Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What is the best approach and contacts for launching a drinks brand in the US market?
Entering the US requires significant resources, strategic planning, and local expertise. Members emphasize that the US operates like multiple separate markets (each state has its own regulations and distribution channels), so focus and preparation are critical. **Key Strategic Approaches:** - **Focus geographically** — concentrate on one or two regions and go deep rather than attempting a national launch. Members with successful US operations stress this approach over broad expansion. - **Budget conservatively** — expect your launch costs to be 3–10x your worst-case scenario estimate. The US market is substantially more expensive than UK operations. - **Use a brand ambassador model** — hire a single brand ambassador across multiple brands to manage costs, as US hiring is expensive. - **Work with an existing distributor** — one member has contacts currently seeking agency brands to distribute across 5 key states with an established sales organization in place; DM for discussion. **Key Contacts and Resources:** - **Taylor Foxman** — runs a consultancy focused on US market entry and is very well connected (ex-ZS). Also manages a Slack channel (though reportedly not very active). - **Spirited Marketing** — runs the Spirited Incubator Programme with partners in Chicago and NYC; happy to discuss partnership approaches. - **Richard Davies** — mentioned as having experience with whiskey launch in Florida and offering routes to market. - **Tequila Enemigo founder** — member of the community with acquired US operations (head offices in NY/LA) and willingness to share experiences; happy to discuss approaches and lessons learned. - **Spirits Society group** — informal group within Kindreds connecting US brands and members with US experience. - Consider joining or creating a dedicated Kindreds US-focused WhatsApp/Slack channel — demand exists and several members volunteered to help establish one. **Important Caveats:** - "There is no magic bullet" — each state operates with different regulations and complications. - The US market requires a fundamentally different approach than European expansion; it is "a whole different beast" best approached with caution. - Members recommend speaking directly with those who have navigated US entry before attempting launch.
What are the costs and recommended approaches for trademark registration in the US, UK, EU, and internationally?
US trademark registration typically costs **£1,500–2,000** for a simple mark; members recommend requesting a referral to a specialist trademark provider. **UK and post-Brexit international options:** - **UK IPO (gov.uk/how-to-register-a-trade-mark)** — approximately £170 per application, covers UK only - **EU trademark renewal** — approximately £1,600 plus professional fees (note: no longer covered by UK registration post-Brexit) - **WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)** — recommended for worldwide protection as it allows adding territories incrementally as needed. Members have successfully applied via WIPO and found it valuable for longer-term international expansion. One member noted that a colleague (Joe Beeble) led a WIPO application for their brand within the last 12 months and was willing to share experience. **Key takeaway:** Members suggest starting with WIPO if planning international expansion, as it offers flexibility to add territories over time at a lower incremental cost than handling each region separately. For EU coverage specifically post-Brexit, expect the £1,600+ figure as a separate line item from UK protection.
How should international distributors in developing markets like India be vetted, and what red flags should we watch for?
Vetting distributors in India requires careful due diligence but members warn the market is high-risk. **Start with LinkedIn verification** — check that the company and key contacts have legitimate profiles and verifiable history. **Ask your existing Indian contacts** for references and background checks; personal networks are more reliable than online searches alone. **Request a video call** to assess professionalism and legitimacy before committing. Members flagged critical pitfalls: even apparently legitimate importers often have minimal online presence, which is common but makes verification harder. More importantly, **expect aggressive cost-cutting pressure** — distributors typically spend significant time negotiating your cost price down to unsustainable levels, then drag out negotiations for months only to abandon the deal. **Be wary of time-wasting chancers**, which members describe as prevalent in the Indian market. One experienced member recommended steering clear of India altogether due to the combination of verification difficulty and poor deal outcomes, though this reflects individual risk tolerance rather than universal advice.