Services Introduction

Our Services

Two distinct services. Complete clarity on what each involves, what it costs, and what you can expect.

Not trading. Representing.

China Business Ltd does not buy or sell food ingredients on its own account. We represent — either as a broker connecting buyer and seller, or as an agent carrying out specific tasks on a client's behalf. The distinction matters because it shapes everything: how we are paid, what our obligations are, and where our interests lie.

We offer two clearly defined services. A client may use one, the other, or both — depending on what they need at a given time. There is no minimum commitment and no bundling of services you have not asked for.

SERVICE 1 — BROKERAGE —

Brokerage — success-based, commission-driven.

In our brokerage model, CBL connects a buyer with a verified Chinese supplier for a specific food ingredient. We facilitate the negotiation, the agreement on specification, price, and terms, and the conclusion of the transaction. We do not handle the goods, the documents, or the money — these flow directly between buyer and seller.

How the commission works.

Our commission is agreed and disclosed in writing before any contract is concluded between buyer and seller. It is a fixed amount or percentage — known to both parties from the outset, with no hidden additions. Commission becomes payable after shipment is completed and payment has been settled between buyer and seller. No deal, no commission. Our incentive is identical to yours: a completed transaction that satisfies both parties.

What flows directly between buyer and seller.

• Shipment documents — bills of lading, certificates of origin, health certificates, lab reports

• Payment — buyer pays seller directly, in agreed currency and terms

• Correspondence on specification, packaging, and delivery

This direct flow eliminates the additional banking fees, documentation handling costs, and logistics administration that arise when an intermediary routes everything through their own account. Some brokers — particularly in the United States — do route documents and payments through themselves. CBL does not. We consider direct flow to be both more efficient for clients and more transparent.

Who brokerage suits.

• Importers and distributors with clear specifications who need verified supplier access

• Buyers entering the Chinese market for the first time who need an intermediary with established relationships

• Existing buyers who want a second source, or who want their current supplier independently verified

• Those who want to expand into new product variants or origins within our specialist categories

SERVICE 2 — AGENCY —

Agency — fixed fees, defined tasks, no trade involved.

Our agency service covers specific, task-based assignments carried out on a client's behalf — without CBL entering into any trade transaction, no retainer, no ongoing engagement. A client engages us to do something defined, we do it, we report back, and we bill a pre-agreed fixed fee. The outcome does not affect the fee — we are not commission-dependent in this model, which means our reporting is entirely objective.

To be precise about terminology for UK and EU clients: this is not a 'Commercial Agency' arrangement in the legal sense of the EU Commercial Agents Directive or UK Commercial Agents Regulations 1993, which apply specifically to agents with continuing authority to conclude contracts on a principal's behalf. Our agency assignments are project-specific and task-defined — closer in practice to professional services than to regulated commercial agency.

What agency assignments include.

• Market and desk research — product reports, pricing intelligence, regulatory requirements for specific markets

• Supplier identification — finding and shortlisting suppliers matching a client's specification, without proceeding to brokerage

• Factory visits and audits — on-site assessment of production facilities, processes, and working conditions

• Shipment inspection — pre-shipment or port inspection of goods before or during loading

• Freight and logistics support — assisting with freight bookings, documentation preparation, and export procedures

• Company establishment support — assisting clients who wish to set up their own sourcing or representative office in China

• General advisory — ad hoc consultation on market conditions, supplier risk, regulatory compliance, or product specification

Who agency suits.

• Companies that want specific intelligence before committing to a sourcing relationship

• Buyers whose own compliance teams require independent factory verification beyond standard audit reports

• Importers expanding into China who need local knowledge and contacts without full-time representation

• Clients who want to verify an existing supplier independently — without their supplier knowing CBL is involved

Your Interests - How we Protect Them

Protections that are documented, not just promised.

When CBL acts on your behalf — whether as broker or agent — several formal protections apply. These are not marketing statements. They are written into our engagement terms.

Dynamic conflict exclusions.

When you engage CBL for a specific product category, origin, or supplier relationship, we do not simultaneously represent a direct competitor in a conflicting capacity for the same scope. Exclusions are defined at the point of engagement and remain in place for the duration of your relationship with us. They are reviewed quarterly.

Supplier relationship protection.

Suppliers introduced to you through CBL's brokerage are not subsequently introduced to your competitors in a way that conflicts with your business interests. The relationship we build for you remains yours.

Mutual confidentiality.

All findings from agency assignments — factory assessments, market intelligence, supplier evaluations — are strictly confidential to the commissioning client. They are not shared with any other party, including other CBL clients or any trading entity within the CBL group.

Full transparency on conflicts.

Our conflict-of-interest commitments are set out in our Confidentiality Policy, which is publicly available on this site. If you have a question about a specific situation — whether CBL can act for you given other relationships — ask us directly. We will give you a straight answer.

→ Read our full Confidentiality & Conflict of Interest Policy.

Who we work best with

Three types of client. One standard of service.

Retailers and brands.

Companies with their own product lines who source ingredients for manufacturing or private label. You need verification that goes beyond what a certificate shows — real production, real quality, real compliance. Our on-the-ground presence provides that.

Importers and distributors.

Established importers who need boots on the ground in China without the cost of a full-time representative. You know the market; you need a reliable local partner to handle verification, negotiation, and supplier management on specific categories.

Companies entering or expanding in Asia.

Buyers new to Chinese sourcing, or established buyers moving into new product categories or origins. You need local knowledge, trusted introductions, and guidance through a market that operates very differently from what you may be used to.