US market entry for Spanish and Portuguese brands.
Spanish and Portuguese companies bring products Americans already admire: olive oil, wine, cured meats, canned seafood, cheese, footwear, fashion, ceramics, cork and hotel and restaurant concepts.
The admiration is real, but it is broad and shallow. Many American shoppers know Spanish and Portuguese food through restaurants and travel, not through brands on a shelf. Food and drink exporters also face FDA, labeling and import rules that differ sharply from EU practice. Theory Road runs the commercial launch for Iberian brands entering the US: market read, positioning, US storefront, Amazon US, paid media and search, and retail, importer and distributor pipeline. We work with your importer, customs broker, attorney and accountant on FDA registration, entity, tax and logistics.
Questions this page answers
- How to sell in the United States from Spain
- Exporting Spanish food and wine to the US
- How Portuguese brands enter the US market
- Is the Hispanic market a good entry point for Spanish brands
- Do I need an LLC in the United States to sell there
- What FDA rules apply to food exporters from Spain and Portugal
Step 1 of 2
How can we help you get found?
Next: name, email and budget. That’s it.
What the US market asks of you.
The US asks Iberian brands to make origin specific. Americans are warm toward Spain and Portugal, but most cannot tell a Rioja from a Ribera del Duero or a Vinho Verde from a Douro red, and many see olive oil as interchangeable. Buyers pay more when a brand explains exactly what makes it different: region, variety, harvest, method, how to use it. Food and drink brands also need an American route to market, often an importer and distributor, and packaging that meets FDA and federal alcohol labeling rules.
What typically goes wrong is betting on the Hispanic US market as a shortcut. It is large and valuable, but most Hispanic Americans have roots in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, not Spain, and speak and shop differently. Spanish from Spain can read as foreign to them. Portuguese brands sometimes aim only at Portuguese-American communities in New England, New Jersey and California, which are loyal but small. Other launches stall at the port because FDA registration, prior notice or labels were not ready.
We plan origin and route together. First a market read: category, competitors, price bands, importer and retail structure, landed cost with your customs broker. Then positioning that makes the region, method and use concrete for Americans, in English first and in Spanish where it truly fits the audience. We build a US storefront and Amazon US presence for products that can ship domestically, run search and social in test markets, and support importer, distributor, specialty retail and restaurant conversations with sell-through and demand data.
- Weeks 1 to 6Market read and regulatory mapCategory, prices, route to market and landed cost, plus an FDA and labeling checklist for your advisors.
- Weeks 4 to 10Positioning and US packaging copyOrigin story made concrete, English copy, selective Spanish, and label text ready for regulatory review.
- Weeks 8 to 16Storefront, Amazon US and searchShopify store and Amazon US listings for eligible products, search and social tested in a few markets.
- Months 4 to 9Importer, retail and restaurant pipelineDemand data, sell sheets, samples and tastings to support importer, specialty retail and foodservice talks.
- Months 9 to 15Scale regions and partnersExpand in markets where sell-through holds, widen distribution, and plan US staff or events.
Where US launches stall.
Origin is admired but vague
American shoppers like Spain and Portugal but rarely know the regions, varieties or methods behind a premium price. Without concrete explanation and usage ideas, a fine olive oil or wine competes on price alone.
The Hispanic market has limits
Hispanic Americans are a huge, diverse audience, mostly with Latin American roots. Castilian vocabulary and Spanish cultural cues do not automatically connect, so bilingual marketing must be tested rather than assumed as the entry point.
FDA and labeling before the port
Food exporters need FDA facility registration with a US agent, prior notice for shipments, and US format nutrition and allergen labels. Wine and spirits add federal label approval. Missing pieces stop products at the border.
Finding the right importer
Food, wine and many consumer goods move through US importers and distributors with their own margins and priorities. Picking a partner without demand data or clear terms can bury a brand in a large catalog.
What we run for you.
Market read and route to market
Category and price mapping, importer and distributor structure, retail and foodservice options, and landed cost with your customs broker so pricing works at every step.
Origin positioning
We make region, method, variety and use specific for Americans, with photography, recipes and comparisons that justify a premium over generic imports.
Bilingual audience testing
English first, with Spanish campaigns aimed at the right US Hispanic audiences where the product fits, written with US vocabulary and tested against English results.
Storefront and Amazon US
A Shopify store and Amazon US listings for products that can be sold direct, with Brand Registry, A+ content and advertising run against margin.
Importer and retail pipeline
Sell sheets, sample programs, demand data by region and trade outreach that help your importer, distributors and specialty retailers commit shelf space.
Hospitality and restaurant launches
For Spanish and Portuguese restaurant and hotel concepts, local search, Google Business Profile, reservations tracking and opening campaigns in the chosen US city.
How US demand gets built.
US rules to plan for.
FDA food facility registration.
Food facilities must register with FDA, renew in every even-numbered year from October through December, and name a US agent. Your importer or regulatory consultant owns this.
Prior notice and FSVP.
Food shipments need prior notice to FDA, and US importers carry Foreign Supplier Verification Program duties. Your importer and customs broker confirm responsibilities at the time of writing.
Food and alcohol labeling.
US nutrition facts, allergen and ingredient formats differ from EU labels, and wine and spirits need federal label approval. Your regulatory advisor reviews labels before printing.
Customs and duties.
US tariffs changed repeatedly in 2025 and 2026, and de minimis was suspended for all countries in August 2025. Your customs broker confirms HTS classification and current duties.
Entity and sales tax.
Whether to open a US LLC or corporation, and where to collect sales tax, are decisions for your US attorney and accountant, which we coordinate around.
A good fit
- Spanish and Portuguese food, olive oil, wine, fashion and design brands with export-ready supply and consistent quality
- Companies prepared to meet FDA, labeling and importer requirements before shipping, with advisors or partners already identified
- Hospitality brands planning a first US location and needing local search and opening demand in one city
Probably not a fit
- Brands expecting the US Hispanic market to buy simply because the product is Spanish, without testing or adaptation
- Exporters without capacity for sustained US volume, samples and marketing support over at least twelve months
Platforms and categories we launch into.
- Shopify builds, migrations and growth
- Amazon account management
- Amazon listing optimization and A+ Content
- Google Business Profile management
- Google Shopping and Performance Max management
- Food and beverage brands
- Wineries, breweries and distilleries
- CPG brands
- Apparel and fashion brands
- Restaurants and venues
- Home and kitchen brands
Reading before a US launch.
- E-commerce · Takeaway
FDA food facility registration is required for most foreign facilities that make, pack or hold food for the US market, and every foreign facility must name a US agent.
E-commerce · 10 min read
FDA Food Facility Registration for Foreign Food Brands.
A marketing lead's guide to FDA food facility registration: what the registration covers, what it does not, who owns each piece, and how compliant labels and claims turn into a US launch plan.
Read - Agency Guide · Takeaway
Finding US distributors starts with knowing which layer you need, because importers, broadline and specialty distributors, brokers and direct store delivery houses each do a different job.
Agency Guide · 11 min read
Finding US Distributors: A Guide for Foreign Product Brands.
US distributors do not take on brands, they take on proven sales rates. This guide covers which kind of distributor fits your category, what they check, where to meet them and how to pitch.
Read - Agency Guide · Takeaway
A foreign founder can own a US LLC or corporation without living in the US, but the right structure depends on home-country tax rules and should be chosen with an attorney and an accountant in both countries.
Agency Guide · 11 min read
US LLC for Non-Residents: A Foreign Founder's Setup Checklist.
A commercial checklist for foreign founders setting up a US company: why brands form one, the common structures at a high level, and the order of EIN, bank, sales tax and insurance that keeps a US launch on schedule.
Read
Questions from founders abroad.
- How to sell in the United States from Spain
- Start with the route to market: direct to consumer, Amazon US, or an importer and distributor for food and drink. Build landed cost with your customs broker, confirm FDA and labeling requirements with your advisors, then position the product for American buyers. Theory Road runs the market read, positioning, storefront, Amazon US, paid media and trade pipeline.
- Do I need an LLC in the United States to sell there?
- Not always. Some companies sell through a US importer or on Amazon US without their own entity, while others form an LLC or corporation for contracts, banking or liability. The choice depends on taxes and your structure in Spain or Portugal, so your US attorney and accountant should decide. We plan the launch around their timeline.
- Is the Hispanic US market the best entry point?
- Sometimes, but rarely by default. Most Hispanic Americans have Latin American roots, and Spanish from Spain can feel foreign to them. For some foods and brands there is a real connection; for others the wider English-speaking market with an interest in Spanish or Portuguese culture is larger. We test both before committing budget.
- What FDA rules apply to food exporters from Spain and Portugal?
- Food facilities must register with FDA and name a US agent, with renewal in even-numbered years. Shipments need prior notice, importers have Foreign Supplier Verification Program duties, and labels must follow US nutrition and allergen formats. Wine and spirits add federal label approval. Your importer and regulatory advisor confirm details at the time of writing.
- How do Portuguese brands enter the US market?
- Many start through importers serving Portuguese-American communities in New England, New Jersey and California, then widen to specialty retail and online sales. Wine, canned fish, cork, ceramics and home textiles all have established US buyers. We help Portuguese brands move beyond community channels with English positioning, Amazon US and search.
- Can you help launch a Spanish restaurant or hotel concept in the US?
- Yes, on the marketing side. We run local search, Google Business Profile, website, reservation tracking and opening campaigns in the chosen city, and can meet teams in person around Austin. Leases, licenses, permits and immigration stay with your attorney and local advisors.
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.