Ricky Ponting Fails to Expand Signature Wine Brand in India Due to the Complexity of Taxation System

Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting forayed into winemaking in 2020 when he launched his signature brand, Ponting Wines. He collaborated with his wife, Rianna, and renowned Australian winemaker Ben Riggs to create a wine label that would reflect his life and career in cricket. Launched with four different wines, each representative of Ponting's journey in each different aspect. Still, in trying to increase the brand in India, Ponting focusses on the barriers he might face before this can even happen. They include some of the most complicated tax and regulatory systems around the world in India.

Ponting Wines made its Indian market entry in 2023, a much-awaited development, as the cricketer has strong ties with the nation. Thanks to the Delhi Capitals franchise, which Ponting supports, he's also been granted access to this market through partnering with the Delhi International Airport owing owners GMR Group. Here, his wines were sold through Delhi Duty Free. However, gaining access in general to Indian market has so far been far from easy for him.

Recently, Ponting shared his experiences in an interview on The Howie Games podcast, where he opened up about the challenges of distributing Ponting Wines within India. According to him, the Indian market is uniquely complicated when it comes to product distribution, mainly because of the country's intricate and high tax structure. "Distribution into India is quite complicated, actually, with so many taxes and tariffs in everything that goes on," Ponting shared. His wines are currently available only in the Duty Free section of the Delhi airport, a result of his association with the Delhi Capitals' ownership.

Despite these challenges, Ponting remains optimistic about the potential for expansion in India. However, he acknowledges that the high taxes on imported goods have made it difficult to make the wines accessible to the average consumer. He said that a bottle of wine that costs about $10 in Australia could retail for as much as 120 times that amount in an Indian restaurant, making it a luxury item. "So, basically, to cut a long story short, a $10 bottle of wine in Australia is worth 120 bucks at a restaurant in India," he explained. This is one of the primary barriers to a larger audience: Ponting is reluctant to devalue the quality and essence of his brand by manufacturing products especially for the Indian market.

While the tax complications are a big obstacle, Ponting is not ruling out future growth in India. He does recognize that the country holds enormous potential as a market in its large and increasingly affluent population that could eventually embrace premium wine brands. "Eventually we will [enter the Indian market] as there's such a huge opportunity there," he added, indicating that despite the current challenges, he remains committed to expanding the brand over time.

Ponting's wine brand is distributed by Calabria Family Wines, a well-known Australian wine company based in New South Wales. The partnership has allowed Ponting to offer a premium product, but his dream of seeing Ponting Wines thrive in international markets like India has encountered several roadblocks. The cricketer is acutely aware of the complexities of the Indian market, where taxes, tariffs, and regulatory hurdles create a difficult environment for foreign products to penetrate.

Ponting had a final departure from Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction. Ponting had spent seven years with the franchise before it decided to end his contract with them, though this would not be his final stint with an IPL franchise. He would once again join the league, but this time around as the Punjab Kings coach. His new role within Punjab Kings would give him ample opportunities to present himself in that league and serve as a mentor, even with the challenges on his business line outside cricket.

Concluding, Ricky Ponting's venture into the world of winemaking has not only been promising but also has been faced with challenges. After all, as a former cricket captain, this man has decided to venture further into the Indian market for his signature brand, despite the various barriers presented by India's taxation system. Though the challenges are enormous, the commitment to spreading Ponting Wines worldwide has not changed as he waits for the immense opportunity the market brings.