Frozen berries may look like a simple commodity, but the classification and compliance layer is where import programs succeed or stall. Here is the practical map for a clean entry, from HS code to cold chain.
Classification basics. Most frozen berries fall under HS Chapter 08, heading 0811, which covers fruit and nuts frozen, whether or not cooked, with or without added sugar. Strawberries sit in subheading 0811.10; blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, and most other frozen fruit sit in 0811.90. Correct classification matters because duty rates, quotas, and statistical codes all attach to the subheading — get it wrong and your customs broker is fixing it under a deadline.
Documents that travel with the container. Expect the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, and, where the destination requires it, a phytosanitary certificate. Shipments into the United States need FDA prior notice, and EU importers should check whether the product falls under the EU’s official controls for certain third-country origins. The temperature recorder file is a commercial document too — keep it with the shipment, not in a drawer.
Tariffs are moving targets. US tariff schedules on Chinese-origin blueberries reached 80 percent fresh and 72 percent frozen, per NABC tracking, and GCCA’s July 2026 analysis flagged that standard frozen fruit was excluded from recent exemption lists. Importers with US exposure should model several tariff scenarios, not one. Elsewhere, Japan’s tariffs on US frozen blueberries have historically varied with sugar content, which is another reason the spec’s sugar declaration must be precise.
Freight and the cold chain. Ocean reefer markets remain volatile: Xeneta’s January 2026 analysis noted a spot-to-contract spread around $2,200 per FEU on major lanes as Red Sea routings weighed on capacity. For a product that must hold near -18°C for weeks at sea, freight strategy is quality strategy — pre-cooled containers, temperature recorders, and a carrier with reefer discipline are part of the spec.
Compliance is a partnership, not a form. The strongest import programs are built with suppliers who treat paperwork as part of the product. Get in touch for a free HS-code classification review on any of your frozen berry SKUs — no obligation, just a second pair of eyes before you ship.
