Want to Export Lobster and Lychees Abroad? Cold Chain Networks in These 5 Countries Deliver Fresh Produce Straight to Global Dining Tables

As crayfish from Qianjiang, Hubei just leap out of the water and lychees from Maoming, Guangdong still carry morning dew, these high-value fresh produce with extremely short shelf lives are crossing mountains and seas via the world’s mature cold chain networks. Lobsters’ strict requirements for low-temperature preservation and full-process traceability, coupled with lychees’ extreme demand for temperature stability and timeliness, test the supply chain capabilities of every exporting enterprise. The United States, Japan, Australia, Singapore, and the Netherlands, relying on decades of accumulated cold chain infrastructure, standardized systems, and global service networks, have become core pillars for Chinese lobsters and lychees to “go global.” Starting from product characteristics, this article deeply analyzes the cold chain adaptation plans, cooperation paths, and risk prevention measures of these five countries, providing a practical global layout guide for fresh produce enterprises.

I. Core Advantages of the Five Cold Chain Powers: Precisely Matching Export Needs of Lobsters and Lychees

(I) United States: “Lobster Cold Chain Benchmark” and “Lychee Direct Delivery Network” in the North American Market

As a giant accounting for 32% of the global cold chain market (Source: Statista 2024), the United States, with its cold chain system centered on “scale, intelligence, and standardization,” has become the preferred hub for Chinese lobsters to enter the high-end North American catering market and lychees to seize the mass consumer market.

1. Hardware Adaptability: Comprehensive Logistics Network for Both Products

• Lobster-Specific Cold Chain: Smart cold storage facilities of enterprises such as Lineage Logistics are equipped with AI temperature control systems with ±0.1℃ precision, perfectly adapting to lobsters’ requirements for frozen storage at -18℃ or chilled transportation at 0-4℃. The 32 million cubic meters of temperature-controlled warehousing space in the three hub warehouse clusters of Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York enables efficient circulation of lobsters through “port direct delivery + regional distribution.” For ports, the 120 dedicated berths for refrigerated containers at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, with a daily handling capacity of 5,000 tons, can quickly accommodate frozen lobster containers arriving from China by ocean.
• Lychee Transportation Guarantee: The 750,000-vehicle cold chain fleet, 90% of which are multi-temperature zone refrigerated trucks, realizes seamless connection between “port-warehouse-supermarket” relying on the interstate highway network. Targeting lychees’ fresh-keeping temperature requirement of 2-5℃, transport vehicles adopt independent refrigeration units + humidity control systems to avoid pericarp browning and water loss, covering major cities in mainland United States within 48 hours.
• Technology Empowerment: 80% of cold chain enterprises adopt blockchain traceability systems, complying with the FDA’s “Smart Food Traceability Program” requirements. Data such as lobsters’ fishing waters, processing time, and lychees’ planting bases, harvesting dates can be fully traced, greatly enhancing consumer trust.

2. Policy Compliance: Efficient Customs Clearance Under High Thresholds

• The dual regulatory system of the U.S. FDA and USDA implements strict inspections on lobsters’ microbial indicators and lychees’ pesticide residues, but compliant enterprises can enjoy fast customs clearance services within 4-6 hours. Hubei Xinliu Wu Food Group successfully entered the U.S. market with crayfish by improving HACCP system certification. In 2023, China’s exports of frozen aquatic products to the U.S. reached 12.8 billion US dollars, with lobsters accounting for over 30%.
• After obtaining U.S. GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certification, enterprises can leverage the advantages of the North American Free Trade Area to radiate lobsters and lychees to neighboring markets such as Canada and Mexico without repeated certification.

3. Cooperation Value: Dual Guarantee of Scale and Profit

• The fresh produce futures prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) directly affect global pricing. Relying on the U.S. cold chain network to realize “origin direct supply + local distribution” can increase lobster wholesale prices by 15%-20% while maintaining the competitiveness of lychee retail prices. A Qingdao aquatic product enterprise cooperated with Lineage Logistics to transport frozen lobsters from Qingdao Port to smart cold storage in Los Angeles, then distribute them to restaurants in the eastern United States, with a loss rate of only 1.8% and a cost reduction of 22% compared with traditional models.

(II) Japan: “Exquisite Fresh-Keeping Paradise” for Lychees and “High-End Market Springboard” for Lobsters

Japan, with core advantages of “extreme freshness preservation, precise temperature control, and green sustainability,” has the world’s leading cold chain system in preserving short-shelf-life fruits like lychees, while providing comprehensive support for lobsters to enter Japan’s high-end ingredient market.

1. Hardware Adaptability: Millimeter-Level Temperature Control Cold Chain Ecosystem

• Lychee Fresh-Keeping Black Technology: Yamato Transport’s “Takkyubin” cold chain service realizes “harvested the same day, shelved the next day.” Its vacuum-insulated refrigerated trucks control temperature fluctuations within ±0.5℃, and combined with reusable insulation boxes with built-in Phase Change Materials (PCM), can maintain a constant temperature for 8 hours even in a 35℃ high-temperature environment, perfectly solving the browning problem in lychee transportation. The 0-10℃ constant temperature cold storage facilities at the three major hubs of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe can complete temperature calibration and distribution of lychees within 2 hours after arrival at the port. In 2023, China’s exports of tropical fruits to Japan reached 2.3 billion US dollars. With the support of Japan’s cold chain, lychees’ shelf life is extended by 30%, and the premium space reaches 40%-60%.
• Lobster High-End Supporting Facilities: -60℃ ultra-low temperature cold storage can meet the long-term frozen storage needs of lobsters. For chilled lobsters targeting high-end catering, cold chain enterprises provide “full-process controlled freezing point + oxygen-adjusted packaging” services to ensure fresh taste when arriving at restaurants in Tokyo’s Ginza.

2. Policy Compliance: Green Certification and Quarantine Thresholds

• Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Imported Food Sanitation Surveillance Program” conducts strict inspections on lychees’ pesticide residues and lobsters’ heavy metal indicators, but enterprises certified by JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards) can enjoy fast inspection channels. It should be noted that the “Container and Packaging Recycling Act” implemented in 2023 requires the recycling rate of cold chain packaging to exceed 90%. Enterprises must adopt degradable insulation materials or reusable packaging to avoid compliance risks.
• Lychee exports require advance application for phytosanitary certificates. To address Japan’s concerns about fruit flies, enterprises can adopt the integrated “heat treatment for insect disinfestation + rapid pre-cooling” solution provided by Nichirei Logistics, increasing the product qualification rate from 82% to 98%.

3. Cooperation Value: Two-Way Empowerment of Technology and Market

• Japanese cold chain enterprises not only provide logistics services but also export core technologies. In the Hainan lychee export project to Japan, Nichirei Logistics’ customized fresh-keeping solution reduced the lychee loss rate from 15% in traditional transportation to below 5%.
• Japan’s market has a strong ability to premiumize high-quality fresh produce. The price of premium lobsters in the Tokyo market can reach 3 times that in China, and high-quality lychees can be sold at over 100 yen per piece. Relying on Japan’s refined cold chain operations, enterprises can maximize product value.

(III) Australia: “Lobster Transit Hub” and “Lychee Anti-Season Market” in the Southern Hemisphere

With its cold chain characteristics of “biosecurity prevention and control + long-distance transportation guarantee,” Australia has become an important gateway for Chinese lobsters to enter the Southern Hemisphere market and lychees to achieve anti-season supply. Its strict quarantine system endorses product quality.

1. Hardware Adaptability: Cold Chain Network Resistant to Extreme Environments

• Lobster Long-Distance Transportation Guarantee: Among the 5 million cubic meters of cold storage in the three major hubs of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, 40% are cold treatment cold storage, specifically meeting the quarantine requirements of lobsters and other seafood. Refrigerated containers are equipped with dual refrigeration units to withstand extreme climates in Southern Hemisphere waters, ensuring stable temperature of frozen lobsters at -18℃ throughout the process. The one-stop processing facilities at ports can complete lobsters’ cold treatment, quarantine, and customs clearance processes within 12 hours, 50% shorter than other Southern Hemisphere ports.
• Lychee Anti-Season Supply Support: There are significant seasonal differences between Australia and China. Lychees produced in China in winter can be supplied in Australia’s summer through Australia’s cold chain network. Australia Post’s laid-out front-end cold chain warehouses support lychee pre-stocking and 24-hour local delivery, reducing long-distance transportation losses and suitable for small-batch high-value premium lychee exports.

2. Policy Compliance: “Hard Threshold” of Biosecurity

• Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) implements the world’s strictest fruit fly prevention and control policies. Lychee exports require submitting cold treatment or heat treatment plans 60 days in advance and obtaining certification, with the common plan being “1.11℃ × 14 days” cold treatment.
• Lobster exports need to comply with “ACO Organic Certification” or “MSA (Meat Standards Australia)” certification. These certifications are highly recognized in the Southern Hemisphere market and can directly open the door to countries such as New Zealand and South Africa.

3. Cooperation Value: Seasonal Complementarity and Controllable Risks

• In 2023, the China-Australia fresh produce trade volume reached 9.6 billion US dollars, of which frozen beef and mutton accounted for over 60%. As a high-value supplementary category, lobsters can obtain substantial profits relying on Australia’s cold chain “anti-season supply” model.
• Local enterprises such as Cool Chain Group provide full-process quarantine consulting services. In the Shandong apple export project, their customized cold treatment plan achieved a 100% quarantine pass rate. This experience can be directly applied to lychee exports to effectively avoid biosecurity risks.

(IV) Singapore: “Lobster Distribution Center” and “Lychee Express Lane” in Southeast Asia

With its cold chain advantages of “favorable geographical location, open policies, and high efficiency,” Singapore has become a transit hub for Chinese lobsters and lychees to radiate 10 Southeast Asian countries, especially suitable for small-batch, high-turnover trade models.

1. Hardware Adaptability: Ultra-Fast Air-Sea Intermodal Network

• Lychee Air Transport Priority: Changi Airport’s 100,000-square-meter air cold chain center is equipped with multi-temperature zone warehousing from -60℃ to 25℃. In 2023, the air cold chain throughput reached 1.2 million tons. Lychees can arrive in Singapore within 4 hours after taking off from airports in South China, and cover major Southeast Asian cities such as Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur within 24 hours after rapid distribution, with the loss rate reduced from 15% in traditional transportation to 5%.
• Lobster Distribution Hub: The Port of Singapore handles 800,000 TEU of refrigerated containers annually. Relying on the integrated “port-airport-warehouse” network, it realizes flexible switching between “maritime transport + air transport” for lobsters. Targeting the small-batch demand in the Southeast Asian market, enterprises can transport lobsters in bulk to Singapore’s bonded cold chain warehouses, then distribute them to Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries on demand, reducing inventory costs.
• The comprehensive application of IoT sensors and AI temperature control systems enables real-time upload of temperature data to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) regulatory platform, realizing seamless connection between customs clearance and temperature control data and improving circulation efficiency.

2. Policy Compliance: Low Threshold and High Convenience

• Singapore implements a free trade port policy. Most fresh produce such as lobsters and lychees enjoy 0 tariffs, with an average customs clearance time of only 2-3 hours. It supports 100% foreign-owned cold chain enterprises, providing a superior business environment.
• The SFA’s “risk-based classification management” model strengthens random inspections on high-risk products such as lobsters and simplifies processes for low-risk products such as lychees. It also promotes “Halal Certification” to help lobsters and lychees enter the Southeast Asian Muslim market.

3. Cooperation Value: Regional Radiation and Cost Optimization

• In 2023, the China-Singapore fresh produce transit trade volume reached 7.8 billion US dollars. Singapore has become China’s largest transit port for fresh produce exports to Southeast Asia. The successful experience of Yunnan fresh flowers transiting through Singapore can be directly replicated for lychee exports. With the “door-to-door” services of enterprises such as Kerry Logistics, full-process worry-free transportation is realized.
• Singapore’s local high-end market has a high acceptance of lobsters and lychees. Premium lobsters in Singapore’s high-end restaurants have a premium of 30%-50%, suitable for enterprises to build brand images.

(V) Netherlands: “Lobster Cold Chain Gateway” and “Lychee Green Channel” in Europe

As the logistics heart of the European Union, the Netherlands, with its core advantages of “global network, green sustainability, and digital traceability,” has a cold chain system that not only enables lobsters and lychees to quickly enter 27 EU countries but also meets the increasingly strict green and environmental protection requirements.

1. Hardware Adaptability: Europe-Wide Cold Chain Hub

• Lobster European Distribution Center: The Port of Rotterdam handles 1.2 million TEU of refrigerated containers annually, equipped with Europe’s largest cold chain warehouse cluster of 8 million cubic meters, realizing “arrival = customs clearance, customs clearance = distribution.” After lobsters are transported by ocean from Chinese ports to Rotterdam, they can be delivered to core markets such as Germany, France, and the United Kingdom within 48 hours through Europe’s inland railway, highway, and inland waterway shipping networks, with logistics costs 25%-30% lower than direct exports.
• Lychee Green Transportation Guarantee: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, as Europe’s second-largest air cold chain hub, has an annual throughput of 950,000 tons. Its electric refrigerated trucks and solar cold storage can reduce carbon emissions by 40%, complying with the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) requirements. Targeting lychees’ fresh-keeping needs, cold chain enterprises provide “multi-temperature zone transportation + precise humidity control” services, combined with degradable packaging to meet the green consumption needs of the European market.

2. Policy Compliance: “Pass” to EU Standards

• The Netherlands fully adopts the EU 852/2004 Food Hygiene Regulation. Lobster and lychee exports only need to comply with Dutch standards to freely enter other EU countries, avoiding multiple certification barriers.
• The “Digital Product Passport (DPP)” system fully implemented in 2024 requires recording full-process product data through blockchain. Dutch cold chain enterprises can provide complete traceability solutions to help enterprises meet compliance requirements. For lobster exporting enterprises, they can also use the “carbon footprint accounting and offset” services of Dutch enterprises to reduce carbon costs.

3. Cooperation Value: Economies of Scale and Brand Upgrade

• In 2023, the China-Netherlands fresh produce trade volume reached 8.9 billion US dollars. Zhejiang frozen asparagus adopted Kuehne + Nagel’s “Chinese port-Rotterdam-European inland” cold chain model, with a loss rate controlled at 2.5%. This mature model can be directly applied to lobster exports.
• Europe’s high-end catering market has a large demand for lobsters. Relying on the green certification of the Dutch cold chain, Chinese lobsters can obtain a 15% premium space; as a specialty fruit, lychees can create a differentiated competitive advantage by entering high-end European supermarkets through the Dutch distribution network.

II. Practical Strategies for Lobster and Lychee Exports: Cooperation Models, Risk Prevention, and Cost Optimization

(I) Targeted Cooperation Model Selection

1. Preferred Models for Lobster Exports

• Direct Cooperation Model: Sign long-term agreements with leading enterprises such as Lineage Logistics (United States) and Kuehne + Nagel (Netherlands), relying on their global networks to provide “door-to-door” cold chain services. Suitable for large-batch frozen lobster exports, with advantages of standardized services and controllable risks. For example, Hubei Xinliu Wu Food Group realized bulk exports of crayfish to the Middle East, Europe, and the United States through this model.
• Transit Hub Model: Utilize bonded cold chain warehouses in Singapore and the Netherlands to realize “bulk transportation + on-demand distribution” of lobsters. Suitable for small-batch orders radiating multiple countries in Southeast Asia and Europe, which can reduce ocean shipping empty container rates and inventory costs.

2. Preferred Models for Lychee Exports

• Express Lane Model: Select air cold chain services at Singapore Changi Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport to complete “harvesting-pre-cooling-air transport-distribution” within 48 hours, maximizing the freshness of lychees. Suitable for high-value premium lychee exports.
• Technology Cooperation Model: Cooperate with Yamato Transport (Japan) and Cool Chain Group (Australia) to introduce core technologies such as vacuum insulation packaging and PCM fresh-keeping materials, improve domestic cold chain levels, and then independently expand overseas markets. Suitable for long-term layout.

(II) Precise Prevention and Control of Core Risks

1. Policy Compliance Risks

• Establish a dynamic policy database, focusing on tracking: updates to the U.S. FDA’s microbial indicators for lobsters, green packaging requirements for Japan’s JAS certification, implementation details of the EU Digital Product Passport, and changes to Australia’s DAWE cold treatment standards. Adjust compliance plans 3-6 months in advance.
• Obtain authoritative information through China Customs’ “Single Window” and the official websites of target country customs, and entrust local consulting institutions to handle certification matters to avoid cargo detention due to unqualified quarantine. For example, lychee exports to Japan require advance application for phytosanitary certificates, and lobster exports to the EU require completion of carbon footprint accounting.

2. Temperature Control and Loss Risks

• Lobster-Specific Prevention and Control: Maintain frozen lobsters at -18℃ ± 0.5℃ throughout the process, select refrigerated containers with dual refrigeration units, and regularly inspect the refrigeration system during ocean shipping; use “slurry ice + breathable packaging” for chilled lobsters to control oxygen concentration and avoid meat deterioration.
• Lychee-Specific Prevention and Control: Complete pre-cooling to 2-5℃ within 2 hours after harvesting, adopt “vacuum insulation panels + PCM phase change materials” packaging, and conduct real-time monitoring through IoT temperature tags during transportation. Activate early warnings immediately if temperature fluctuations exceed ±1℃.
• Case Reference: When Hainan lychees are exported to Japan, the full-process temperature control of “pre-cooling-vacuum packaging-constant temperature transportation” reduces the loss rate from 20% to below 5%.

3. Market Competition Risks

• The U.S. market prefers large-packaged frozen lobsters (5kg/box), suitable for the catering channel; the Japanese market favors small-packaged (200g/box) premium lobsters and individually packaged lychees; the European market focuses on organic certification and carbon footprint labels. Product specifications need to be adjusted accordingly.
• Leverage China’s cost advantage to export cost-effective frozen lobsters, and at the same time build high-end brands such as “organic lychees” and “geographical indication lobsters” to avoid direct competition with local products.

(III) Practical Cost Optimization Skills

1. Transportation Cost Control

• For lobster ocean shipping, select direct routes to avoid temperature fluctuations and cost increases caused by transshipment; sign long-term agreements with shipping companies such as COSCO Shipping and Maersk to lock in refrigerated container space prices, and book 30 days in advance during peak seasons.
• For lychee exports, adopt the “air transport + local cold chain distribution” model. There are dense air routes from South China to Singapore and Japan. Freight forwarders can integrate sources of goods to reduce air transport costs, saving 60% compared with full air transport to Europe.

2. Packaging Cost Control

• Adopt reusable packaging, such as Yamato Transport’s 7-cycle insulation boxes, which can reduce long-term packaging costs by 30%; select environmentally friendly PE materials for frozen lobster packaging and degradable paper insulation boxes for lychee packaging, which not only meet green standards but also reduce costs.
• Graded Packaging Strategy: Use vacuum skin packaging for high-end lobsters and standard frozen packaging for ordinary lobsters; use gift box packaging for premium lychees and simple insulation packaging for mass products, balancing cost and quality requirements.

3. Customs Clearance Cost Control

• Prepare complete documents in advance (commercial invoice, packing list, phytosanitary certificate, certification documents) to ensure consistency of information and avoid demurrage fees due to inconsistent documents; apply for fast customs clearance channels, such as the U.S. “Pre-Declaration System” and Singapore’s “Green Channel.”
• Entrust local customs clearance agents who are familiar with target country processes and customs relationships. For example, lobster exports to Australia can entrust local agents to handle cold treatment certification, shortening customs clearance time by 30%.

III. Future Trends and Global Layout Suggestions

(I) New Industry Development Trends

1. In-Depth Digital Penetration: Blockchain traceability will become the standard. Full-process data of lobsters’ fishing, processing, and transportation will be real-time retrievable, and lychees’ planting environment and pesticide use records will be included in digital files, meeting global consumers’ demands for food safety.
2. Green Cold Chains Become a Necessity: Driven by policies such as the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and Japan’s Container and Packaging Recycling Act, electric refrigerated trucks, solar cold storage, and degradable packaging will be widely used, and green certification will become a prerequisite for exports.
3. Strengthened Regional Hub Synergy: Singapore will further consolidate its status as a Southeast Asian transit hub, and the Netherlands will deepen its European distribution function. Chinese enterprises can rely on these hubs to realize “one-point layout, global coverage.”

(II) Phased Layout Suggestions for Enterprises

1. Short-Term Strategy (1-2 Years): Quickly Enter Core Markets

• Prioritize layout in the two transit hubs of Singapore and the Netherlands, leveraging their policy advantages and radiation capabilities to quickly enter Southeast Asian and European markets; focus on lobster exports (with low technical thresholds and controllable losses), and gradually expand to perishable products such as lychees.
• Establish cooperation with local leading cold chain enterprises to solve basic issues such as compliance and temperature control, and accumulate overseas market experience. For example, sign pilot cooperation agreements with Kerry Logistics (Singapore) and Lineage Logistics (United States).

2. Mid-Term Strategy (3-5 Years): Deepen Local Operations

• Layout front-end cold chain warehouses in Japan and Australia to realize local storage and 24-hour delivery of lobsters and lychees, reducing long-distance transportation risks; introduce advanced overseas fresh-keeping technologies to improve domestic cold chain levels, such as lychee rapid pre-cooling technology and lobster chilled preservation technology.
• Apply for high-end certifications in target countries, such as Japan’s JAS organic certification and EU organic certification, to build independent brands and enhance product premium capabilities.

3. Long-Term Strategy (More Than 5 Years): Build a Global Supply Chain

• Establish an integrated supply chain of “Chinese production bases + global cold chain hubs + local distribution networks” to achieve full-chain control from production to sales; participate in the formulation of global cold chain standards and enhance China’s voice in global fresh produce exports.
• Expand emerging markets, relying on the networks of the five cold chain powers to export lobsters and lychees to regions such as the Middle East and South America, realizing global market coverage.

Conclusion

The tender and fresh taste of lobsters and the sweet and juicy flavor of lychees, these delicacies from China, are being delivered to global dining tables across borders via the mature cold chain networks of the United States, Japan, Australia, Singapore, and the Netherlands. Each of these five countries’ cold chain systems has its own focus: the United States’ large-scale network adapts to bulk lobster exports, Japan’s refined fresh-keeping helps lychee high-endization, Australia’s biosecurity prevention and control ensures product compliance, Singapore’s efficient transit radiates Southeast Asia, and the Netherlands’ green digital cold chain opens up the European market.

For Chinese fresh produce enterprises, the key to successful exports lies in: precisely matching product characteristics with cold chain solutions, strictly controlling policy compliance and temperature control, and flexibly using cooperation models and cost optimization skills. In the trend of global cold chain digitalization and greenization, enterprises need to maintain an open and cooperative attitude, continuously iterate their supply chain capabilities, not only leveraging the advantages of overseas cold chain networks but also improving the standardization level of domestic cold chains, to gain a foothold in the global fresh produce market competition. In the future, with the deepening of Sino-Western cold chain cooperation, more Chinese lobsters and lychees will become regular guests on global consumers’ dining tables through efficient cold chains.