Bringing Chinese and Asian brands to Australia
Chinese brands entering Australia are the core of our work, and we welcome brands from across Asia. We help them arrive on a sound footing: protected, compliant, and in front of their first customers. This is the work of 悦心国际 (Yuexin International), the international arm of Dream Tongkong.
Why products need changes before they sell here
A product that is legal and popular in China or elsewhere in Asia can still be refused at the border, held back from sale, or made to change its packaging in Australia. Which rules apply depends on what the product is.
- IP Australia
- Registers trade marks. A brand name that is not registered here can be registered by someone else first, which can stop the brand from using its own name in Australia.
- DAFF and BICON
- The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry sets import conditions for goods of plant or animal origin, including many teas, herbal products, foods and some incense. BICON is its database of those conditions. Some goods need an import permit or treatment before they can enter.
- AICIS
- The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme regulates chemical ingredients, including those in cosmetics and skincare. Businesses that import these products must register with AICIS.
- TGA
- The Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates products that make health claims. Many claims printed on wellness and supplement packaging cannot be used in Australia unless the product is listed or registered with the TGA, and advertising is restricted too.
- FSANZ
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand sets the Food Standards Code, which governs food ingredients and labelling. Country of origin labelling rules also apply to most food sold in Australia.
- Consumer law
- The Australian Consumer Law applies to every product sold here, covering product safety and misleading claims.
How we work with a brand
Each stage stands on its own, so a brand can start with the review and decide on the next step once it has the facts.
Screening call
A free conversation about the product, the business and its plans for Australia. If we are not the right partner for the brand, we will say so.
Protect the name
Australian trade mark protection for the brand name and logo, secured before the brand is promoted here.
Australia Readiness Review
A fixed-fee review over three to four weeks that answers one question for each product: can it be sold in Australia, and what has to change first? The details are set out below.
Landing
The practical foundations: business and tax registration, import permits, compliant labels and product copy, the first shipment and local banking.
Launch
Introducing the brand to its first Australian customers through community events, content, social channels including Xiaohongshu (小红书) and WeChat, and approaches to suitable retailers.
Continuing partnership
An annual partnership for brands that want a long-term team on the ground in Australia, covering local marketing, compliance as rules change, and growth into new channels.
The Australia Readiness Review
We review each product the brand wants to sell here. The result is a written report that places every product in one of three groups: ready to sell as it is, ready once specific changes are made, or not yet possible. For each product it lists what must change, the permits and registrations needed, and a realistic estimate of time and cost.
The review is fixed-fee and takes three to four weeks.
- Ingredients and formulation
- checked against AICIS, TGA and FSANZ rules, depending on the product
- Labels and packaging
- checked against Australian labelling requirements, including country of origin
- Claims
- every claim on the pack and in planned marketing, checked against TGA advertising rules and consumer law
- Import conditions
- whether the product needs a permit, treatment or inspection to enter Australia
- Trade mark
- whether the brand name is available to register here
- Market fit
- Australian pricing, the products it will compete with, and the most realistic first channel
Where a launch starts
Our launch work is strongest with Chinese-Australian consumers, particularly in Melbourne. This is a well-established, discerning community, and often the right first market for a brand from China.
National supermarket and department store ranging is a separate and longer process. We will tell you plainly whether it is realistic for your product, and when.
Product categories
- Skincare, cosmetics and personal care
- Tea, food and beverages
- Incense, homewares and lifestyle goods
- Complementary medicines and supplements, which usually take longest because they must be listed with the TGA before sale
Timelines depend heavily on category. The review gives you a realistic estimate for your products before you commit further.
Considering Australia?
Start with a free screening call. We work in English and Mandarin.