sufficient on its own to import
- Discovering at the port that the product needs prior approval it does not have
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreign company hold an FSSAI licence directly?
Import into India is done against an FSSAI importer licence held by an Indian entity or an authorized representative with an Indian presence and an Import Export Code. Structuring who holds the licence correctly is one of the first things we set up for an inbound brand.
Do my labels need to change for India?
Almost always. Indian labels must carry specific mandatory declarations, the importer’s FSSAI details, veg or non-veg marks and category-specific statements under the 2020 Labelling regulations. A compliant India label is a rebuild, not a sticker over the origin pack.
How do supplement imports clear FSSAI at the port?
Imported food consignments are cleared through FSSAI at the point of entry, with document scrutiny and, where applicable, sampling. Getting the licence, product compliance and paperwork right before shipping is what keeps a consignment from being held or refused.
Regulations that apply
- Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
- FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011: import licensing
- FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020