Emerging middle classes in Cambodia create increasing market for wine

Rising levels of disposable income and an increasing local taste for wine has meant that the demand for wine in Cambodia is increasing.  

With more than 20 specialty wine stores and hundreds of smaller outlets selling wine opening up in recent years, it seems that Cambodia holds much potential for future wine growth.  

The emerging middle classes are taking an increasing interest in wine, and it is becoming affordable to a wider number of consumers as its consumption in restaurants increases.  

Darren Gall, an Australian wine marketing expert and managing director of Liquid Assets who has over 20 years experience of the Asian market told the Phnom Penh Post that there is a strong connection between Vietnam and France, and strong economic growth, so wine has become popular  

“Tax and duty is comparable between Cambodia and Vietnam,” he said, “But the interesting thing in Vietnam is that it is a communist country that relies a lot on bureaucracy and red tape, which makes it harder to bring in new wines compared to Cambodia.”  

With minimal tax impact and minimum government interference, Gall says that Cambodia is a great place to do business.

“It is a fair system for everyone in the wine business and consumers find prices fair."  

In the local market, he says, there are a group of wealthy individuals who only want the best wine in the world, and then there is the middle class who only want to drink cheap wine, and the expats who fall somewhere between the two.

While wealthy Cambodians can drink bottles costing hundreds of dollars, middle class locals prefer cheap wine costing from $3.