A Toronto distributor asked last spring for a 750 ml clamshell price. We quoted FOB Qingdao; his own landed estimate came in 38% under the broker invoice. The gap was not the factory price. It was GST on landed value, brokerage, a terminal charge, and a pallet of crushed cartons. The FOB line is about half the story.
Why the specification sheet decides your margin
Take-out containers are mostly air. A 9-inch clamshell weighs 24–30 grams but the carton volume is all nesting. Deepen the flange 3 mm and you lose 6% of the pieces per container — freight cost moving, not material.
First question we ask is not price but stack height per sleeve. Ontario chains standardized on stacks that fit their heated shelves; 5 mm taller and the kitchen will not use it.
Gram weight is the second lever. We run 750 ml clamshells at 26 g and 32 g. 26 g suits a rice bowl eaten in 20 minutes; 32 g goes to poutine, because the bottom absorbs and softens. Same mould, 9–12% price difference. We do not go below 22 g on clamshells above 500 ml — a 20 g run for a BC buyer in 2023 came back with a 3% breakage rate on arrival, and we stopped selling that geometry.
Sizing table we actually quote from
FOB Qingdao, USD/pc, 2026 range, 50,000+ pieces per SKU. An order of magnitude, not a firm offer.
| Item | Capacity | Top dimension | Gram weight | Pieces/carton | FOB USD/pc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clamshell, hinged | 750 ml | 200 × 200 mm | 26 g / 32 g | 500 | 0.085 – 0.115 |
| Clamshell, hinged | 1000 ml | 230 × 230 mm | 30 g / 36 g | 400 | 0.105 – 0.140 |
| Bowl with lid | 1000 ml | Ø 185 mm | 24 g + 10 g lid | 300 sets | 0.095 – 0.130 |
| Bowl with lid | 1500 ml | Ø 215 mm | 30 g + 12 g lid | 250 sets | 0.130 – 0.175 |
| Rectangular container + lid | 1000 ml | 225 × 175 mm | 28 g + 11 g | 300 sets | 0.115 – 0.150 |
| 3-compartment tray | 900 ml | 230 × 200 mm | 34 g | 300 | 0.120 – 0.160 |
We send fit samples before any bowl PO — a 1 mm rim mismatch leaks in transit. Bowl supply is its own line: bagasse bowl wholesale.
CBSA: HS classification and what the broker will ask for
HS 4823.70, moulded articles of paper pulp; some brokers try 4419 or 3924 depending on invoice wording. Ours reads: “Moulded pulp food containers, unbleached bagasse, non-sterile, for foodservice use.”
CBSA checks a commercial invoice with incoterm and origin, a packing list matching cartons to the BOL (1,100 cartons declared as 1,080 will hold the release), a certificate of origin if you expect a preferential rate — Canada has no FTA with China, so general tariff applies — and ISPM 15 stamps on wood dunnage. Food-contact paperwork is not a CBSA item, but Health Canada and retailers ask for it, so we ship an FDA 21 CFR 176.170 declaration and LFGB reports as standard.
GST/HST and the destination warehouse split
A registrant importing for resale claims GST/HST back as an input credit but pays at the border first: CAD 3,000 on a 60,000 shipment in Alberta, 7,800 in Ontario.
Split it: 12–18% more ocean per unit buys separate releases. Below a 60/40 east-west volume split, splitting rarely pays.
What a container actually costs to land
2026 ballpark, 40 HQ, excluding duty and tax.
| Lane | Ocean freight | Port/terminal + docs | Truck to DC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qingdao → Vancouver | USD 2,600 – 4,200 | CAD 900 – 1,400 | CAD 400 – 700 | Fastest West Coast release |
| Qingdao → Prince Rupert | USD 2,400 – 3,900 | CAD 850 – 1,300 | CAD 350 – 600 | Rail onward if inland |
| Qingdao → Vancouver → Toronto | USD 2,600 – 4,200 + CAD 3,800 – 5,600 rail | in rail rate | CAD 500 – 900 | 5–8 extra days |
| Qingdao → Toronto via Montreal/rail | USD 3,400 – 5,200 | CAD 1,000 – 1,600 | CAD 450 – 800 | Fewer sailings |
At USD 0.095 FOB, landed Vancouver is near CAD 0.16 per piece. Quote against that.
FAQ
What HS code do bagasse food containers ship under to Canada?
4823.70, moulded articles of paper pulp. Confirm with your broker — the invoice description drives classification more than the material name.
Do I pay duty on bagasse containers from China?
No Canada–China FTA exists, so general/MFN rates apply. The exact figure depends on the tariff line; your broker can pull it in a minute.
What is the minimum order for a mixed container?
50,000 pieces per SKU, with 4–6 SKUs combined into one 40 HQ. Allow 32–38 days rather than the 25 days for a clean load.
Is bagasse allowed under Canada’s single-use plastics ban?
Moulded pulp is not a prohibited material in the SUP regulations. The rules have been amended, so confirm against the current Environment and Climate Change Canada text for your item.
Can you supply a PFAS-free declaration?
Yes — a written declaration of no intentionally added PFAS, plus LFGB and FDA food-contact test reports. Per-batch testing is available at cost.
If you want a landed number rather than an FOB number
Send SKU list, volumes, and DC provinces; you get a container plan, FOB quote, and a landed estimate with freight, terminal, brokerage, duty and tax on separate lines. Start at request a quote.
Qingdao line, 2,500–3,000 tonnes a year, same three moulding halls since 2019.
