The US alcohol market is the world's largest, but you cannot simply ship goods there. We explain the three-tier system and where to start.
US alcohol sales run through a chain set by law: the importer, the wholesaler and the retailer must be separately licensed parties. A European producer cannot sell directly to a store or a restaurant. This means your actual customer is a licensed importer or a state distributor.
In addition, TTB approval is required for the product and the label. The process is bureaucratic but predictable: whoever gets the paperwork in order gets to market.
Our database holds over six hundred US importers in the beverages category. Alongside Irish whiskey, French wine and Belgian beer we also see smaller flows: cider, craft beer, syrups and non-alcoholic drinks. One average importer makes ten to forty shipments a year, which means a constant need for new and interesting goods.
The non-alcoholic beverages segment is growing especially fast, and there the regulation is significantly simpler.
A Nordic craft beverage is a selling story in the US, but only if distribution is solved. We help map the importers who already bring in beverages in your style, and in the launch package we cover the steps of the TTB process. The first conversation costs nothing.
The first consultation is free: together we'll see who in the US already buys your product and how to reach them.