Hi, I'm starting a wine brand and my product will be co-packed in NY since I couldn't find a co-packer in Florida to do so. I need to get a license but I'm not sure which license to get. I can't get a manufacturer license because I don't manufacture the product in Florida. I can't get a distributor license because I don't own or lease a warehouse since I'm outsourcing that service to a logistics company. The importer license only allows me to bring the product into the state and drop it at the distributor's warehouse but they can only take about 1-3 pallet per order and is not economical to ship one pallet at a time. Any advice? Thank you so much in advance for your time the help.
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
It sounds as if you are confronted with various licensing technicalities, which is not at all uncommon. First, I'm not exactly clear what you mean by a "co-packer." What is the country and region of origin of your wine? Are you importing the wine in bulk and having it bottled ("packed") at a facility in New York? Understanding this might lead to a solution, although I think you are also describing very typical business issues which others have successfully resolved. Based on the information you've supplied, your best option is indeed to ship small quantities - at least to get started - to a licensed wholesaler. Have you already secured a commitment from a Florida company? Last, I recommend you look over the licensing requirements from the State of Florida to determine what you will need by going to MyFloridaLicense.com. They have a pdf file with an extensive list of license types. Under "Distributors" (page 13) they include Importer and Brokers/Sales Agents. Good luck with launching your brand.
