Arizona Hard

Services Provided:

General alcohol regulatory consulting topics:

• Federal TTB manufacturing, wholesale, and import permitting, operation reporting, and excise tax guidelines
• Federal TTB Formula and Labeling guidelines
• Federal and State Bulk Beer and Spirits distribution and excise tax guidelines
• State alcohol licensing, product registration, and franchise guidelines

Regulatory Services conducted:

• Federal TTB permitting, operational reporting, and excise tax filings
• Communication with Federal and State alcohol agencies on behalf of client
• State alcohol licensing, product registration, and distributor filings

AlcSource’s regulatory partnership with AriZona Hard began when their manufacturing partner, US Beverage Packers, was referred to us for our expertise in general federal TTB permitting, operational reporting, and excise tax filings for their brand new manufacturing facility. Since the original referral, the AlcSource regulatory team has been conducting the bi-weekly federal excise tax and monthly operational report filings for their manufacturing facility in Keasbey, NJ. As US Beverage Packers reared up to begin production of the original AriZona Hard Tea’s line, AriZona contacted our team to assist with state licensing and product registrations.

As a brand with nationwide recognition, they required assistance with a national launch in late 2022 / early 2023. Their operating company at that time held a majority of the necessary licenses in the United States for a national launch from prior projects, but required ~15-20 new licenses to cover the entirety of the United States. To acquire the remaining licensure, we had to work in partnership with their ownership, legal, compliance, and sales teams to hit the market targets as instructed.

While acquiring licensure, we also conducted product registrations and distributor appointments for their 4 original teas (Green Tea, Iced Peach Tea, Iced Lemon Tea, and Sweet Tea). Moving into 2023, we assisted with the registrations of their new juice and lemonade lines as well for a total of 20 skus. Since the beginning of this project, we have registered hundreds of AriZona’s COLA (7+ co-packers with 12 – 20 skus each) in 21 states.

During this time, we were also assisting with the consulting and regulatory services called out below. Of importance, are the following:

• Utah flavored malt beverage regulation guidance and registration for a product with a non-alcoholic version. As one of the few such brands approved in Utah, this was a huge win for their team.
• Federal and State Bulk Beer guidance. It was brought to AriZona’s attention that their bulk beer supplier was charging them federal excise tax on the bulk beer, in addition to the co-packer excise tax on their final product. The TTB incorrectly advised the bulk beer supplier that their customers had to pay excise tax not only on their final goods, but on the bulk beer as well. We were able to convince the TTB specialist that they were incorrect by supplying CFRs and TTB rulings countering their assertion. AriZona was able to reclaim and prevents $100,000’s of additional federal excise tax due to this.

Since we have begun to wrap up the AriZona Hard malt project in Summer 2024, Hornell Brewing has utilized our services for their multiple of their import brands as well.