First 90 Days: US Market Launch Checklist

The first 90 days of a US NA brand launch are the highest-leverage period you will have. Done right, you emerge with a live DTC store, a first-party email list, initial revenue data, and the operational foundation for retail and distributor conversations. Done poorly, you spend the time reacting to compliance surprises, relabeling inventory, and rebuilding a store that was not ready for paid traffic.

This checklist is designed to prevent the second scenario.

How to use this checklist: Work from the top. Each phase has dependencies — Week 1 compliance work enables Week 5 Shopify launch; Week 5 DTC stack enables Week 7 paid acquisition. Do not skip phases to accelerate timelines. The checklist is also available as a downloadable PDF — request it via the Avenor contact page.

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Before You Start: Pre-Conditions

Before Week 1 begins, confirm these are in place or in active progress:

• Product is finalized and in production (no formula changes planned)
• ABV verified by lab (<0.5% if targeting FDA food classification)
• Existing EU/home-market labels and product spec sheets available
• Budget confirmed (see full cost breakdown →)
• Decision made on US entity structure (LLC vs. C-Corp) and jurisdiction
• Decision made on IOR approach (third-party vs. self-serve via US entity)

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Phase 1 — Compliance and Import Foundation (Weeks 1–4)

Week 1

Regulatory classification

• Confirm product ABV via certified lab test
• Determine regulatory classification: FDA food (sub-0.5% non-malt), TTB (malt-based), or TTB-regulated for another reason
• Identify which TTB or FDA requirements apply — see FDA vs. TTB: Which Regulates Your Product? →
• Engage a US food/beverage attorney for an initial compliance review (recommended, not optional)

US entity

• Choose entity type (LLC for most founder-stage foreign brands)
• File with state of choice (Delaware or home state; most beverage brands use Delaware LLC)
• Apply for EIN (IRS Form SS-4; free, ~1 week online)

Week 2

FDA compliance (non-malt, sub-0.5% products)

• Register production facility with FDA Food Facility Registration — FDA.gov
• Appoint a US Agent for FDA communications (can be your IOR, attorney, or a specialist service)
• Confirm FSVP compliance with your chosen IOR — FDA FSVP
• Understand Prior Notice requirements for each shipment — FDA Prior Notice

Label review

• Compare current EU label to FDA food labeling requirements (Nutrition Facts panel, ingredient list, allergen declarations, English language, net quantity, serving size)
• Identify gaps — expect 3–6 differences from EU labeling
• Brief label designer on required changes

This is general information, not legal advice — verify all regulatory requirements with qualified counsel.

Week 3

Label and compliance

• Label redesign in progress (allow 2–3 rounds; do not rush)
• Trademark search on brand name in the US (USPTO TESS database; $500–$2,000 for attorney-conducted search)
• Confirm "alcohol-free" vs. "non-alcoholic" language on label — see Marketing Language That's Compliant →

IOR and logistics

• Select and contract IOR (if outsourcing)
• Select US 3PL / fulfillment partner; get quoted rates for pick/pack and inbound receiving
• Get freight quotes for first ocean shipment (EU → US port of entry)

Week 4

Finalize compliance foundation

• Label design approved; send to printer
• First inventory order placed (conservative quantity — 100–300 cases for initial test)
• Freight booked (ocean LCL for small first shipment)
• IOR confirmed; FSVP documentation prepared
• US bank account opened (Mercury, Relay, or traditional bank)

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Phase 2 — DTC Stack Build (Weeks 5–8)

Week 5

Shopify setup

• Shopify plan selected and store created
• Domain connected (purchase US .com if not already owned)
• Theme selected and customized (brand colors, fonts, imagery)
• Product pages built (hero SKU + any secondary SKUs)
• Payment gateway configured (Shopify Payments + PayPal recommended)
• Shipping profiles configured (work with your 3PL on rates)

Email capture (pre-launch list building starts now)

• Klaviyo account created and connected to Shopify
• Welcome pop-up installed (offer: 10–15% off first order or free shipping)
• "Coming soon" / pre-launch landing page live if store is not open yet

Week 6

Retention stack

• Subscription app installed and configured (Recharge or Stay.ai) — see DTC Stack guide →
• Subscription pricing set (10–15% discount vs. one-time purchase)
• Reviews app installed (Okendo / Stamped / Judge.me)
• Tax configuration (TaxJar or Shopify Tax — consult US CPA)

Analytics and tracking

• GA4 property created and connected
• Meta Business Manager and Pixel installed
• Google Merchant Center account created; product feed submitted (verify taxonomy classification)
• UTM parameter framework established for all campaigns

Week 7

Klaviyo flows

• Welcome series (3 emails) built and activated
• Abandoned cart flow (3 touches: email → email → SMS) built and activated
• Post-purchase series (Day 1, Day 7, Day 21) built and activated
• Winback flow (60/90 day) built and queued
• SMS opt-in configured and compliant (TCPA consent language)

Creative preparation

• Product photography complete (lifestyle + product flat lays)
• First ad creative briefed (3–5 concepts: lifestyle, occasion, founder story, social proof)

Week 8

Pre-launch

• Shopify store reviewed end-to-end (mobile + desktop)
• Test order placed and fulfilled manually (verify checkout, confirmation emails, shipping)
• All Klaviyo flows tested with seed email addresses
• First inventory shipment confirmed departed origin; ETA confirmed with 3PL
• Soft launch to pre-launch email list (before paid acquisition)

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Phase 3 — Launch and First Revenue (Weeks 9–12)

Week 9

Store goes live

• Pop-up offer active
• Klaviyo flows all live
• Soft-launch email to pre-launch list: "We're live"
• Social organic announcement (Instagram, LinkedIn for B2B awareness)

Paid acquisition test begins

• Meta campaigns live: 2–3 ad sets, 3–5 creatives each, $50–$75/day test budget
• Google Search campaigns live: brand keywords + category intent keywords ($30–$50/day)
• All attribution verified (Meta Pixel firing; GA4 conversion events confirmed)

Week 10

Paid optimization

• Review Meta ad performance: pause underperformers; consolidate budget to winners
• Review Google Search: add negative keywords; adjust bids
• First purchase orders arriving; post-purchase flows activated by real orders
• Review request emails sending at Day 10–14 post-purchase

Operations check

• 3PL receiving confirmed; inventory live in fulfillment system
• First customer service inquiries handled; FAQ page updated
• Any shipping or delivery issues identified and resolved

Week 11

• First repeat purchases beginning to appear (watch for)
• Review repeat purchase rate: what % of Week 9 buyers returned?
• Klaviyo engagement data: open rates, click rates, unsubscribes — calibrate send frequency
• Meta lookalike audience built from initial purchasers (if list > 100)
• UGC creator outreach (if not already started): send product to 5–10 creators for content

Week 12

90-Day Review

Key metrics to measure at Day 90:

• 90-day review completed; key findings documented
• Decision: scale paid acquisition, hold, or optimize retention before scaling?
• First distributor conversations can begin (backed by real DTC data)

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Beyond Day 90 — What Comes Next

With 90 days of DTC data in hand:

• Wholesale and retail conversations become data-backed: you have velocity, geography, and consumer profile information that retail buyers want to see.
• Distributor selection can be targeted: your geographic concentration data tells you which markets to prioritize for distribution.
• Paid acquisition scaling: if your LTV:CAC ratio is positive, begin scaling Meta spend and adding Google Shopping.
• PR and press outreach: first customer stories, any notable early reviews, and your brand narrative are now grounded in real US market experience.

For the full roadmap beyond 90 days, return to the Complete Launch Playbook →.

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