Short answerTo distribute tequila or mezcal in the United States you need a US importer with the required permits and a warehouse with an inventory system that tells you, up to date, how much you have of each product. At Fast Distribution Services in Laredo, Texas, we receive your pallets, store them and pick each order for the customer you choose. Your inventory updates with every movement, and the service adapts to your volume.
A tequila or mezcal exporter rarely sells a full truckload to one customer. It sells 2 pallets to one distributor, 1 to another and 3 to a third, in different weeks. Shipping every order from Mexico means crossing the border again and again, with paperwork each time. The alternative is to cross the full truck to Laredo once, keep the inventory on the US side and ship from here as orders come in.
How tequila and mezcal distribution from Laredo works
- Paperwork. We coordinate the Mexican export pedimento and the US entry with the customs broker.
- Crossing. The load leaves Nuevo Laredo for Laredo, Texas. The transfer is coordinated by us or by you.
- Receiving. We receive each pallet, scan it, photograph it and add it to your inventory.
- Storage. Each pallet is in the system with its location and product: tequila blanco, reposado, añejo or mezcal.
- Orders and picking. You enter in the system what ships and to which customer. We pick and build the order.
- Shipping. The BOL and load photos are emailed to you automatically, and your inventory updates.
An example: 20 pallets and two orders
Twenty pallets arrive on one truck: 8 of tequila blanco, 8 of reposado and 4 of mezcal. Once received, your portal shows 20 pallets in stock.
- Day 1: customer Tequila Sunrise orders 2 pallets of blanco and 2 of reposado. The order ships and your stock drops to 16.
- Day 2: Margarita Lovers orders 1 blanco and 1 reposado. It ships and 14 pallets remain: 5 blanco, 5 reposado and 4 mezcal.
Every movement is recorded with photos. You don't have to call to ask what's left: you see it in the system.
An inventory system built for distribution
The whole service runs on our own inventory system. That is what lets you sell from Mexico and know exactly what you have on the US side.
- Up-to-date inventory: by product, by pallet and by location, in your customer portal.
- Picking by order: you enter what ships and to whom, and we build each order as requested.
- Photo history: of every receipt, every order built and every load, with its BOL.
- Fully flexible: it adapts to your volume, from a few pallets to full truckloads, and grows with you as you add customers.
Requirements to import tequila and mezcal into the USA
What is normally required
- A US importer with a TTB federal permit (Federal Basic Importer's Permit) and alcohol dealer registration. In most cases this is the US importer of the goods.
- COLA: a TTB-approved label for each product, held at the time of import.
- FDA: the producing facility registered as a food facility, plus Prior Notice for every shipment.
- On the Mexican side: an exporter enrolled in the sector export registry (Padrón de Exportadores Sectorial) and a product certified by its regulatory council (CRT for tequila, CRM for mezcal).
- Whoever receives each order must hold the state permits required to receive alcoholic beverages.
Every case is different. Review the requirements with your importer and customs broker before the first shipment.
Does the warehouse need a TABC permit?
We asked the TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission) directly. They confirmed that as long as we are not involved in the sale, no TABC permit is required to provide crossdock, warehousing and distribution services for alcoholic beverages. We don't buy or sell your product: we receive it, store it and ship it on your instructions.
Why distribute from Laredo, Texas
- Laredo is the largest trade crossing between Mexico and the United States. Your inventory sits a few miles from the border.
- Monterrey–Laredo route: from Monterrey, your load crosses the border 1–2 days after pickup.
- One team for paperwork, crossing, storage and outbound, in English and Spanish, since 2011.
- Our own inventory system with receiving, order-building and loading photos.
Related services
- 3PL warehouse in Laredo: pallet storage with live inventory.
- Crossdock in Laredo: when the load doesn't stay, it just changes trucks.
- Customs clearance: we coordinate with your broker on both sides.
Frequently asked questions
Can you store tequila and mezcal in Laredo, Texas?
Yes. We receive your pallets, record them in the system with their location and pick every order you enter.
What volume do I need to use the service?
It is fully flexible. It adapts to your volume, from a few pallets to full truckloads.
Who should be the importer of record?
It depends on the case. Most of the time it is the US importer of the goods, with its TTB federal permit and approved labels (COLA).
Does the warehouse need a TABC permit?
According to what TABC confirmed to us, no, because we are not involved in the sale. We only provide crossdock, warehousing and distribution.
Can I ship to several customers from the same inventory?
Yes. You enter each order in the system and we ship it to any customer that holds the permits required to receive alcohol.
How do I know how much inventory I have left?
In your customer portal, live, by product and by pallet. You also receive the BOL and photos of every shipment by email.
