New Zealand wine exports edge up 2.3% in June as bottled shipments surge while bulk trade collapses

Wine exports reached $153.6 million in June 2025, lifted by strong bottled wine demand that offset a sharp 38.6% fall in bulk shipments, though key markets including the United States and United Kingdom continued to retreat.

June shipments show modest growth

New Zealand exported $153.6 million of wine in June 2025, up 2.3% on the same month last year. Volume rose 4.5% to 19.7 million litres, pushing the average price down slightly to $7.82 per litre. The month's result brought the rolling 12-month total to $2.10 billion, down a marginal 0.3% year-on-year, as the sector continues to navigate challenging conditions in several established markets.

Annual trend remains subdued

While June's figures represent a second consecutive month above $150 million, they sit well below the peaks recorded earlier in the year. Exports reached $221.0 million in March 2025 and $200.1 million in February, reflecting typical seasonal fluctuations. June 2025 tracked marginally above June 2024's $150.2 million, but the flat rolling annual performance underscores persistent headwinds in major destinations.

Major markets diverge sharply

New Zealand shipped wine to 52 destination markets in June, but performance across the top tier split dramatically. The United States remained the largest buyer at $43.8 million, claiming a 28.5% share, yet shipments fell 6.0% year-on-year. The United Kingdom, the second-largest market at $28.0 million (18.3% share), declined 19.9%. Australia, third at $23.7 million (15.4% share), dropped 14.4%.

Canada provided the standout among major markets, surging 55.2% to $20.5 million and capturing a 13.4% share. South Korea more than doubled, jumping 102.6% to $6.1 million, while Germany recorded explosive growth of 158.9% to reach $4.6 million. Ireland nearly doubled with a 97.0% increase to $4.1 million, and Singapore soared 172.2% to $2.4 million.

Among smaller markets exceeding $500,000 in shipments, Denmark rose 104.1% to $1.5 million and Hong Kong climbed 39.7% to $1.1 million. The United Arab Emirates bucked the growth trend among emerging markets, falling 48.1% to $600,000.

Bottled wine drives value as bulk trade slumps

The packaging mix revealed a stark bifurcation in June's trade. Bottled wine in containers of two litres or less—including sparkling styles—generated $120.7 million, up a robust 25.1% year-on-year. Bulk wine shipped in containers exceeding 10 litres contributed just $32.9 million, accounting for 21.4% of total export value, and collapsed 38.6% compared with June 2024.

The price differential between formats remained wide: bottled wine averaged $11.05 per litre against $3.77 per litre for bulk, a gap of nearly threefold that reflects the respective positioning of finished, branded product versus commodity volumes destined for offshore bottling and blending.

Provisional data

These figures are drawn from Statistics New Zealand customs data for June 2025 (HS code 2204). Monthly export statistics are initially provisional and subject to revision as late declarations and classifications are processed.