For imported malt beverage products, the name and address generally consists of the name of the importer and the address of the importer’s principal place of business, as shown on the basic permit. See 27 CFR 7.68.
On the label above, “Imported By: Malt & Hop Brewery, Hyattsville, MD” is the importer’s name and address statement, and the label’s country of origin statement is “Product of Germany.”
Where should the name and address statement be placed on the product?
The importer's name and address may appear on any label on the container.
What rules apply to the importer’s name and address statement?
The name and address of the importer may appear on any label, but must appear on the label preceded by an appropriate explanatory phrase such as:
“IMPORTED BY,” “SOLE AGENT,” or “SOLE U.S. AGENT”
The city and State must be the importer’s principal place of business as shown on the importer’s basic permit.
When does a product retain or lose an “imported by” statement?
Bottled in the country of origin: If the malt beverage is bottled in its country of origin, the name and address of the importer is required under 27 CFR 7.68.
Bottled in the United States: If the malt beverage is bottled in the United States after importation, the following requirements apply (see 27 CFR 7.67):
- If the malt beverage was subject to blending or other production activities after importation, the labels may not bear an “imported by” statement on the label, but must instead be labeled in accordance with the rules for domestically bottled malt beverages set forth in 27 CFR 7.66. See 27 CFR 7.67(b) and Malt Beverage Labeling: Name and Address (Domestic).
- If the malt beverage was bottled without being subject to blending or other production activities in the United States after importation, the labeling must state the words “imported by” or a similar appropriate phrase, followed by the name and address of the importer. The label must also state the words “bottled by” or “packed by,” followed by the name and address of the bottler, except that the following phrases are acceptable in lieu of the name and address of the bottler under the circumstances set forth below:
- If the malt beverage was bottled for the person responsible for the importation, the words “imported and bottled (canned, packed or filled) in the United States for” (or a similar phrase), followed by the name and address of the principal place of business of the person responsible for the importation; or
- If the malt beverage was bottled by the person responsible for the importation, the words “imported and bottled (canned, packed or filled) in the United States by,” (or a similar appropriate phrase) followed by the name and address of the principal place of business in the United States of the person responsible for the importation.
- In both of these situations, the address shown on the label may be that of the principal place of business of the importer who is also the bottler, provided that the address shown is a location where bottling takes place.
NOTE: Country of origin statements are required to appear on the labels of imported malt beverages. TTB defers to the country of origin marking requirements of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). See 27 CFR 7.69, referencing the CBP regulations at 19 CFR parts 102 and 134.
For more Information on imported brewery products, see:
What are the formatting requirements for the required name and address statement?
Type size:
- Minimum 1 mm for containers of 1/2 pint or less
- Minimum 2 mm for containers larger than 1/2 pint
Note: The minimum type size applies to each numeral or letter in the statement, including both uppercase and lowercase letters. See 27 CFR 7.53.
Legibility:
- Must be readily legible under ordinary conditions;
- Must appear on a contrasting background; and
- Must appear separate and apart from, or be substantially more conspicuous than, descriptive or explanatory information.
More information on these requirements is available at 27 CFR 7.52–7.53.
Page last reviewed: April 11, 2023
Page last updated: April 11, 2023
Maintained by: Alcohol Labeling and Formulation Division