In this article, you’ll learn:
- How to save time and money by working with a private label beverage manufacturer to launch drinks
- Strategic investment in marketing for enhanced brand awareness & sales
- Rapid go-to-market strategies for competitive advantage
- Key steps to rapid & effective RTD product market entry
Launching a ready-to-drink (RTD) product is both an exciting opportunity and an operational challenge for drinks businesses. It’s a sector that is particularly fruitful due to ongoing consumer demands for premium, health-oriented drinks that are convenient to purchase and consume. However, the pathway to market can be an extended one, with several bottlenecks delaying your progress.
This is why working with a private label beverage manufacturer is a wise strategy for FMCG businesses. Rather than starting from square one, it gives you a base level of expertise and resources to harness. It’ll drastically reduce your time to launch, but also streamline your drink development operations. That way, you can spend more time on marketing to increase customer demand – and by extension, boost sales.
For early-stage businesses entering the RTD sector or established brands launching a new SKU, working with a private label beverage manufacturer has many benefits, including higher sales.
To learn more, I spoke to Liam Sherriff. He is the Head of Sales at CRL Foods, a specialist canning manufacturer of milk-based RTD drinks in the United Kingdom. His insights into the mechanics of private label manufacturing apply broadly across the RTD sector. Read on for his insight.
Streamlining success: Core benefits of private label partnerships
The primary benefit of working with private label beverage manufacturers is the time and money you can save. Since you don’t need to purchase costly equipment or conduct market research, your time to market is much shorter.
“You get access to expertise, infrastructure, and speed,” says Liam. “The RTD development journey is long and complex, and requires specialist knowledge, especially when handling volatile liquids. Knowledge of recipe development, thermal processing, trials, sourcing, compliance, and production is needed.”
Tapping into your manufacturer’s knowledge is especially useful for newcomers to the RTD space. It means you don’t need to undertake costly, extensive market research – for example, identifying which drinks to offer customers. Instead, you can give your manufacturer a brief – detailing the quantities you want, flavours to target, and label to use – and trust them to deliver results.
This strategic division of labour is what makes private label solutions so compelling. You can worry less about the practicalities, such as compliance and testing, and focus more on producing and marketing a drink aligned with your goals.
Otherwise, it may take you a while to get to market when there’s so much to learn. “We have that in-house, whereas most brands or businesses would not, especially during the early startup stages,” Liam says. “We can support you on the complicated matters, while you focus on growing sales and marketing.”
Hardtank’s private label programme is tailored to the needs of startups and established RTD businesses. We handle every stage of drink production, from determining formulations to testing, canning, and even delivery. With variable order quantities, it also means you can easily scale up your operations without investing in larger facilities or new equipment.
“Most manufacturers invest significantly in equipment, training, accreditation, and knowledge so brands don’t have to,” Liam explains. “They have a variety of options you can utilise to help move at speed.”
If you’re looking to quickly enter the RTD space, private label solutions are an efficient way to reduce startup risk and maximise sales potential.
How a private label manufacturer helps you launch faster and sell more
The benefits of working with a private label beverage manufacturer extend beyond cost and time savings, however. With the money you can save on formulation and manufacturing costs, you can invest directly into demand generation and marketing.
“A brand saves money, time, and resources by not having to worry about setting up a manufacturing facility,” Liam says. “You’re leveraging the fact that the manufacturer has already done all of that, and can lean on them for it. Your startup capital outlay is much smaller, and can be used to generate sales from the get-go.”
Therefore, you can boost sales by working with a private label beverage manufacturer by investing the money saved into marketing and demand generation. When you have more budget to dedicate to advertising campaigns and retail partnerships, you can increase your sales from the beginning.
Take, for example, a brand looking to enter the RTD cold brew sector. By selecting from a range of ready-made SKUs – such as those developed and tested by Hardtank – you can sidestep formulation delays and testing bottlenecks. Instead, you can devote resources to brand positioning, sales outreach, and in-market feedback.
However, RTD custom formulation is another way to boost sales. While this can take longer, it gives you a truly unique product that stands out from competitors. It’s still faster when working alongside seasoned professionals than trying to do it yourself.
“It’s likely they’ve got experience manufacturing your product, or something similar,” Liam says. Hardtank offers a custom formula process to determine the features and benchmarks for your drink, followed by three rounds of samples and feedback.
After finalising the recipe for your custom RTD drink, we then conduct laboratory tests to verify shelf life and microbiological parameters. Therefore, all of these concerns – such as food safety and flavours that meet your brief – are handled on your behalf.
You can also boost sales by leveraging short lead times from your manufacturer. For example, Hardtank’s standard lead time for RTD drinks is four to six weeks after deposit payment, giving you the time to execute a marketing strategy prior to launch. It means your advertising can be more direct and purposeful, readily leading into your drink’s release.
You’ll also save money and time on securing the certifications required for market compliance. “Most manufacturers will have the right accreditations you need to launch into certain retailers, whereas brands alone may not. They also invest significantly in equipment, training, and knowledge so you don’t have to,” he adds.
Working with a private label beverage manufacturer also supports innovation – both in flavour development and capacity. For example, if you work with an experienced manufacturer, they will be aware of new trends, such as increasingly popular functional drinks or ingredients. This can inform future product launches or marketing campaigns, helping you launch with the branding and partnerships you’ve already established.
The RTD market shifts constantly, with emerging trends such as electrolyte drinks, adaptogenic teas, or alcohol-free canned mocktails. The ability to test and launch new ideas quickly is a key sales lever. Partnering with a manufacturer that offers this agility, while ensuring compliance and scale, gives brands a commercial advantage.
How a private label beverage manufacturer supports growth, quality and long-term scale
For drinks companies launching an RTD product, especially those in early-stage growth, operational efficiency is pivotal to long-term sustainability. By outsourcing to a private label beverage manufacturer, you’ll reduce your overheads and can dedicate more money to other areas of the business.
This leaner business model allows you to concentrate on what matters most: selling the product. Then, as you make more sales and prepare to scale up your production, you can do so without investing in additional facilities and equipment.
“They can provide the scale and capacity to support the brand as it grows and gains more customers, while also offering insight into the latest trends coming through,” Liam concludes.
Seasoned private label beverage manufacturers also ensure a consistent, repeatable product, which is critical for building customer trust and securing reorders. According to recent data, 71% of consumers are more likely to repurchase an RTD drink if quality and taste are consistent.
Private label manufacturers offer the systems and controls to deliver this consistency at scale. For example, Hardtank ensures quality by offering three rounds of testing, as well as adhering to wider food safety standards.
Hardtank’s RTD model supports this strategy to boost sales and support FMCG businesses of all sizes. From feedback-led custom formulation to handling operational logistics, we can help you save time and money to focus on marketing and creating demand.
In summary, working with a private label beverage manufacturer can increase your sales. It allows for faster launches, consistent quality, and more money to invest in promotion. In a sector where speed, trust, and engaging messaging are essential, these partnerships help you drive sales without compromising on quality.
Ready to bring your RTD drinks to market to drive sales? Whether you want a custom formulation or an existing recipe, Hardtank’s services as a private label beverage manufacturer can help you launch efficiently. Request a sample kit or book a free consultation to discuss your RTD project today.
FAQ
How does working with a private label beverage manufacturer increase sales?
You can increase sales by limiting your upfront costs on factors like testing, formulation, and compliance. Therefore, the money you save can be invested in marketing and customer acquisition to boost sales.
How does custom RTD formulation work?
With Hardtank’s custom RTD formulation, we work with you to determine the flavours and recipes you want. We offer three rounds of feedback to perfect the drink, at which point we test its shelf life and microbial compliance.
What is the lead time for private label RTD drinks?
Lead times can vary based on drink complexity and volumes. At Hardtank, our typical lead time is four to six weeks after deposit and approval.
What types of drinks can I make with a private label manufacturer?
You can make a vast range of drinks with your manufacturer. For example, you can launch cold brew coffee, iced teas, functional waters, or adaptogenic drinks.
What’s the difference between private label and white label?
White label products are pre-formulated and ready-made – you simply add your brand name. In contrast, private label means the product is developed specifically for your brand, often with input on formulation, ingredients, and branding. It offers greater flexibility, uniqueness, and long-term value.
Can I supply my own ingredients or packaging?
Yes. This is a custom formulation service, so you can supply your own ingredients (like coffee), provided they meet our quality and safety standards. For example, if you’re supplying coffee, we’ll guide you through proper roasting specs to ensure consistency and flavour integrity. However, for quality control and regulatory compliance, all packaging must be supplied by us.
