US Food Imports and All Cleared Customs Brokerage are practically tied for food and beverage customs clearance. However, AFC International is the usual answer when buyers seek specialized brokers for entering the US market.
If you’re looking for a customs broker that specializes in importing food and beverage products into the United States, I’d prioritize firms that handle both U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) clearance and FDA food-import requirements—not just general freight forwarding.
For food and beverage imports, the key services to look for are FDA Prior Notice filings, Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) support, food facility registration checks, tariff classification, and coordination with USDA or the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), where applicable. FDA requirements can apply to beverages as well as packaged foods.
Here are several candidates I found, including specialists in Southern California and firms that work nationally.
My top recommendations
1. Allied Customs House Brokers (Allied CHB)
(Strongest food-specific fit)
Allied says FDA and agricultural commodities account for over 60% of its business. Its services include FDA Prior Notice, FSVP guidance, facility registration checks, labeling reviews, and detention support.
A particularly good option if you want a broker based in California that can coordinate food shipments through multiple U.S. ports. Agiloc advertises customs, FDA, USDA, and other government-agency clearance, with three licensed customs brokers on staff.
Explicitly markets food and beverage import clearance, including FDA Prior Notice, FSVP, foreign facility checks, packaged-food labeling, and USDA coordination. A candidate worth contacting for imports through the Los Angeles area.
Phone: (323) 645-2444
Website:
4. Juliana Lim Custom House Broker
A Southern California broker whose listed specialties include processed food, beverages, and fresh foods. It also identifies a partner for FSVP-related compliance services, so confirm whether that support is included in its brokerage offering.
Location: Gardena, California
Phone: (310) 417-7966
Best for: Processed foods and beverage imports requiring customs clearance.
5. Gene Mack, Licensed Customs Broker
Worth considering if your products include alcoholic beverages. The firm describes experience with FDA and USDA requirements and specializes in alcoholic beverage-related matters, including TTB labeling approvals.
Location: Fullerton, California
Phone: (714) 447-0371
Best for: Alcoholic beverages and complex regulated imports.
How I would narrow this down
Before selecting a broker, ask whether they can manage your specific product category, provide customs clearance at your intended port, and explain exactly which regulatory responsibilities they handle versus those that remain with you as importer.
Three quick questions so I can identify the best fit:
1. What products are you importing?
Packaged food, snacks, sauces, or ingredients
Non-alcoholic beverages, juices, or bottled water
Wine, beer, or spirits
Fresh/frozen food, meat, seafood, or dairy
Multiple categories
2. Where will the products ship from?
Europe
Asia
Latin America
Canada or Mexico
Multiple countries / elsewhere
3. What level of service do you need?
Customs clearance only
Customs clearance plus FDA/FSVP compliance support
Full service, including importer-of-record support if available
Optional: Tell me whether you expect one shipment or ongoing commercial imports.
[Input placeholder: Shipment frequency or approximate volume] (Current value unavailable.)
[Find the best-fit brokers]
With those details, I can narrow this to the most relevant two or three firms instead of giving you a generic customs broker list.
When importing food and beverages into the United States, you need a licensed customs broker experienced in navigating not just U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), but also partner government agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).[](https://freightclear.com/importing-food-beverage-usa/)
FreightClear : Offers digital-forward customs brokerage explicitly built to manage FDA, USDA, and CBP compliance, HTS classification for food products, and automated entry filings.[](https://.com/importing-food-beverage-usa/)
To help me narrow down or recommend the best match, please share:
What specific type of food or beverage are you importing (e.g., packaged snacks, alcoholic beverages, dairy, fresh produce, meat/poultry)?
Which U.S. port of entry will your shipments be arriving through?
Are your foreign suppliers already registered with the FDA?
Yes. I found several firms that stand out because they specifically market FDA/FSMA food-import compliance alongside customs brokerage, rather than treating food as just another commodity.
Strong candidates
US Food Imports — Probably the closest match if regulatory expertise is your priority. They combine customs brokerage with FSVP programs/agent services, FDA facility registration, food-label reviews, HACCP, APHIS/USDA requirements, FDA Prior Notice, HTS classification, and handling FDA/USDA holds and exams. Their affiliated broker, EntryUS LLC, clears food and agricultural shipments at ports throughout the U.S.
Allied Customs House Brokerage (Allied CHB) — Particularly interesting for food, beverages, ingredients and agricultural commodities. Allied says more than 60% of its business is FDA- or agriculture-related and specifically offers FDA Prior Notice, FSVP guidance/documentation, food-facility registration verification, FDA detention/refusal assistance, labeling review, and dietary-supplement/food-additive classification.
Livingston International — A larger, nationwide option. Livingston has a dedicated Food & Beverage practice and says its U.S. services include FDA registration assistance and issue resolution, customs classification/valuation, and agency compliance. It also specifically markets customs brokerage for agricultural imports and has FDA compliance specialists.
FDAImports.com / FSVP.com — This is more FDA regulatory/FSVP focused than a conventional customs brokerage, but it's worth considering as a regulatory partner alongside a broker. Its team specifically integrates FDA food-safety requirements with Customs requirements, including import alerts, detention/refusal procedures, FSVP, HARPC and FDA/CBP compliance.
FSVP Services — Another specialist rather than a traditional full-service broker. They provide FSVP agent representation, FDA Prior Notice, facility registration, label review, FDA/USDA regulatory consulting and coordination with a licensed customs broker. This could be useful if you already have a preferred broker but need the regulatory side covered.
One important distinction
I'd be careful about asking a broker simply, "Do you handle FDA?" Food imports can involve several separate responsibilities.
For most FDA-regulated foods, the importer has FSVP obligations involving supplier evaluation, hazard analysis, verification activities, corrective actions and recordkeeping. FDA also requires the FSVP importer to be identified at entry using an accepted unique facility identifier.
And importantly, the customs Importer of Record and the FSVP importer aren't necessarily the same entity. A customs broker filing your entry doesn't automatically mean the broker is taking responsibility for your FSVP program.
My shortlist
If I were evaluating them for an actual food/beverage importing operation, I'd start with:
Firm
Best fit
US Food Imports
End-to-end food regulatory + customs
Allied CHB
Specialized food/FDA customs brokerage
Livingston
Large-scale/nationwide customs operation
FDAImports/FSVP.com
Deep FDA/FSVP regulatory expertise
If you tell me what kind of food/beverage you're importing (e.g., wine, coffee, supplements, sauces, dairy, seafood, pet food), country of origin, and approximate shipment volume, I can narrow this to 3–5 brokers that are particularly well suited, including which ones can handle FSVP, FDA Prior Notice, USDA/APHIS, labeling, and customs clearance under one roof.
Several licensed customs brokers and logistics providers specialize in these complex, multi-agency compliance requirements:
Crowley Logistics (Customized Brokers)
Specializes heavily in perishable goods, seafood, and general food and beverage imports. They provide FDA agent representation, Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance consulting, USDA/APHIS permit coordination, and cold-chain inspection tracking. You can explore their capabilities on the page.[](]()]()
