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Bringing Popcorn to China

Replies: 24 - Last Post: Jan 7, 2013 7:47 PM Last Post By: egjeg

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gaijinjoe

gaijinjoe avatar

Nov 29, 2012 5:42 PM
Posts:  44

Bringing Popcorn to China

Hi All

So I plan to visit my friend in China. I know they love popcorn. I would like to bring a jar of commercial popcorn kernals. (1 pint) to China from the US.

Is this a no no and does this fall under the declarations on the customs form ?

thanks in advance

egjeg

egjeg avatar

Nov 29, 2012 6:08 PM
Posts:  2,278

1

Bring your popcorn. Should be no problem. Chinese customs are very relaxed about pretty much everything except for large numbers of unopened iPads, bibles, or maps depicting Taiwan as an independent country. I've never heard of problems carrying in anything else, and it's very common for Chinese returning from overseas to bring large suitcases full of mixed nuts, fish oil, and milk powder.

JPDeM

JPDeM avatar

Nov 29, 2012 6:14 PM
Posts:  353

2

They do not care and do not check but, frankly, I can find pop corn everywhere in Beijing.

Asiatraveller1710

Asiatraveller1710 avatar

Nov 29, 2012 8:15 PM
Posts:  25

3

Egjeg and JPDeM are right. Even in more remote cieties like Changsha, you can find popcorn kernels. But if you insist on bringing them, it's no problem. Just walk through customs.

egjeg

egjeg avatar

Nov 29, 2012 9:12 PM
Posts:  2,278

4

I can find pop corn everywhere in Beijing.
Really? Other than microwavable bags, I've only seen it in import shops like Jenny Lou, which are scarce outside of Chaoyang.

JPDeM

JPDeM avatar

Nov 29, 2012 9:24 PM
Posts:  353

5

I don't know about Jenny Lou, I never shop there but you are right about microwavable. But this is also all we find in Canada. Every movie theater also has pop corn.

Bella_China

Bella_China avatar

Nov 29, 2012 10:46 PM
Posts:  53

6

No problem for you to bring popcorn to China. Acturally, popcorn of different flavor is easily available in many cities of China and i think you do not need to bring it to China considering its large size and inconvenience for carrying.

egjeg

egjeg avatar

Nov 29, 2012 11:15 PM
Posts:  2,278

7

OP is not talking about microwave popcorn, as that is not generally sold in 1 pint jars. If you want loose popcorn, best to bring it with you because it is not easy to find in China.

If I am wrong and it is easy to buy loose popcorn in China, please let me know exactly where, because I have searched for it, finding taobao and import groceries to be the only options.

gaijinjoe

gaijinjoe avatar

Nov 30, 2012 3:43 AM
Posts:  44

8

Thanks for all the replies ! I never dreamed it would create such a large lthread !

I was thinking I can find it in Beijing but

A) Don't want the hastle of scurring around.
B) They sell a lot of popcorn in the US and some of it is not very good.

So do I need to declare this ?

thank you all so much !

egjeg

egjeg avatar

Nov 30, 2012 4:30 AM
Posts:  2,278

9

No, you don't need to declare popcorn. If you try, the customs agent will probably have a good laugh about it though.

manchurianexile

manchurianexile avatar

Nov 30, 2012 5:04 AM
Posts:  775

10

I'm wondering if the Chinese authorities may be cracking down a bit on all the stuff people bring through. I have a Chinese friend who is currently in Oz and heading back in a week or so that is, hopefully, bringing me copious quantities of Vegemite but she was a little concerned that she wouldn't be allowed in with in. But then, maybe she's just over-cautious.

That said, I've brought seeds, cheese, tea, all sorts of things back into China without an eyelid being batted. The only thing I've ever had confiscated was a cork-screw that was in my hand luggage.

Apropos pop-corn kernels: I know where to get them in Changchun - just don't like pop-corn much.

By the way: where, exactly, is Jenny Lou's?

egjeg

egjeg avatar

Nov 30, 2012 5:19 AM
Posts:  2,278

11

There are a bunch of them scattered around Chaoyang in Beijing, centered around sanlitun.

There was recently some kind of dispute and Jenny Lou's split into Jenny Lou's and Jenny Wang's.
http://www.jennylou.com.cn/?main_page=page&id=15
http://www.jennyshop.com.cn/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=8

manchurianexile

manchurianexile avatar

Nov 30, 2012 5:33 AM
Posts:  775

12

Bum!

I've just got back from The Bookworm in Sanlitun.

SoloHobo

SoloHobo avatar

Nov 30, 2012 5:57 AM
Posts:  9,914

13

Actually, on the streets of the French Concession in the evening in the fall and winter, they popcorn on little carts with a blast heater, its is delicious, and better than anything offered in the USA. Overall, US Popcorn sucks...

We bought popcorn in Shanghai and Beijing at the western and gourmet stores, dont see the big deal there...

JPDeM

JPDeM avatar

Nov 30, 2012 6:38 AM
Posts:  353

14

Declaring it? Nah. Head to the "Nothing to declare" exit. I know an American who goes back to the US 4-5 times per year and always brings back a big frozen turkey. He was never bothered.
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