Revising Australian Export Strategies to The Pacific Rim: The Case of the Thai Wine Market Available to Purchase

Wine exports from Australia are expected to double within the next five years and much of this growth has been forecasted to occur in the traditionally non‐wine drinking countries of the Pacific Rim. This paper, based on lengthy interviews with importers, agents, and buyers for various retail institutions in Thailand, uses a case study approach to argue that export strategies based on successful entry into the UK and US markets will be less efficient in the Pacific Rim. A detailed analysis of the market structure, including the types of wines and strategies of institutions from the top to the bottom end of the price spectrum is presented. The success of Australian producers entering the Thai market will be achieved only by changing the strategy they have used in the UK and US. A stronger focus on Australia must be made along with the use of fewer, but bigger agents and distributors. Marketing strategies for each type of retail institution are provided as well.