{"id":6173,"date":"2026-03-12T09:24:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imapolska.pl\/?p=6173"},"modified":"2026-04-23T10:44:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T08:44:45","slug":"contract-bottling-what-to-keep-in-mind-when-designing-your-alcohol-brand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imapolska.pl\/en\/rozlew-na-zlecenie-o-czym-pamietac-przy-projekcie-swojego-brandu-alkoholowego\/","title":{"rendered":"Commissioned bottling - what to keep in mind when designing your alcohol branding?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Commissioned bottling - what to keep in mind when designing your alcohol branding?<\/h1>\n

Own brand alcohol without your own distillery - this is not a slogan, but a business model used by retail chains, restaurants, start-ups and creative agencies across Europe. Private label alcohol production allows you to enter the spirits market with minimal investment, but requires a conscious approach to several key areas.<\/p>\n

What is private label alcohol production?<\/h2>\n

Private labelling in the spirits industry involves outsourcing the production of an alcoholic product to an external producer - from formulation, distillation, bottling, labelling to banding. The finished product goes to market under the brand and label of the principal. The client does not need its own distillery, production permits or technological expertise - this infrastructure and competence is provided by the producer.<\/p>\n

W IMA Poland<\/a> We do both: the customer can come with a ready-made recipe or just a business idea. Our technologists will develop the flavour profile, select the raw material and carry out the process from distillation to packaging. The whole process is coordinated by one project supervisor.<\/p>\n

Step by step: what does a private label project look like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Stage<\/th>\nWhat it covers<\/th>\nWho is responsible<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1. Consultation<\/td>\nCategory, style, volume, target market<\/td>\nClient + project supervisor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2. the recipe<\/td>\nDevelopment of flavour profile, samples for acceptance (up to 3 rounds of revisions)<\/td>\nIMA technologists<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3. selection of raw material<\/td>\nGrain, potato, organic or kosher spirit<\/td>\nIMA technologists<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4. Production<\/td>\nDistillation, maceration, blending<\/td>\nSite IMA Poland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5. spillage<\/td>\nBottles 100 ml - 1,000 ml, caps of your choice<\/td>\nIMA bottling line<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6 Labelling<\/td>\nVerification of regulatory compliance, affixing of customer labels<\/td>\nIMA + customer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7 Banding<\/td>\nAffixing Polish excise stamps<\/td>\nTax composition of the IMA<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8 Confectioning and storage<\/td>\nBulk cartons, kits, tax warehouse storage<\/td>\nIMA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Lead times range from 6 to 14 weeks - depending on product category and component availability.<\/p>\n

5 pitfalls to avoid<\/h2>\n

1. non-compliant label<\/h3>\n

The labelling of alcoholic products is subject to specific national and EU regulations. The label must contain, among others, the manufacturer's data, allergens, alcohol content, batch code and country of origin. EU regulations are gradually making e-labelling with QR codes mandatory for selected categories. If a required element is missing, the sale of the entire batch may be withheld. At IMA Polska, we verify the content of the label before bottling, but the graphic design and printing are the responsibility of the customer.<\/p>\n

Council:<\/strong> Consult the content of the label with the manufacturer and a lawyer specialising in alcohol law - before you order the printing.<\/p>\n

2. underestimation of excise and banding costs<\/h3>\n

Excise duty is one of the largest components of the retail price of alcohol in Poland. Polish regulations treat the bottling of alcohol as a production activity - so it must take place in a tax warehouse. Cooperation with a producer who has his own tax warehouse<\/a> eliminates the need to order the excise bands, keep records and settle the excise duty yourself.<\/p>\n

Council:<\/strong> Make sure your bottling partner has an active tax warehouse and offers a full excise service in the price of the service.<\/p>\n

3. too little effort without unit calculation<\/h3>\n

With small batches, the cost per unit increases - especially with non-standard bottles, closures and labels. It is worth starting a pilot on standard glass and only investing in dedicated packaging after market validation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Product type<\/th>\nMin. circulation<\/th>\nAvailable formats<\/th>\nApproximate time<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Pure\/flavoured vodka<\/td>\n500 pcs.<\/td>\n100 ml - 1000 ml<\/td>\n6-10 wks.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Liquor \/ Liqueur<\/td>\n500 pcs.<\/td>\n200 ml - 700 ml<\/td>\n8-12 wks.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gin<\/td>\n500 pcs.<\/td>\n350 ml - 700 ml<\/td>\n8-14 wks.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whisky<\/td>\nAsk<\/td>\n350 ml - 700 ml<\/td>\nAsk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BIO alcohol<\/td>\n1000 pcs.<\/td>\n500 ml - 700 ml<\/td>\n10-16 wks.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

4. lack of quality control between batches<\/h3>\n

Each batch of alcohol must be sensorially and physicochemically identical. A producer without his own laboratory<\/a> is not able to guarantee this. At IMA Poland, we perform more than 100 chromatographic analyses per day on two gas chromatographs and one liquid chromatograph. Each batch undergoes GC inspection before shipment, and certificates ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and HACCP<\/a> provide additional security.<\/p>\n

Council:<\/strong> Request analytical reports and quality certificates for each batch from the manufacturer.<\/p>\n

5. omission of export issues<\/h3>\n

Selling outside Poland means other requirements: label in the language of the target market, customs documentation, import certificates. IMA Poland carries out orders export<\/a> to EU and third countries, providing complete documentation.<\/p>\n

Who is the private label service for?<\/h2>\n