Case Study 01
A step-by-step guide for distilleries, wineries, cask owners, and brand owners looking to enter the U.S. market or switch from another import partner.
statesideimports.com
A TWL Company
Two Paths, One Process
Stateside works with two types of clients: brands entering the U.S. market for the first time, and brands already here that want a better operating partner. Here is what each path looks like.
You have a product ready to enter the American market but you have never navigated the U.S. regulatory system. You need an importer of record, federal and state compliance, a warehouse, and a way to reach retailers.
You might be a distillery, a winery, an independent bottler, a cask owner, or a brand working with a contract bottler. Whatever your setup, you need the American infrastructure to receive, store, and distribute your product without having to build it yourself.
You are already selling in the U.S. through a pay-to-play operator. Your product is in a warehouse somewhere. Your compliance is managed by someone you rarely hear from. Your invoices contain line items you did not expect.
You want to change partners without losing your existing retail relationships, without a gap in availability, and without starting the compliance process from scratch.
Path A — New Entrant Workflow
This is the complete process for a brand that has never been in the American market. Typical timeline: 8 to 14 weeks depending on label approval complexity and shipping logistics.
Weeks 1-2
We review your product line, label artwork, and goals. We identify which states to register in and flag any compliance issues before paperwork begins.
Weeks 2-6
We file COLAs with the TTB, register your brand in target states, and establish Stateside as your importer of record. Label reviews happen in parallel.
Weeks 6-10
Your shipment arrives at our Virginia warehouse. We receive, inspect, and inventory your product. SKUs are built in our system and listed for retail access.
Weeks 10-14
Your brand goes live on our direct-to-retail platform. Licensed retailers in 10+ states can discover, order, and receive your product. You are now in the American market.
You retain ownership throughout. Stateside never takes title to your product. We act as your importer of record and logistics partner. Your brand, your inventory, your customer relationships.
Path B — Switching from Another Operator
The biggest fear when switching operators is a gap in market availability. Here is how we prevent that.
We review your existing compliance filings, warehouse arrangements, and distribution footprint. We identify what transfers cleanly and what needs to be refiled. Most federal approvals (COLAs) travel with the brand, not the operator.
While you are still operating with your current partner, we begin state registrations and importer of record filings under Stateside. This overlap period means there is no gap in your legal ability to sell.
We coordinate the physical move of your product from your current warehouse to ours. If your current operator requires a notice period, we plan around it. If they are holding product hostage with exit fees, we will help you navigate that too.
Your existing retail accounts do not lose access to your product. We work with you to ensure purchase orders transfer smoothly and that your retail presence is uninterrupted during the transition.
Once your inventory is in our warehouse and compliance is active, you are fully operational. From here, you have access to our direct-to-retail platform, transparent invoicing, and a single point of contact for everything.
Typical transition time: 4 to 6 weeks. Most of that is the overlap period where both operators are active. The actual cutover, when your product moves and your new compliance goes live, happens in days.
What Every Client Gets
| Capability | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Importer of Record | Stateside holds the federal basic permit and acts as your IOR. You do not need your own import license. |
| COLA & Label Management | We file and track all Certificate of Label Approval applications with the TTB. Label reviews are included. |
| State Registration | We register your brand in each state you want to sell in and handle ongoing reporting requirements. |
| Warehousing | Your product is stored in our own bonded warehouse in Virginia. Flat-rate pallet storage, no third-party markups. |
| Order Fulfillment | Pick, pack, and ship to licensed retailers. Single orders or pallet quantities. All from one location. |
| Direct-to-Retail Platform | Your brand is listed on a platform accessible to thousands of licensed retailers across 10+ states. |
| Invoicing | One monthly invoice with every line item explained. No bundled charges, no quarterly surprises. |
| Ownership | You retain title to your product at all times. Stateside never buys or takes ownership of your inventory. |