If you're into horticulture, dairy, meat, seafood or wine from the Land Down Under – Australia, here's an interesting story. I was at Hilton KL to attend the “Taste the Wonders of Australia” on 30th of September. The event is a showcase by the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group comprising Hort Innovation Australia, Dairy Australia, Meat & Livestock Australia, Seafood Industry Australia and Wine Australia.
This has initiated a strategic, concerted effort to advance bilateral trade and improve market access for Australian food and wine producers. “Taste the Wonders of Australia” will present the full spectrum of Australian food and wine in a series of interactive workshops and tastings, with well-known chefs, wine and industry experts taking part. These include:
• Understanding Australian Dairy – Cream Cheese and Yogurt
• Australia’s Premium Horticulture
• Australia’s Seafood Industry: A Sustainable Future
• Classic and Contemporary Australian Wine
• Aussie Beef and Lamb: Latest Trends and Insights
Did you know that this event was in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Malaysia? Malaysia is Australia’s 11th largest trading partner for Australian agriculture in 2024-25 with exports worth AUD1.8 billion. With Malaysia’s rising affluence, a growing middle class and increasing demand for premium imported goods, the market presents strong potential for growth across Australia’s food and wine sectors.
From left: Ms Catherine Taylor, Sustainable International Trade Senior Manager – Dairy Australia, Ms Verity Ingham, General Manager, Regional Services - Dairy Australia, Dr Mila Bristow, General Manager, Trade & Biosecurity R&D - Horticulture Innovation Australia, Ms Valeska V, Regional Manager, Southeast Asia - Meat & Livestock Australia, and Mr Paul Turale, General Manager, Market Development - Wine Australia
Hort Innovation Australia’s Dr Mila Bristow said there are two main advantages to the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group and the Taste the Wonders of Australia program.
“The first benefit is for the Australian government agencies and in-market trade and food industries, who can engage with Australian food, wine and agriculture working as one united group,” Dr Bristow said. “Whereas most trade discussions and meetings are held with one part of agriculture, or one particular business or entity, the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group visits a market as a united, coordinated group under the Nation Brand.
The agencies and businesses in market really value our collaborative effort to present as a group. They get to hear from all of us right across food and wine, all at once. It’s vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat, dairy, seafood and wine. It’s industry representatives, growers, exporters, all in the one room.
As for the second key advantage, Dr Bristow emphasised the program’s unique focus on cultivating long-term partnerships rather than pursuing immediate sales.
Over the past three years, the Collaboration Group has held market activations in Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan. The Group has met with more than 1,200 trade and government representatives, leveraging the individual sectors’ export strengths to deepen industry and government networks, advance bilateral trade and improve market access for the Australian food and wine producers.
The importance of Malaysia to Australian food and wine producers
Meat & Livestock Australia Regional Manager for Southeast Asia Valeska said:
“Malaysia is one of Australia’s most important trade partners for Australian red meat. With Malaysians consuming the highest per capita beef and lamb in Southeast Asia and a growing appetite for premium, nutritious protein, Australian beef and lamb are well-positioned to meet this demand.
Ms Valeska V, Regional Manager, Southeast Asia - Meat & Livestock Australia
Looking ahead, our goal is to deepen trade relationships, expand awareness of our high-quality, halal-certified products, and support Malaysia’s evolving foodservice and retail sectors with consistent, trusted supply."
Chief Executive Officer of Seafood Industry Australia, Veronica Papacosta:
"Malaysia is a growing destination for Australia's premium seafood exports, especially rock lobster, salmon and sea cucumber. The Food and Wine Collaboration Group offers the opportunity to showcase Australia's high-quality seafood, developing awareness of our unique products and their compatibility with Malaysian cuisine.
Facilitator: Ms Catherine Taylor, Sustainable International Trade Senior Manager – Dairy Australia who also spoke on behalf of Veronica Papacosta at the event
"E-commerce channels, including live broadcast sales, have emerged as an important channel for reaching Malaysia's increasingly tech-savvy and affluent consumers.”
Dairy Australia Sustainable International Trade Senior Manager Catherine Taylor:
“While the global dairy environment reflects an increasingly volatile trade environment, Malaysia is a close neighbour and an important market for Australian dairy products. Our dairy trade relationship with Malaysia extends back to the 1960s and we are delighted that our Scholarship Program, which includes key Malaysian dairy companies, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025."
Ms Verity Ingham, General Manager, Regional Services - Dairy Australia
“We are confident that the relationships we have nurtured in dairy trade in Malaysia will continue to strengthen and we will be able to support Malaysia’s growing need for dairy in the future.”
Wine Australia General Manager Market Development Paul Turale:
“As Australia's tenth largest market for wine exports by value and the third largest in Southeast Asia, Malaysia represents an important growth opportunity for Australian wine. In the 12 months ended June 2025, 131 Australian wineries exported a combined 2.7 million litres of premium wine to Malaysia worth AUD42.4million."
Mr Paul Turale, General Manager, Market Development - Wine Australia
“With our geographic advantage in terms of supply, we look forward to continuing to build on the awareness and affinity for Australian wine in Malaysia to support a sustainable and prosperous market for our Australian exporters.”
Horticulture Innovation Australia General Manager, Trade and Biosecurity R&D Dr Mila Bristow:
“Malaysia is Australia’s 13th largest horticultural export market by value, making it not only an important market for Australian growers but also a big growth opportunity, Our counter-seasonal supply, reputation for quality and food safety, and strong bilateral ties - celebrating 70 years this year - make Australian produce a trusted choice for the market.
Dr Mila Bristow, General Manager, Trade & Biosecurity R&D - Horticulture Innovation Australia
“From avocados and citrus to cherries and almonds, our products are well-represented in premium
Malaysian supermarkets, which we hope to see grow even further in the future.”
Aside from the press conference which I attended, I also participated in one of the five seminars which is about Australia’s Seafood Industry: A Sustainable Future. Pristine waters produce world-class seafood sustainably, perfectly complimenting refined Malaysian cuisine.
The seminar was conducted alongside with a cooking demonstration by Chef Peter Rollison, who is an Australian currently working as the Executive Chef in Flutes Restaurant & Bar in Singapore.
He made two dishes at the cooking demonstration with seafood from Australia. They were the Abrolhos Western Rock Lobster, Sweetcorn with Shio Kombu Butter, and Kueh Pie Tee of Salmon Tartare, with Yusheng (yeesang) Flavours.
I enjoyed both of this dish especially the Kueh Pie Tee where the Australian salmon was actually more superior or forgiving than other salmon according to Chef Peter. I did taste the yeesang flavours as a bite size inside the pie tee shell. Simply delicious.
If you would like to know more about ‘Taste the Wonders of Australia’, you can check out their official website at https://www.tastethewondersofaustralia.com/.
.: Peace Out ✌🏻:.
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