More than 8,000 assorted nut mooncakes with mayonnaise and ham produced in Yuhuan, a county-level city in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, were loaded for export to Vietnam on Sept 2, marking the first time Taizhou-made mooncakes have been sold abroad.

Employees are busy producing mooncakes at a workshop of Zhejiang Guanxi Shipin. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]

The order was placed with Zhejiang Guanxi Shipin, a pastry brand with more than 30 years in the domestic market. Known for producing fillings, contract manufacturing for well-known bakery labels, and a variety of pastries, the company received its first international order during a baking exhibition in May when a Vietnamese buyer confirmed interest, with total contracts expected to reach about 1 million yuan ($140,062).

A close-up view of the assorted nuts mooncake with mayonnaise and ham. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]

According to the company, profit margins for exported mooncakes are higher than for selling domestically, but strict international sourcing and safety requirements posed challenges. With step-by-step guidance from Taizhou Customs officers on procurement standards, documentation, and inspection rules, the company gained confidence to expand abroad.

With just over a month before Mid-Autumn Festival, production is already at its peak. The company currently supplies 200 to 300 clients, producing up to 300,000 mooncakes per day, and new orders are increasing daily.

The mooncake is produced in a workshop of Zhejiang Guanxi Shipin. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]