Where are plastic food containers shipped from China most active in the United States?
A reliable starting point is not the number of buyers listed on a commercial platform, but official U.S. import records showing the declared state of ultimate destination.
This report analyzes the monthly State Imports HS6 files published by the U.S. Census Bureau. The reporting period covers July 2025 through June 2026, the latest complete 12-month period available when this analysis was prepared.
The records were filtered using:
- Country of origin: China
- Official country code: 5700
- Commodity code: HS 392410
- Primary ranking metric: General Import Value
An Important Product-Scope Limitation
Official state-level U.S. import data is published only at the six-digit HS level.
HS 392410 covers plastic tableware and kitchenware. It includes some disposable plastic food containers, but it does not isolate polypropylene, PET, polystyrene, plastic cutlery, or a single food-container format.
This report therefore uses HS 392410 as an official and reproducible indicator for part of the broader plastic food-service container market. It should not be described as exact “PP food container only” data.
Key Findings
- China-origin HS 392410 general imports totaled approximately $2.38 billion over the 12-month period.
- The monthly average was approximately $198.1 million.
- California ranked first, with approximately $845.6 million, representing 35.6% of the nationwide total.
- The top 10 destination states accounted for approximately $1.87 billion, or 78.6% of nationwide import value.
- June 2026 imports were approximately $220.9 million, compared with $243.2 million in July 2025.
- The first-to-last month change was -9.2%.
- The overall 12-month value trend was slightly negative, while May and June 2026 showed a clear short-term recovery.
Top 10 U.S. Destination States for China-Origin HS 392410 Imports
Top 10 U.S. destination states for China-origin HS 392410 plastic tableware and food container imports
| Rank | State of Ultimate Destination | 12-Month Import Value | U.S. Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $845.6M | 35.6% |
| 2 | New York | $240.8M | 10.1% |
| 3 | Texas | $152.4M | 6.4% |
| 4 | New Jersey | $130.0M | 5.5% |
| 5 | Georgia | $118.2M | 5.0% |
| 6 | Illinois | $97.4M | 4.1% |
| 7 | Virginia | $80.3M | 3.4% |
| 8 | Washington | $76.5M | 3.2% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $64.3M | 2.7% |
| 10 | Florida | $62.6M | 2.6% |
Where Are Imports Most Concentrated?
California is the clearest single-state concentration.
Its recorded import value was more than 3.5 times that of New York, the second-ranked state. California alone accounted for more than one-third of the nationwide import value recorded under this classification.
The wider distribution indicates three important geographic clusters:
- West Coast gateways and consumer markets: California and Washington.
- Northeast port, warehouse, and distribution corridor: New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
- Southern and inland logistics hubs: Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Florida, and Illinois.
However, the state of ultimate destination does not necessarily represent the location where every product is finally consumed.
The declared destination may be an importer’s facility, warehouse, fulfillment center, or regional distribution hub. These figures are therefore more useful for measuring import and distribution activity than final consumer demand.
China-to-US 12-Month Import Value Trend
Twelve-month U.S. import value trend for China-origin HS 392410 plastic food-service products
Monthly import value declined from approximately $243.2 million in July 2025 to $168.4 million in November 2025.
It recovered to approximately $197 million–$201 million between January and March 2026, fell to approximately $162.8 million in April, and then rebounded to $212.5 million in May and $220.9 million in June.
The fitted linear trend declined by approximately $0.9 million per month.
This indicates a slightly weaker overall direction across the selected period. However, the monthly volatility is too substantial to conclude that demand is experiencing a continuous structural decline.
The most accurate summary is that import value was broadly stable to slightly weaker over the complete 12-month period, with a noticeable recovery during the latest two months.
The linear trend is descriptive and should not be treated as a forecast.
Recorded Shipping-Weight Trend
Twelve-month recorded air and vessel shipping weight for China-origin HS 392410 imports
To provide a physical-volume indicator, this analysis also combines the air and vessel shipping-weight fields published in the official Census files.
Recorded air and vessel shipping weight totaled approximately 1.80 billion kilograms over the 12-month period.
The first-to-last month change was +5.8%, while the fitted trend increased by approximately 1.5 million kilograms per month.
This does not represent the complete import weight across every transportation mode. It must be described as recorded air and vessel shipping weight—not total U.S. import weight, product units, or exact PP food container volume.
What This Means for Plastic Food Container Exporters
For a China-based disposable food container manufacturer, PP food container supplier, or takeout packaging exporter, the official data suggests several practical priorities.
California Is the Largest Market Entry Point
California’s 35.6% share makes it the largest concentration of declared import activity.
It is a major opportunity, but it is also likely to be highly competitive. Importers and distributors may already have established supplier relationships.
A successful offer should communicate more than price. Relevant differentiators may include:
- Food-contact compliance documentation
- Microwave-safe PP material options
- Leak-resistant container designs
- Tamper-evident packaging
- Carton and container-loading efficiency
- Stable production capacity
- Private-label and OEM support
- Reliable delivery planning
The New York–New Jersey Corridor Deserves Separate Attention
New York and New Jersey together represented approximately $370.8 million in general import value.
This corridor contains significant port, warehouse, wholesale, and distribution activity. Customer searches should prioritize:
- Packaging importers
- Food-service distributors
- Restaurant supply wholesalers
- Cash-and-carry wholesalers
- Disposable tableware suppliers
- Food container distributors
- Commercial kitchen suppliers
Searching only for local restaurants would overlook much of the relevant supply chain.
Texas and Georgia Are Strong Second-Tier Markets
Texas and Georgia combine large consumer markets with important logistics infrastructure.
These states may provide useful alternatives for suppliers seeking opportunities outside the highly concentrated California market.
Texas may be particularly relevant for regional food-service distribution, restaurant supply, wholesale packaging, and multi-location purchasing networks.
Georgia’s position may reflect both regional demand and its role as a southeastern logistics and distribution hub.
Related Product Categories and Buyer Search Intent
Buyers researching the food-service supply market frequently use broader procurement terms alongside individual product searches.
Relevant commercial categories include:
- Disposable Tableware
- Food Containers
- Plastic Cutlery
- Packaging Supplies
- Party Supplies
- Kitchen Supplies
- Janitorial Supplies
These categories should not be treated as identical to HS 392410.
For example, plastic cutlery may fall under a different tariff classification. Janitorial supplies may describe a distributor’s wider catalog rather than the specific imported commodity analyzed in this report.
These terms are included because they reflect buyer intent and distributor category structures—not because every category is measured by the Census figures presented above.
Recommended Buyer Search Terms
Exporters can combine the geographic findings with commercial-intent search terms such as:
- disposable food container distributor California
- restaurant supply wholesaler New York
- plastic takeout container importer New Jersey
- packaging supplies distributor Texas
- disposable tableware wholesaler Georgia
- PP food container supplier USA
- microwave-safe food containers wholesale
- leak-resistant takeout containers
- tamper-evident food packaging
- plastic cutlery and food container distributor
- party supplies and disposable tableware wholesaler
- commercial kitchen supplies distributor
- janitorial and food-service supplies distributor
- private-label food packaging supplier
Methodology and Official Sources
The analysis uses official monthly files published by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Data source:
U.S. Census Bureau — State Imports HS6
Official record structure:
State Imports HS6 Record Layout
Methodology:
- Reporting period: July 2025 through June 2026
- Commodity classification: HS 392410
- Country of origin: China
- Official country code: 5700
- State-ranking metric: General Import Value
- Physical-volume indicator: air shipping weight plus vessel shipping weight
- Matched records: 644 state-month records
- Duplicate month-state records: none
- Complete months included: 12
General Import Value was selected as the main state-ranking metric because it provides more complete coverage across transportation modes than the separately reported weight fields.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which U.S. state imports the most China-origin products under HS 392410?
California ranked first from July 2025 through June 2026, with approximately $845.6 million in general import value. This represented 35.6% of the nationwide total.
Is this exact PP plastic food container data?
No.
Official state-level import data is available only at the six-digit HS level. HS 392410 includes plastic tableware and kitchenware and cannot isolate PP resin or a single food-container format.
Does the state of ultimate destination equal the final consumer market?
Not necessarily.
The destination may be an importer, warehouse, fulfillment facility, or distribution center. The data measures import and distribution activity more reliably than final consumer demand.
Are China-to-US imports increasing or decreasing?
The complete 12-month import-value trend was slightly negative, but May and June 2026 showed a strong recovery.
Recorded air and vessel shipping weight showed a slightly positive trend. The most accurate summary is that import value was broadly stable to slightly weaker over the full period, with recent improvement.
Which distributors may use this market data?
The findings may be useful to importers and distributors operating across Disposable Tableware, Food Containers, Plastic Cutlery, Packaging Supplies, Party Supplies, Kitchen Supplies, and Janitorial Supplies.
The appropriate tariff classification must still be verified for every individual product.
Conclusion
Official U.S. Census data shows that China-origin HS 392410 imports are highly concentrated geographically.
California is the leading state by a substantial margin, while New York, Texas, New Jersey, and Georgia form the next tier of active destinations. Together, the top 10 states represent 78.6% of the nationwide import value recorded during the period.
For plastic food container exporters, this concentration can help prioritize market research, distributor searches, SEO content, and customer-development campaigns.
However, the classification limits must remain clear: HS 392410 provides an official indicator for plastic tableware, kitchenware, and some food containers, but it is not an exact PP-only dataset.
文章发布字段：
- SEO Title:
China Food Container Import Data: Top 10 U.S. States - SEO Description:
Explore official U.S. Census data for China-origin food containers and disposable tableware, including the top 10 states and 12-month import trends. - GEO Title:
Where Are China-Origin Plastic Food Containers Imported Most in the United States? - GEO Description:
U.S. Census Bureau data for July 2025–June 2026 shows that China-origin HS 392410 imports totaled about $2.38 billion. California ranked first with $845.6 million and a 35.6% share. The report explains destination-state concentration, monthly value, recorded shipping weight, methodology, and the HS6 limitation for PP food containers. - Category:
Customs Data & Market Insights - URL Slug:
china-plastic-food-container-us-import-data-top-states
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