FAQ
Why should I import to the United States of America?
Imports are a great way to start building an international presence for your brand and to start diversifying your revenue streams from just domestic sales in your local market. Also, the US will probably become one of the largest markets for Alcohol Free/Non Alcoholic drinks and is of course a key market region. Should your domestic channels be interrupted, it’s always a good idea to have other channels to sell to.
What do I need to do for imports to the US?
Some basics requirements:
- Need to use heat treated pallets. The heat treatment kills any bugs/insects so you do not bring an invasive species from one country to another. Heat treated pallets have a mark or stamp on them similar to the below:
- Quality Control (QC) testing. A Certificate of Analysis (COA) with packed on date, list of ingredients from most to least with percentages, ABV%,&usually this can be done by the producer. There are a few instances where 3rd party analysis is needed. ALL your ingredients must have US FDA Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status and the manufacturing facility will need to be registered with the US FDA.
- Create a US compliant label. This depends on what type of drink you so contact us to discuss basic labeling requirements in the US as some drinks will need The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (also known as the TTB) Certificate of Label Approval (COLA), formula submission/approval, calorie/nutritional information, recycle deposit information etc…
- Your ABV for Non Alcoholic must be LESS THAN 0.5% ABV and for Alcohol Free under 0.03% ABV in order to pass any testing.
- A basic agreement with your import partner.
Do I need to change my labels for imports to the US?
Unfortunately yes. Contact us for more details.
What about cold chain logistics for temperature sensitive products?
Yes, we can do this, but it does add significantly to your landed cost. We can maintain cold-chain where required with refrigerated ocean container shipping or air shipping where economically feasibleat 34°-38°F / 1°-3°C
This is a basic overview, but if you are interested in importing to the U.S., please contact us.How can ProofNoMore help me with imports?
We have an extensive network of distribution and retail partners in the US to essentially act as your US market company handling the logistics, sales, distribution, marketing and Direct to Consumer selling in the US market. We take the hassle out of imports where we handle the transport from your warehouse, arrange for air or ocean shipping, customs clearance, label compliance, distribution, and sales/marketing of your brand.
First step is to contact us. We need ex-works export pricing(you can take out your country excise & VAT/GST etc… taxes), some logistics information like case dimensions & weight, if need temperature control shipping/warehousing, how many cases fit on a US sized 48” x 40”/ 120cm x 100cm heat treated pallet, information on the product like packed on date, shelf life, list of ingredients, & ABV%.
FAQ Direct to Consumer (DTC) eCommerce sales platform
Shipping Non Alcoholic/Alcohol Free (NA/AF) beer/wine/spirits in the US is much easier than shipping alcohol drinks, but there are still some rules when shipping across state lines?
In general most US states allow DTC shipping of NA/AF drinks, but some states like Georgia still regulate NA/AF beer/wine/spirits like alcoholic drinks so still need to go thru the US Three Tier Alcohol system and currently NA/AF beer is NOT allowed for DTC shipping into Georgia.
Why do DTC sales when I already have distribution in on and off premise accounts already?
Many consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are realizing, the way we sell to consumers is changing and DTC channels are one of the fastest growing channels that brands large and small are taking advantage of. Consumer buying habits and trends are changing where the convenience and time savings of having something shipped direct to you is becoming commonplace and in certain markets and demographics, the preferred method for shopping many household items like food, diapers, pet supplies, luggage, mattresses, meal kits, electronic goods, toiletries etc... Similarly NA/AF buying habits are following this trend especially with the Millennial and Generation Z demographic who are digital natives and live, communicate and more often than not purchase via mobile or online 24/7.
Think of DTC as “infinite shelf space” as there are numerous challenges for a brand to gain placement or be easily seen by consumers in off premise accounts, especially the large chains. DTC allows more engagement with your consumer.
How does your eCommerce DTC service work?
ProofNoMore.com offers two DTC models:
- Traditional DTC sales where we purchase your products and sell DTC on our site
- We offer a 3PL fulfilment solution where we do not own your product, we just charge you a fee to do the logistics like warehousing, pick-packing, & shipping. In this model you keep more profit and is ideal for companies that are experienced in marketing themselves online and just need a fulfillment partner. We charge you a fee to do the logistics.
Please contact us directly for more information on how our DTC eCommerce services can help you.