Bringing international brands to the US market.
We plan and run US launches for companies from Europe, Latin America and beyond: the market read, pricing and positioning for American buyers, the US store or website, Amazon US, paid media and search, retail and distribution, and the reporting that tells you where to put the next dollar. We work from our base near Austin, Texas, as your team on the ground.
Questions this page answers
- How do we enter the US market with a consumer brand?
- Should we launch on Amazon US or our own store first?
- What US rules affect how we market our product?
- How do we find US distributors and retail buyers?
- How much budget does a US launch need?
- Who can be our marketing team on the ground in the US?
Step 1 of 2
How can we help you get found?
Next: name, email and budget. That’s it.
- Weeks 1 to 4US market read and entry planCategory demand, competitors, pricing, channel and compliance map, entity and logistics questions for your advisors
- Weeks 4 to 10Build the US storefrontUS English site or store, Amazon US listings, claims review, tracking, CRM, customer service and returns flow
- Weeks 8 to 16First US customersSearch, Amazon Ads and paid social tested against unit economics, reviews and early retail or B2B conversations
- Month 4 onwardScale what earnsBudget moves to proven channels, retail and distributor expansion, US team or partners where it pays
Plan, build, first customers, then scale.
Most international brands arrive with a product that works at home and a forecast for the US. We replace the forecast with evidence as fast as possible: a market read, a US storefront built right the first time, and small, measured tests across the channels your category actually buys through.
- Spend follows evidenceBudgets scale only after US unit economics hold.
- Built on your accountsEvery store, ad account and dataset is yours from day one.
- Coordinated, not siloedWe work alongside your legal, tax, customs and logistics advisors.
What catches foreign brands off guard.
One market, fifty rulebooks
Federal rules (FTC claims, FDA, FCC, CPSC, customs) sit on top of state rules like California's Prop 65 and state sales tax nexus. Marketing has to be built to the strictest one that applies.
Buyers expect American proof
US shoppers and B2B buyers look for US reviews, US pricing in dollars, US shipping times, a US returns address and a US phone number before they trust a new brand.
Amazon is the search engine for products
For many consumer categories, Amazon US is where product research starts. A launch without a Brand Registry storefront and a review plan leaves that search to competitors and resellers.
Paid media is expensive and unforgiving
US auctions on Google, Meta and Amazon are among the most competitive in the world. Tracking, landed cost and margin have to be right before budget scales, or the launch burns cash.
Choose how you enter.
US go-to-market plan
A US market entry strategy built from US search and marketplace demand: pricing, positioning, entry channels, budget phasing and a 90 and 180 day plan.
ViewAmazon US launch
Amazon Global Selling done properly: US account setup, tax interview, trademark for Brand Registry, FBA inbound, US listings, reviews and Sponsored Products.
ViewUS e-commerce launch
Launch a US online store from abroad: Shopify Markets or a US store, USD pricing and duties, US 3PL fulfillment, returns, sales tax, Google Shopping and Meta.
ViewUS retail and distribution
How foreign brands get into US retail: distributors by category, sell sheets, UPCs, EDI, retail media, Faire, trade shows and online velocity buyers trust.
ViewUS B2B market entry
B2B market entry for companies expanding to the US: ICP and account lists, a US-ready website, search, events, compliant outbound, CRM and first sales hires.
ViewUS brand localization
Adapting a brand for US buyers: US English copy, units, sizing, USD pricing, claims, packaging review, naming checks, service hours, reviews, regional nuance.
ViewUS marketing compliance
The US rules that shape what a foreign brand can claim and sell: FTC, FDA, FCC, CPSC, Prop 65 and origin marking, with claims review built into your launch.
ViewUS business setup
The commercial checklist for setting up a foreign company in the US: entity, EIN, bank, sales tax, insurance and terms, plus what to ask your advisors.
ViewAustin as your US base
Why international companies choose Austin, Texas as their US base, and how Theory Road acts as your team on the ground for meetings, partners and hires.
View
Where you are coming from matters.
European brands
How European brands launch in the US: sales tax instead of VAT, FCC and UL instead of CE, state privacy laws, US returns and reviews, and positioning.
ViewUK brands
How UK brands sell in America: the shared-language trap, post-Brexit habits that help, UK playbooks that transfer or fail, and shipping after de minimis.
ViewGerman, Austrian and Swiss brands
Markteintritt USA for German, Austrian and Swiss companies: sales tax, customs, distributors, trade shows and turning precise engineering into US demand.
ViewSpanish and Portuguese brands
How Spanish and Portuguese food, wine, olive oil, fashion and design brands enter the US: FDA rules, importers, and the Hispanic market as a bridge.
ViewLatin American brands
US launch for companies from Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Central America: payments, Amazon US, FDA-ready food, Hispanic market and beyond.
ViewBrazilian brands
US launch for Brazilian brands: Amazon US from Brazil, US storefronts, influencer strategy that travels, and a plan past the Florida and Massachusetts base.
ViewMexican brands
US entry for Mexican brands and manufacturers: USMCA, the Texas border, FDA-ready food, nearshoring B2B pipeline and buyers beyond the Mexican American market.
ViewCanadian brands
Canadian brands entering the US: life after Section 321, non-resident importer setup, US fulfillment, sales tax nexus, Amazon US and pricing in dollars.
ViewAustralian and New Zealand brands
Australian and New Zealand brands entering the US: US 3PL and freight, time zone overlap, provenance positioning, and choosing DTC, Amazon or retail.
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- Strategy and brandwe lead it or back your team
- Paid mediamanaged day to day
- Search and AI visibilityrun and reported monthly
- Websites and hostingbuilt, hosted and cared for
- CRM and lead systemsrun for you or with you
- Creative and contentproduced in-house
Fully managed, alongside your team, or built and handed off. Month to month after the initial term.
A US base in Austin, Texas.
We are headquartered near Austin, in the middle of the country and on central time, which puts us within a few hours of both coasts and in a working overlap with Europe's afternoon and Latin America's business day. We meet US partners, retailers and distributors in person, and we can run the whole launch or work alongside your own team.
- Central timeWorkable overlap with European and Latin American teams.
- In-person when it countsRetail buyer meetings, trade shows, partner visits.
- Full service, your wayWe run the US launch for you, alongside your team, or set it up and hand it off.
Questions from founders abroad.
- What does a US market entry agency do?
- A US market entry agency plans and runs the commercial side of launching a foreign brand in the United States: market and competitor research, pricing, positioning for US buyers, the US website or store, Amazon US, paid media and search, retail and distributor outreach, and reporting. We coordinate with your legal, tax, customs and logistics advisors rather than replacing them.
- Do we need a US company before we start marketing?
- Not always to start research and planning, but usually before you sell at scale. Many brands form a US entity for banking, payment processing, marketplace accounts and contracts. The right structure depends on your country, tax position and investors, so that decision belongs with a US attorney and accountant. We plan the marketing timeline around it.
- Should we launch on Amazon US or our own website first?
- For most consumer products we run both, with Amazon carrying discovery and your own site carrying brand, email and higher-margin repeat orders. The order depends on category, margins, inventory and whether your trademark is ready for Brand Registry. B2B and services companies usually lead with the website, search and direct sales.
- Which US state should an international brand base in?
- Many foreign companies use Delaware or another state for the legal entity and choose an operating base for people, inventory and customers. Texas is a common choice because of central time, logistics access and a large, fast-growing market. We are headquartered near Austin and can be your team on the ground, but the entity decision is for your advisors.
- How long does a US launch take?
- A focused launch usually moves from plan to first US customers in roughly three to four months, depending on inventory arriving, compliance reviews and entity setup. Scaling is a longer program. We plan in phases so spend follows evidence from the US market rather than a forecast.
- Have you worked with international companies before?
- Yes. We have worked with companies from Europe, South America and other regions entering the US, and we operate delivery teams across three continents. We never name clients, but on a call we can walk through how we approached launches similar to yours.
Let’s plan your US launch.
A short note on where the business is and where it needs to go. A senior partner replies within one business day.