Australian wine holds a significant reputation on the global stage, with demand continuing to rise in key markets across the ASEAN region and beyond. For producers looking to capitalize on this international interest, understanding the export process is the first critical step. This article is the first in a series designed to clarify that process, beginning with the mandatory starting point: regulatory approval.
To protect the industry’s valuable reputation and ensure consistent quality, all legal and commercial pathways for exporting wine are governed by a single body, Wine Australia, which enforces a strict set of export controls.
These regulations, in place since 1930, aims to preserve the quality and protect the reputation of Australian wine in international markets. This framework ensures that all grape products exported from Australia comply with the Food Standards Code, which dictates requirements for elements such as additives, processing aids, and mandatory labelling information.
The central regulation states that all wine shipments exceeding 100 litres require formal export approval from Wine Australia. These controls apply to a specific list of grape products:
Attempting to bypass this process is a serious offence, with a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment for exporting a grape product without the required approval.
The export approval process, known as the ‘export controls’, comprises four mandatory steps that an exporter must complete to ensure compliance for their shipments.
WALAS, short for the Wine Australia Licensing and Approval System, is the central online portal where the entire approval process is administered. Through WALAS, users can apply online for a licence to export, register their products, upload labels for approval, edit shipping details, and apply for the final shipping approval documents. The system also allows users to manage payments and account access.
Note: One-off applicants can use the PDF application forms found on the Forms and Templates page of the Wine Australia website.
Navigating the regulatory landscape is the mandatory first half of the export journey, ensuring a product is legally compliant. Once Wine Australia’s approvals are secured, the focus shifts to the critical phase of logistics: ensuring the wine travels safely and efficiently to its destination. This second half of the process involves managing physical details—from arranging air freight for speed or sea freight for volume, to ensuring product integrity with cold chain logistics and navigating border regulations with a customs broker.
Have your export approvals in place? Contact Arc Freights today for a quote on our specialized wine logistics services and let us handle the journey. We are Australia’s leading Freight Forwarder offering QUALITY & RELIABLE logistics services in more than 140 countries. Having plied our expertise in ASEAN for nearly two decades, we are the trusted partner for logistics between Australia and Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. With expert knowledge, advanced technology, and a commitment to reliability, we provide seamless logistics management, including door-to-door sea freight services, that helps you focus on what matters most—growing your business.
Look out for Part 2 of our series, where we will cover the license to export in further detail.
