Turning Australia’s food and beverage reputation into commercial advantage

Global demand for premium, safe and sustainably produced food continues to grow, particularly across Asia. Rising incomes, urbanisation, and increasing health consciousness are reshaping food consumption patterns, creating strong demand for high-quality imported products.

According to the Australian Food & Grocery Council’s Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing sector generated approximately $173 billion in turnover, employed around 300,000 people, and recorded export growth of 5.2 per cent in 2023-2024. Around 36 per cent of food and beverage growth and manufacturing employment is based in regional Australia, highlighting the sector’s importance to Australia’s regional economies.

Australia’s strong international reputation for food safety, quality, and reliability provides a solid foundation for export growth. However, success in overseas markets increasingly depends on more than product quality alone. Manufacturers must align with evolving expectations around health, safety, traceability, and sustainability, while demonstrating the governance and systems required to support long-term international growth.

For manufacturers, the opportunity is clear but capturing it requires more than demand. It requires the right market strategy, customs and trade settings, supply chain governance, financial readiness, and assurance frameworks.

Market opportunities in key regions

China remains a critical market for Australian food and beverage exporters, driven by sustained demand for premium, safe, and health focused products. Australia More than 250 Australian businesses participated in the China International Import Expo in 2025, marking Australia’s largest delegation to the event to date. China is Australia’s largest two-way trading partner, with goods and services trade totalling approximately $309 billion in 2024-25, underscoring the scale and ongoing importance of the bilateral economic relationship.

Japan remains a mature but highly attractive export market. Demand is driven by quality, consistency, and trust, with buyers placing strong emphasis on food safety, traceability, and supplier reliability. While growth is typically incremental, Japan offers stable, long-term opportunities for manufacturers that can meet stringent regulatory and quality expectations.

Southeast Asia represents one of the most significant long‑term growth opportunities for Australian food and beverage manufacturers. The Australian Government’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 highlights the forecast economic growth of around 4 per cent per annum through to 2040 in this region, driven by population growth, rising incomes and increasing consumption of meat, dairy and manufactured foods. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is Australia’s second‑largest two‑way trading partner, with goods and services trade totalling approximately $195.7 billion in 2024-25, accounting for around 15.3 per cent of Australia’s total trade exceeding Australia’s trade with Japan and the United States.

Importantly, Australia has free trade agreements with our key Asian trading partners such as China, Japan, South Korea, India and ASEAN nations. These agreements provide a competitive advantage through lower import duties and improved market access, helping Australian food and beverage exporters compete more effectively in overseas markets.

For many exporters, the practical value of Australia’s free trade agreements is not just improved market access — it is margin protection. Correctly applying preferential tariff treatment can reduce landed costs, improve pricing competitiveness and strengthen distributor negotiations.

Exporters should consider:

• Which markets offer the best commercial return?
• Are our products eligible for preferential duty rates under free trade agreements?
• Do our labels, claims and documentation meet local requirements?
• Is our supply chain sufficiently traceable and resilient?
• Do we have the governance and reporting systems to support scale?

Positioning Brand Australia for success

Australia’s competitive advantage is underpinned by robust regulatory frameworks, comprehensive food safety systems, and advanced traceability standards. These systems ensure food products are produced, handled, and exported in line with strict quality and safety requirements, reinforcing Australia’s reputation as a trusted supplier in global markets.

Australia has implemented sophisticated traceability mechanisms such as the National Livestock Identification System and GS1 global trade identification number (GTIN) standard, among others. Collectively, traceability systems enable seamless, end-to-end tracking of products across the entire supply chain from “paddock to plate”. This integrated approach enhances visibility, supports rapid response to food safety issues, and reinforces the integrity and reliability of Australian food exports.

Manufacturers are also tailoring branding and packaging to meet local market preferences, including labelling requirements, portion sizes and health claims. Major trade events such as FHA–Food & Beverage 2025 showcased over 120 Australian food and beverage companies and facilitated more than 300 business-matching meetings with Southeast Asian buyers, highlighting strong regional demand.

Looking ahead

Demand for premium, safe, and sustainably produced food is expected to remain strong across Asia. For Australian food and beverage manufacturers, the opportunity to grow offshore is significant. However, the businesses that succeed will be those that invest early in governance, assurance, and capability alongside product development and distribution.

Export growth is a whole‑of‑business challenge. By combining Australia’s natural advantages with strong audit, governance and advisory support, food and beverage manufacturers can navigate complexity, build trust in overseas markets and achieve sustainable international growth.

How BDO can help

At BDO, our manufacturing & wholesale and international trade teams work alongside food and beverage businesses to support:

• Market entry and growth strategy – assessing priority markets, routes to market and commercial readiness.
• Customs, tariffs and free trade agreements – helping businesses access preferential duty rates and manage origin compliance.
• Supply chain and traceability – strengthening documentation, systems and assurance.
• Tax, transfer pricing and structuring – supporting scalable international operations.
• Audit, risk and governance – building confidence with investors, lenders, regulators and overseas customers.