How International Brands Grow in Australia: Trust, Trial and Conversion

When international brands ask me how to grow in Australia, I usually give the same answer: “make it easy to trust you, easy to try you, and easy to buy you again”. The migration data matters here. 

In 2024–25, Australia delivered 205,001 permanent places and 8.28 million temporary visas; more than half of the people who gained a permanent place were already in Australia on a temporary visa. That means the growth opportunity is not just “new arrivals coming from overseas”. It is also millions of people already living here who are building new brand habits locally. 

For FMCG, trust often starts with visibility. Genki Forest and Lee Kum Kee products are available through Australian supermarket channels including Woolworths, and Lee Kum Kee also appears on Coles. Shelf presence matters because mainstream availability lowers perceived risk. But trust alone is not enough; trial closes the gap. That is why sampling, tasting, pop-ups and creator explanations are so effective for imported food, beverages and household products. 

In automotive, the same model holds. BYD entered Australia in 2022, and by the 12 months to February 2026 four Chinese brands were in Australia’s top 10 sellers: BYD, GWM, Chery and MG. ABC also reported EVs reached an 11.8% monthly sales share in February 2026. Consumers did not adopt these brands by accident; they adopted them because the value story, technology story and product fit were clear enough to overcome newcomer hesitation. 

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Key takeaways

● Onshore communities matter: 54.6% of permanent migrants in 2024–25 were already living in Australia. 

● FMCG growth usually follows a simple pattern: shelf visibility, first trial, then repeat purchase. 

● Chinese EV growth in Australia shows that strong value plus product proof can beat newcomer scepticism. 

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Short case example

Lee Kum Kee’s mainstream shelf presence solves trust. BYD’s rapid rise proves that once Australians understand the proposition, they will try new international brands sooner than many marketers assume. 

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