Affinity Labs, part of the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), is celebrating 40 years of continuous NATA accreditation.
NATA is Australia’s leading national accreditation body.
It is a milestone that highlights the organisation’s longstanding commitment to scientific rigour and industry service.
Formerly known as the AWRI Technical Service Laboratory, Affinity Labs first achieved NATA accreditation in 1986, becoming one of the first accredited laboratories in the Australian wine industry.
This achievement came at a pivotal moment, as exports of wine to the European Economic Community (EEC) surged and accredited VI-1 analyses became mandatory for market access.
Between 1983 and 2000, Australian wine exports expanded from three percent of a 400,000-tonne vintage to 60 percent of nearly two million tonnes.
This rapid growth placed increasing demands on analytical capability, traceability and validity, reinforcing the need for a formalised, internationally recognised robust quality system.
What began in the early 1980s as ad hoc analytical support for local wineries – led by Terry Lee, Gary Baldwin and Ken Pocock – quickly evolved into a professional, fee-for-service laboratory.
Early collaborations also included work with AMDEL (Australian Mineral Development Laboratories) for metal testing, supporting technical capability and industry confidence.
As demand grew alongside export requirements, NATA accreditation became a natural and necessary progression in ensuring the integrity and global acceptance of Australian wine analysis.
Dr Mark Krstic, managing director, AWRI says, “For four decades, Affinity Labs have been the analytical backbone that Australian wine producers rely on.
“As we have expanded our customer base, our NATA-accredited methods have given customers, and the markets they supply, absolute assurance their food and beverage products stand up to the rigours of safety, labelling and composition Standards.
“As consumer demands continue to evolve, that assurance has never been more important.”
Following accreditation, the AWRI established an interwinery analysis group to help wineries achieve their own NATA accreditation, strengthening national capability and supporting the industry’s rapid export growth.
In 2001, the AWRI gained recognition with the OECD Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) covering all non-clinical agrochemical residue testing.
Heather Mackenzie, general manager – Commercial Services says, “NATA accreditation acts as a benchmark for technical competence and provides our customers with confidence they are receiving accurate results.
“Reaching 40 years of continuous NATA accreditation is central to maintaining Affinity Labs’ reputation as Australia’s leading supplier of analytical and consulting services to food and beverage producers.”
Today, Affinity Labs offers a comprehensive range of consulting and analytical testing services to the food and beverage industry, including chemical and microbiological analysis, sensory assessment and export certification services for a wide range of global markets.
In 2025, the laboratories processed just under 23,000 samples, generating around 35,000 accredited analyses using 16 NATA ISO/IEC 17025 accredited methods.
Across both ISO/IEC 17025 and OECD GLP programs within the Analytical and Trace Laboratories, more than 100,000 analyses are conducted annually which reflects the scale, depth and sustained demand for accredited services.
“Affinity Labs’ customers know its NATA-accredited methods provide confidence that Australian food and beverages are safe, compliant, and exactly what they claim to be,” Dr Krstic says.
Adrian Coulter and Terry Lee in the late 1980s.
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