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Opportunities to expand Western Australian food and beverage exports in North Asia are being pursued this month with the support of the Western Australian Government, which is backing trade missions to South Korea and Japan.
Sixteen WA businesses are participating at one or both of the North Asia trade events, being an Austrade promotion in Seoul on 5-6 March and the region's premier food and beverage trade exhibition, FOODEX Japan in Tokyo this week.
The participating businesses will benefit from in-market briefings, business matching meetings, retail market tours, and networking with key buyers and retailers.
South Korea and Japan are important markets for WA products, with strong demand for high-quality, safe, and nutritious premium food.
The Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement has eliminated tariffs on many products, facilitating exports of wheat, seafood, dairy, malt, barley, and red meat worth $766 million in 2024-25 - making it WA's fifth-largest market for agrifood and fisheries exports.
WA also has a dedicated stand in the Australian pavilion at FOODEX Japan, which attracts more than 1,500 international exhibitors and 30,000 visitors from across the region.
Japan was WA's second-largest agrifood market in 2024-25, with total exports valued at $1 billion, including wheat, canola, barley, beef, seafood, and avocados.
The two missions build on the success of previous out-bound and in-bound activations supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Invest and Trade WA to help establish WA as a reliable supplier of a diverse range of products.
Source: WA Govt | Image: DPIRD [2026 Austrade Seoul F&B Showcase in South Korea]
In the rush to get your product to a new market, it’s easy to overlook a critical step.
You may have found a buyer who wants to distribute your products in a new market, and you may be ready to produce and ship. But are your people, product, and facilities appropriately certified? Do they meet the requirements of Australian and international authorities? Not getting this right can cost you time and a missed opportunity.
Join Austrade for a free webinar with food and beverage specialists from the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JASANZ). JASANZ is an independent, third-party accreditation body and member of global peak body, the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
Matthew Carmody, Partnerships Development Specialist at JASANZ, will also moderate a Q&A.
Key topics
- Why certification matters
- Common challenges exporters face with certification and accreditation
- Practical tips for export managers
Who it's for
Anyone who wants to improve their understanding of accreditation and certification requirements and build new technical competence. This includes:
- Food and beverage export managers and facilitators
- International sales managers.
Date and time
- Thursday 12 March, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM AWST
- Register now
Source and image: business.gov.au
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is pleased to invite WA food, beverage, and agribusinesses to attend the Meet the Buyer - Singapore webinar.
This session is designed to support WA exporters preparing for buyer meetings and refining their market approach ahead of the FHA Singapore in April 2026. With a focus on a distinct but strategically important market, the webinar will provide practical, high-level guidance to help businesses maximise their impact at this show and during discussions with buyers.
Delivered by Export Connect, this webinar is tailored specifically for WA food, beverage, and agribusinesses and will draw on the expertise of in-market specialists to provide actionable insights into the Singapore market.
Key topics will include:
Singapore market overview
- Economic and demographic landscape
- Consumer and societal trends
- Channel trends across retail, foodservice and e-commerce
- Cultural considerations for doing business and buyer etiquette
Market entry & commercial considerations
- Common buyer expectations and how to prepare for meetings
- Top line essentials for preparing your pitch deck
Live Q&A with In-Market experts
Date and time
- Thursday 9 April, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM AWST
- Register now
This online webinar is free to attend. The webinar link will be delivered closer to the event date. There will also be a pre-departure briefing for those travelling to FHA.
Source and image: DPIRD
Completed rail freight upgrades at Moora and Cranbrook CBH Group grain receival sites are supporting the movement of Western Australia's biggest ever grain harvest, helping get more grain to port faster and into export markets sooner.
Delivered late last year, the upgrades were jointly funded by the Australian and WA Governments through the $200 million Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements (ASCI) program, alongside investment from CBH Group.
The Australian Government contributed $160 million and the WA Government contributed $40 million to the program.
The 2025-26 CBH Group grain harvest sets a new record for WA, exceeding 24 million tonnes, worth approximately $10 billion to the State economy.
As the harvest enters the out-loading stage, the ASCI projects are building efficiency and capacity into the supply chain, ensuring more of the bumper crop is moved to port during the peak export pricing window.
At Moora, inland north of Perth, a new loading facility and extended rail siding with a new passing loop means more wagon trains can be loaded in much less time than before.
At Cranbrook, in WA's inland far south-west, an upgraded and realigned rail siding and new fixed rail loading facility will cut the loading time of a 60-wagon train from about seven to four hours.
Rail siding upgrades at 11 CBH sites are included in the ASCI program to deliver supply chain efficiencies through targeted rail freight infrastructure upgrades.
Cranbrook and Moora join Brookton, Broomehill, and Konnongorring as complete, with upgrades at Ballidu and Perenjori to progress in 2026.
Another ASCI project to upgrade the Midland Line between Carnamah to Mingenew has entered the design and procurement stage.
When complete, the project will allow 25 per cent more grain per wagon to be transported on the line to the Port of Geraldton for export.
Source: WA Govt | Image: DPIRD
The effective use of audio is part of the brand experience and a key pillar of any effective social media marketing strategy for food and beverage products. From TikTok to Instagram Reels, trending audio has become one of the most powerful tools in modern social media strategy planning. It’s best used for discovery, engagement, and as a positioning tool that shapes how people feel about your brand.
What is trending audio?
Trending audio are sound bites or songs that many people are using in their social media videos all at the same time, which can help content get more views. As part of your social media marketing strategy, understanding how audio trends work is essential.
1. Tap into the algorithm
Trending audio doesn’t just make content more entertaining; it changes how platforms distribute it — a key consideration in any social media marketing strategy. When a sound is trending, platforms are more likely to distribute your post to your feed and replay your content.
Incite’s Social Media Coordinator, Jeichiel Palomar, says, “Trending audio gives people a reason to stay longer on your post because viewers want to hear the sound to the end. That extra watch time signals to the algorithm that your content is worth showing to more people.”
Trending sounds lead users to “micro-feeds” — curated streams of content grouped around a trending sound. These discovery channels are where your content sits alongside other creators and brands already generating momentum, making them a powerful lever in strategy using social media for brand discovery.
2. Great for organic, not for paid content
Trending audio works exceptionally well for reach and engagement on organic content but is not permitted for paid ads. Most platforms license popular music for personal or non-commercial use, which limits it’s use in advertising.
Incite’s Social Media Strategist, Felicity Bone, advises, “Consider investing in licensed music or royalty-free tracks when planning creative campaigns. This ensures you can also employ paid advertising with the vast library of music you can access through third party subscriptions.”
3. Brand fit matters
Food and beverage is already relatable to such emotional and sensory experiences that the right audio can help evoke feelings of nostalgia and even fuel cravings online. However, using all trending audio is not a good strategy. High-energy sounds might work for fitness brands but feel off brand for artisanal food and beverage products.
Sound impacts the user’s mood, perception, and trust. Choosing audio that aligns with your brand tone matters more than jumping on every trend in pursuit of virality, especially when refining a long-term social media strategy.
4. A practical starting point
Incite’s Integrated Marketing & Accounts Manager, Nikki Carr, says, “If trending audio feels unfamiliar, creator collaborations are often the best place to start. KOL (Key Opinion Leader) and UGC (User Generated Content) creators already understand how trends move, allowing brands to be exposed to their audiences while gaining new visibility through platform micro-feeds.”
Source and image: INCITE
Further information
Agribusiness, commercial fishing and aquaculture news from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). If you have any questions or information to share, please email export@dpird.wa.gov.au.
Subscribe to Western Australian Agrifood Export eNews.
Important disclaimer
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.
Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2026.
