With nearly a month to go before Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhejiang-made mooncakes are already entering overseas markets. From January to August, Hangzhou Customs recorded mooncake exports of 46.25 metric tons, up 2.5 times year-on-year.

Recently, a shipment of 1.6 tons of ham-nut mooncakes departed from Taizhou in East China's Zhejiang province for Vietnam, marking the city's first-ever mooncake export. The products were made by Zhejiang Guanxi Shipin, a Taizhou bakery brand with over 30 years in the domestic market. At an international bakery exhibition earlier this year, the company's craftsmanship and flavors caught the attention of foreign buyers, leading to its first overseas order.

Exporting, however, posed challenges. To support local specialties entering global markets, Taizhou Customs launched a program to assist time-honored brands. Experts visited factories to check ingredient control, production safety, and quality management. Smart inspection systems provided faster clearance, while a "green channel" and cloud-based quarantine certificates shortened export procedures for seasonal goods.

Mooncakes, with their short sales window, benefited from these measures. This year's exports show Zhejiang's bakery sector expanding its reach beyond domestic tables, bringing the flavors of traditional festival treats to international consumers.