This study aims to identify and discuss the barriers that restrict the international trade of micro and small enterprises (CSEs) producing cachaça in Brazil. To this end, an investigation was conducted based on documentary and bibliographic research, as well as the carrying out of interviews. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and examined using the thematic content analysis technique. The originality of the research lies in its specific focus on the cachaça sector, a traditional Brazilian product, analyzed from the perspective of micro and small enterprises embedded in emerging markets. The study confirms the relevance of the traditional typology of barriers, but advances by demonstrating that, in emerging countries, informality, institutional fragility, and the absence of sectoral articulation constitute additional barriers, which not only limit the entry of CSEs into international markets, but also compromise their long-term permanence and competitiveness. As a managerial contribution, the findings may support pot still cachaça producers interested in exporting, by enabling them to learn from the experiences reported in the study and by indicating pathways for the formulation of more effective public policies aligned with the real needs of CSEs.