What are the key considerations and best practices for entering the US market as a UK drinks brand?

Entering the US market requires understanding that it is fundamentally 50 separate markets (by state), not a single national market. Members recommend treating US expansion similarly to how you would approach the EU—evaluating each region individually rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all national strategy.

Key considerations members raised:

- **Distributor model** — The US market operates through regional and state-based distributors who function as both logistics organizations and sales forces. Understand that a distributor's strategic view differs from a brand owner's perspective, and distributors typically cannot provide a comprehensive national point of view. - **Regional research** — Several members actively sought wholesaler price lists for specific high-value regions (Florida, NYC) rather than attempting national entry, suggesting a phased regional approach is common. - **Timeline expectations** — Members noted that US market entry "might take longer than 5 mins" to plan—implying the process is more complex and time-consuming than initial expectation. One member has been selling in the USA for 5 years. - **Peer guidance** — Members actively sought calls with others who had "nailed" the USA market, suggesting that peer learning and specific conversations with experienced founders is valuable and encouraged.

**Caveat**: The excerpts do not provide detailed tactical guidance on licensing, compliance, shipping, pricing strategy, or specific distributor recommendations. Members appear to be in the early research phase rather than sharing established playbooks.