As trade restrictions on Australian wine and seafood fade into the distance, local businesses at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) are ready to cater to a health-conscious Chinese market.
The massive event — the nation’s largest-ever trade delegation — began Tuesday in Shanghai, welcoming more than 250 Australian businesses.
It arrives at an important time for Australia’s two-way trade relationship with China, which was valued at $327.2 billion in 2023.
It is the first CIIE since China removed harsh tariffs on Australian wine in March, and its promise to lift trade bans on Australian rock lobster by the end of the year.
Tamburlaine Organic Wines, which operates vineyards across New South Wales’s Hunter Valley and Orange regions, is among the exhibitors.
Speaking to SmartCompany, chief winemaker Mark Davidson said CIIE is a significant opportunity for the brand.
Unlike other winemakers who suffered greatly when those bans came into effect, Davidson said only a small percentage of Tamburlaine’s production went to China.
Even so, the brand regretted the loss of potential export opportunities.
“It’s still something that we valued, because we’d spent a lot of time building relationships in that market,” he said.
With those relationships renewed, Davidson said the business is ready for China’s increasingly sophisticated wine market, which is intrigued by organic and vegan options.
There is a “growing enthusiasm amongst consumers to choose the best for themselves, the best and the healthiest things they can possibly buy, that they can afford,” Davidson said.
“So ‘organic’ is an important statement.”
Australia has a strong natural advantage when meeting those health-conscious Chinese consumers, he continued.
“Australia is seen as a clean and green supplier, whether it’s organic or non-organic,” he said.
“Whatever we’re selling — food and consumables — these things are seen as being of high quality and coming from a clean and green source.”
The 29 businesses present at the New South Wales stand, organised by Investment NSW, speak to that same desire for high-quality food, drink, and supplements.
In a statement, Sophie Todd, co-founder of Mrs Toddy’s Tonics, said the business’s range of health-focused drinks is a natural fit for the Chinese market.
“We know that Chinese consumers are becoming more health conscious and are turning to products with natural ingredients, so there’s enormous potential for a business like ours to establish a presence in this lucrative market.”
The state government helped facilitate $40 million in trade deals at last year’s event, Investment NSW said.
The neighbouring South Australian delegation is championing the return of imported rock lobster to Chinese dining room tables by the end of the year.
More than two dozen SA businesses are on the ground in Shanghai, including Ferguson Australia, a producer of rock lobster and other high-quality seafood.
The timing of CIIE “couldn’t be better”, managing director Andrew Ferguson said in a statement.
“We see a real opportunity to reconnect back with that marketplace and be better prepared for the reopening,” he added.
Senior Business Journalist
Focused on the small business sector, David’s work covers the political, regulatory, and economic issues facing Australian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining SmartCompany, he was a reporter for Business Insider Australia. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
