D2C Beer Shipping

If you thought crafting the most delicious brew was challenging, wait until you delve into the complexities of direct-to-consumer or D2C beer shipping. Brewmasters everywhere are pondering the untapped potential that delivering directly to customers offers. However, beer shipping proves to be as intricate as the diverse taste profiles of beer consumers. Given that beer, along with all alcohol, falls under restricted domestic items, fulfilling orders across state lines necessitates an expert-level grasp of compliance. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, beer enthusiasts nationwide crave access to their favorite brews delivered to their doorsteps. In this article, we will explore how Falcon Fulfillment can alleviate the hurdles associated with direct-to-consumer beer shipping.

Direct-to-consumer beer shipping (D2C) is the shipping of any type of alcohol directly to the purchaser through delivery by a third-party carrier (UPS or FedEx, etc). In D2C fulfillment, the producer makes the sale straight to the customer, who receives the order shipped to their home or other personal address. To meet compliance standards, a producer must abide by the laws and requirements of the state they ship into, which often includes getting licensed and paying taxes on their shipments. If you are curious, consumer-to-consumer beer shipping is illegal.

Limited States Allow D2C Beer Shipping

Only eleven states plus D.C. permit D2C beer shipping. This is a serious limitation, especially in comparison with the wine industry. D2C beer shipping is available to 14.8% of the (21+) population compared with 96.7% available to wine consumers. The legislation surrounding shipping beer is positioned to change thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Beer drinkers in both California and New York have revived interest in changing the prohibition-style laws surrounding beer delivery to consumers. This gives many brewers hope that they will soon have access to a broader beer-drinking audience.

Maintaining Interstate Compliance is Difficult

Every state has different laws surrounding the D2C beer shipping regulations. Even within the eleven states that allow it, there are nuances that must be observed in order to continue to maintain proper licensure. Both the producers and the shipper must have the appropriate licenses in order to ship beer. Not only that but every shipment that contains alcohol must be documented for tracking and tax purposes. Most producers partner with an approved carrier in order to alleviate some of the headaches of maintaining compliance. This leads us to why using Falcon Fulfillment for your D2C beer shipping can help.

Maintain a Quality Product

From maintaining temperature thresholds to ensuring expedited processing for your suds, Falcon can streamline order processing. This speed and accuracy keep your product fresh for your consumers. Falcon offers flexibility to modify warehouse staging spaces for promotions and ongoing quick-turnaround product sales. Furthermore, they can provide fast transport from the brewery to the distribution location via temperature-controlled FTL. We understand that certain types of fulfillment like D2C beer shipping require extra care to ensure a quality product arrives at your customer’s front door.

Boost Your Brewery Bottom Line

Starting a D2C beer shipping revenue model helps to increase your customer base, build recurring revenue, and satisfy your existing consumers. Not only that but shipping directly to consumers gives your brewery higher margins than wholesale or retail options. Most brewmasters rely on taprooms to get their suds in the hands of their fans. However, the average cost of building and kitting out a taproom is nearly $500k. Bringing the bar to your customer’s home is one of the most affordable ways to increase your bottom line without the capital investment of a bar or taproom.