Sarah Lim had built a 40,000-follower pet care audience on Instagram and a Shopify store doing SGD 8,000/month in resale margins. She wanted her own brand — but had never imported from China and didn't know where to start. From first WhatsApp message to first commercial shipment: 25 days.
Sarah had validated demand the smart way: she was reselling five different cat litter brands on Shopee and tracking which ones her customers reordered most frequently. Tofu litter was the clear winner. But resale margins were thin and she had no brand equity to show for her marketing investment.
She decided to source directly from China and launch her own label. The problems were immediate.
Sarah had never dealt with a customs broker, a bill of lading, a letter of credit, or a COA. She didn't know what MOQ meant, whether she needed an import licence in Singapore, or how to calculate landed cost. Three suppliers she had contacted before us sent her a price list and nothing else.
Sarah wanted three products: a tofu litter, a crystal litter, and a cassava litter. Standard MOQ per SKU from most suppliers would have required three separate containers — a capital commitment she didn't have. She needed all three in one shipment, in small quantities.
Sarah had received samples from two other suppliers and tested them in her Singapore apartment (32°C / 85% RH). Both tofu litter samples became soft and partially pre-clumped within 14 days. Neither supplier had a solution other than "store in a cool dry place."
We assigned Sarah a dedicated account manager on day one. The engagement covered three parallel workstreams: a tropical-adapted formula, a multi-SKU consolidated container, and a complete first-import onboarding programme.
We adjusted our standard tofu litter formula for Singapore's climate: moisture content target reduced from ≤10% to ≤8%, guar gum binder concentration increased by 12% to compensate for the lower moisture baseline, and packaging upgraded to 8μm aluminium foil laminate (vs standard 60μm PE). We climate-chamber-tested the adapted formula at 35°C / 90% RH for 30 days — no pre-clumping, no softening, pellet hardness maintained above 95% of baseline. Sarah tested real-world samples in her apartment: "They're still completely firm after three weeks."
We structured a 20GP container containing 3T tofu litter (10kg bags), 2T cassava litter (10kg bags), and 1T crystal litter (3.8L bags) — all under the PawMart brand, with separate COAs and packing lists for each SKU. This allowed Sarah to test all three products with real customers simultaneously without committing capital to three full containers. Total first order value: USD 6,800 including packaging.
We provided Sarah with: a step-by-step import guide for Singapore (including AVA exemption status for cat litter), a recommended freight forwarder with Singapore experience, a customs value declaration template, a Shopee/Lazada listing image pack, and a WhatsApp group connecting her directly with our production and QC teams. When her shipment arrived, she cleared customs in four hours — her freight forwarder said it was the cleanest documentation package they'd seen from a new China shipper.
Sarah sent a voice message asking "where do I even start?" Account manager scheduled a video call within 2 hours. By end of day: product selection confirmed, import process overview sent, sample request placed.
DHL Express sample kit arrived: 1.5kg tofu, 1kg cassava, 500g crystal. Sarah tested all three in her apartment. Tropical-adapted tofu formula approved. Crystal and cassava standard formulas approved. PawMart brand brief submitted.
Design team produced three packaging layouts (stand-up pouch, 10kg side-gusset, 3.8L crystal bag) in two revision rounds. Sarah approved on round two. English + simplified Chinese label for Singapore market. Print-ready files to printer Day 14.
All three SKUs produced concurrently. Pre-shipment QC completed Day 21. COAs issued. 30% deposit confirmed production start; 70% balance paid Day 22 after QC report review.
20GP container loaded Day 23. Sailing confirmed Day 24. Full shipping document package (B/L, packing list, COA × 3, invoice) sent to Sarah and her freight forwarder Day 25. Transit to Singapore: 9 days.
"I was terrified of importing from China. I'd read so many horror stories. PreCat's team basically held my hand through every step — customs forms, freight forwarder selection, how to photograph products for Shopee. It felt less like a supplier relationship and more like having a very patient business partner who happened to make great cat litter."
Many of our best long-term clients started exactly where Sarah did — with a great product idea and zero import experience. We'll guide you through every step.
