Read Time: 4 min.
Not all tequila brands are created equal. Besides the source of the ingredients and the purity of the spirit, tequilas can vary on more than the product alone. The business side of things can look very different from one brand to another.
If you’re looking into how to start your own tequila business, you’ll come across a lot of information regarding your branding. And with a lot of conflicting information, you may have more questions than answers. For instance, what’s the difference between white label and private brand tequilas? Let’s talk through some of the options Aceves Spirits gives you for customizing your tequila brand.
White Label Tequilas
Certain tequila brands on the market today are actually produced by one company, branded by another, and then sold to consumers. These white label tequilas save time, money, and effort. They’re produced for brands that don’t want to spend significant resources developing a product, but simply want to sell an already existing alcohol.
White labeling helps companies brand and sell their offering at a more rapid pace. White label tequilas share flavors with other brands under the same generic umbrella and they have less room for customization in terms of product profile. They also tend to operate with smaller orders.
Private Label Tequilas
Somewhat similar to white label tequilas, private label tequilas are a twist on an existing profile. The tequila “profile” is the correct term for the specific tequila recipe of ingredients, rather than being known as a “formula” or “recipe.” Private label tequilas are another option that allow for more customization.
Ultimately, private label tequilas are produced by one company and then sold by another, like white label tequilas. But they are differentiated as well. These product profiles can be significantly tweaked to bring forward certain flavors and aromas while minimizing others, making a truly distinct drink. Aceves Spirits offers private labeling services.
Legal Requirements To Start A New Tequila Brand In The US
If you’re looking into how to make your own liquor label, you’ve probably already been considering the legal requirements. If you want to ultimately sell your product in the United States — which is a great idea, as we’ll explore below — there are different legal implications surrounding the import of alcohol.
Private Brand Tequilas
The ultimate customization option for tequila brands is to create a private brand. This differs from white label and private label tequilas in that the product profile is custom made and entirely unique to the specific brand. Because developing a beverage profile from scratch can take time, this is not something that is rushed into distribution like generic tequilas.
Once a custom tequila profile is created for a private brand, the brand owns all the rights to the formula. It cannot be legally replicated and sold as another brand. This allows private brands to maintain peak exclusivity, while also giving them the option to create a mixed portfolio of additional products under the brand family. Private branding tends to be more profitable for those who have previous experience in the spirits industry.
Making private brand tequilas in small batches means that they are not mass produced the way they’d be in large distilleries. Aceves’ small batches also allow for exclusivity, while maintaining a volume that ensures our tequila clients cover their profit margins and appeal to distributors.
Customizing With Aceves Spirits
We know firsthand how different circumstances call for different types of product production. Investors looking for a fast, simpler rollout of their tequila brand may find that white labeling works for them, but it doesn’t allow for much customization or profile ownership. Instead of the generic white labeling that large distilleries undertake, Aceves Spirits as an integrated beverage developer offers private label and private brand services.
Investors who are still looking for a quick product turnout but want some agency in their beverage profile might find that private labeling works really well for them. And for those investors who are spirits industry connoisseurs or who want to create a truly unique brand, private branding might be the way to go. Aceves Spirits offers both of these options.
We work with a variety of private label tequilas and private brands. For those who opt to create a private brand tequila with us, we work closely on product profile development to give the spirit its identity. Then we find the perfect packaging to reflect that identity in a marketable way.
When you work with Aceves, regardless of which route you choose, you’ll know exactly what to expect. Our highly knowledgeable team will guide you through your options and help you make the right decisions for your brand. So as you’re thinking about starting your brand, consider which Aceves program best suits your business concept or model. Not sure yet? Reach out to us at Aceves Spirits and we can support you in making that decision.