How do you ship alcoholic beverages direct to consumer? Well it turns out there are many ways. Now days beverage cans come in many different sizes and shapes, and in many different styles of packaging. This can be can be overwhelming to businesses who are just entering the direct to consumer market. To make this process easier, we figured we’d give you a quick breakdown of the many different ways different types of beverages are shipped.
Different shaped cans and bottles as well as heat or cold sensitive ingredients require different packing to ship them. Below are some packaging methods for just some of the many different styles of beverages being shipped.
How to ship Craft Beer
Craft beer is most commonly packed in 4 packs of 16oz cans. If you are shipping long distance, our Premium Pods are the way to go. If you’re shipping in state or to nearby states, our Econo-Pods are your most economical option for Dtc shipments. Some craft beer (like some fruited sours) is heat sensitive. For shipping cans of this, we recommend our Thermal Pods.
How to ship Hard Cider
Most hard cider comes in 12oz or 16oz cans, in 6 or 12 packs. We recommend these beverages be shipped in either the Premium or Econo-Pods as well.
How to ship CBD Seltzer and Hard Seltzer
These beverages are often canned in In slim or “Sleek” style cans. We offer packing that perfectly fits this style of cans in our Slim Can Pods. Please check state laws when shipping CBD drinks.
How to ship Kombucha and Cold Brew Coffee
These beverages usually have to be kept cold when shipped. When you’re shipping long distance, you want to make sure you packaging allows for the beverages stay cool for extended travel time. For shipping cans temperature sensitive cans like this, we recommend our Thermal Pods.
How to ship marketing and influencer beverage cans
This type of shipment needs to stand out. Your brand needs to be showcased and remembered. To enhance the unboxing experience, we recommend our Unboxing Pods. They are fully custom printable, and will make your can art stand out.
How to ship beverage bottles
Bottles can come in many shapes and sizes. Big brand beer, soda, and some seltzers are often bottled in 12oz longneck style bottles. When shipping these, we recommend our 12oz Bottle Pods. These have foam inserts that each bottle sits in, protecting them from harsh shipping conditions. Some breweries and wineries are using 500ml and 750ml bottles. When shipping these, we recommend our 500ml/750ml Bottle Pods. These feature individual inserts for each bottle, and have passed have passed ISTA- 3A testing.
Shipping alcohol UPS vs Fedex vs USPS, and legalities involved
Shipping alcohol like beer, wine, liquor, hard cider, and seltzer via UPS and Fedex is legal in certain states. Please check your local shipping laws. Some states allow direct to consumer shipping of certain types of alcohol, others they do not. USPS currently does not allow the shipping of any type alcohol in any state. The state you are shipping in determines the legalities of shipping alcohol direct to consumer. Some states you can ship beer DtC within state lines, some across state lines, some not at all. Before setting up your DtC program, we recommend doing your legal research, or contacting a company like Sovos to help you out.
No matter what type of beverages you are shipping, chances are we have a Pod that’ll fit your DtC shipments. If not, we can custom make one! All of our Pods are custom printable, allowing your brand to be showcased from the time your customer receives the shipment. Contact us if you need any more info on direct to consumer beverage shipping.
