I. Invisible Thresholds to Obtaining Brand Agency Rights

As the flagship brand of Australian wine giant Treasury Wine Estates, PenfoldsImport Agent ServicesThe Shang dynasty implementedThree-tier authorization and certification system。One East-China importer we served once skipped the second-tier regional certification and signed directly with an overseas distributor, leaving RMB 3.8 million worth of goods stuck at customs.

• Core Qualification Requirements:
  • Original Factory Authorization Chain Document (must be certified by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
  • Import Food Enterprise Registration Certificate (General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China 2025 Edition)
  • Liquor Circulation License (issued by the provincial commerce authority)
• New requirements added in 2025:
  • Carbon Emission Traceability Report (ApplicableMaritime transportImport)
  • Anti-counterfeiting Traceability Code Pre-declaration System Integration

II. Cost Control Points in Customs Clearance Practice

Under the 2025 China–Australia Free-Trade Agreement’s latest tariff schedule, the aggregate tax rate on Penfolds red wine (customs duty + VAT + excise) has been cut to 46.7%, yet the actual clearance-cost spread can still reach 15%:

• Tariff calculation basis:
  • HS Code 22042100 (containers ≤2 L)
  • The customs-approved price must include the logistics costs incurred overseas.
• Typical Cost-Trap Case:
  • An importer failed to declare the cost of wooden-box packaging, triggering a price-query procedure.
  • The Grange series has been reclassified under a different tax category due to a 0.3% alcohol-by-volume discrepancy.

III. Refined Design of the Logistics Solution

Based on the characteristics of the Penfolds product line, we recommend adoptingBatch-mixed transportation strategy:

• Premium product lines (Grange, Bin Series):
  • Refrigerated container shipping at a constant 18–20 °C
  • Complete the commodity inspection within 48 hours after arrival at the port.
• Core product line (Koonunga Hill, Rawson’s Retreat):
  • LCL Shipping Cost Optimization
  • Advance declaration enables "direct pickup at the ship's side"

IV. Compliance Firewall in the Distribution Chain

In 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation will focus on monitoring the alcohol distribution sector; we have established for our partnersTriple-layer compliance assurance systemSuccessfully resolved multiple operational risks:

• Document Management System:
  • Automatically update the correspondence between import batches and Chinese back labels
  • Anti-counterfeiting traceability code real-time verification with customs data
• Crisis Response Mechanism:
  • 48-hour problem-product traceability capability
  • Fast-track customs clearance channel for AEO-certified enterprises

A certain North China importer through our customizationTiered Customs Clearance Solution, increasing Bin 389’s annual import volume from 8,000 to 25,000 bottles while cutting the unit logistics cost by 22%. Professional agency services not only avert compliance risks but also unlock the scale economies of brand imports.