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In conversation with air up®
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From Germany to Amazon.com: How air up® successfully conquered the US market with its innovative Scentaste™ technology.
We are proud that over 15 million customers worldwide use our Scentaste™ technology. Since our US launch on Amazon last year, we've been able to reach even more people and help them drink enough water.- Nadja MurgiaMarketplace Manager
Tell us about your business and how your Amazon journey in Germany began.
We are Lena, Tim, Fabian, Jannis and Simon — the five founders of air up®. As design students, Tim and Lena came up with the idea of making drinking water exciting again by creating flavour entirely without sugar, additives or unhealthy ingredients. From the start, our goal was to develop a product that fits seamlessly into people's everyday lives and makes hydration both healthy and fun. Last year, we launched air up® on Amazon in Germany. This enabled us to reach an even wider customer base and be available where customers prefer to shop. We were already well established in Germany, but Amazon proved to be very valuable, particularly in times of high demand, such as the fourth quarter. This allowed us to serve even last-minute buyers and ensure on-time deliveries for everyone. This was an important milestone in making air up® even more accessible to customers across Germany.
What inspired you to expand into the USA with Amazon?
We had already built up an incredible fan base in the USA through our own online shop, and expanding to Amazon.com in 2024 was the next logical step for us. Many fans wanted even easier access to our products. Amazon offered us the ideal store to fulfil exactly this wish and also reach new customers across the country. For us, this expansion was about more than just availability. We wanted to make it as easy as possible to experience our innovative Scentaste™ technology, build on the enthusiasm of our community, and share our vision of healthy, fun hydration with an even bigger audience. Launching with Amazon in the US was an exciting milestone that allows us to grow our brand globally while staying close to our fans to ensure they have access to our products anytime, anywhere.
Many fans wanted
even easier access
to our products.
Amazon offered us the ideal
store to fulfil exactly this
wish and
also reach
new customers across the country.
When did you decide to expand to the USA and why? Have you had previous experience expanding your Amazon business to another English-speaking country, such as the UK?
Air up® was already a well-established brand in Great Britain, which gave us valuable experience with sales and market dynamics in an English-speaking country. For us as a European brand, starting in the UK was initially a logical step that allowed us to refine our approach before entering a larger and more complex market such as the USA. With this experience and the strong demand from our US fan base, we decided to expand to the USA in 2024. Amazon provided the perfect store to make our products easily accessible and connect with both existing fans and new customers across the country.
How is your company structured in the USA?
We are active as sellers on Amazon and use FBA, which means that we ship our products from our warehouse to Amazon and they take care of storage, order processing and customer service. This setup allows us to ensure that orders reach customers quickly and reliably while ensuring that any questions or issues are resolved. On Amazon, we mainly offer starter kits for new customers as well as flavour pods for returning customers who want to restock their favourites. This approach allows our team to focus on developing new flavours and improving the product experience, while Amazon manages logistics and customer support and ensures a seamless shopping experience for everyone.
How did you deal with taxes? Did you have outside assistance?
For our US operations, we manage most legal and tax matters in-house. Depending on the complexity of a request or situation, we work with trustworthy advisors who support us. This approach allows us to remain flexible and ensure compliance while we focus on growing our business and serving our customers. This combination of internal management and expert advice gives us confidence and the freedom to scale efficiently.
How did you deal with product compliance and the requirements and regulations of the US market?
Dealing with US market requirements and regulations was made easier by our existing international registrations, such as our trademark. These helped protect our brand presence. To comply with food and health regulations, we obtained the required US-specific approvals and adapted the labelling to meet local requirements. Since our products only contain natural ingredients, these adjustments were straightforward and required only a small amount of effort. Combined with our careful approach to product labelling and the Amazon marketplace rules, this enabled a smooth entry into the US market and allowed us to focus fully on the customer experience.
What tools or software do you use to create and manage listings in the US store?
We manage all our US listings directly via Seller Central or the flat files provided by Amazon. We don't use any third-party tools or software to display content or new listings. This approach works well for us because our portfolio is fairly straightforward and adding new products usually requires only minor adjustments to the catalogue. By handling listings directly, we can ensure that everything is correct and meets our quality standards without unnecessary complexity.
How do you handle translations and content quality (such as product detail pages and images)? Do you use specific tools to do this?
For translations, we typically use AI tools to generate the initial text and then have it proofread and refined internally. This approach ensures that we start with a solid draft and only have to make minor adjustments instead of spending a team member's time on the first draft translation. This allows us to efficiently maintain high-quality content while keeping listings precise and clear for customers.
What is the structure of your supply chain and inbound logistics? Do you ship your products yourself or do you use Fulfilment by Amazon?
For our US operations, we focus on a logistics setup that is both efficient and reliable. We work with a warehouse partner who bundles our products and manages the transfer to Amazon Fulfilment. We prepare shipments in Amazon Seller Central and provide all necessary details to the warehouse team, who ensure that the products are ready for delivery to Amazon Fulfilment Centres. This collaboration allows us to combine our careful planning with the operational expertise of the warehouse team, keeping our supply chain stable and dynamic even during peak times. By using Amazon's fulfilment network, we can provide fast delivery and a seamless experience for our customers while using our resources efficiently.
How did you handle customs and import regulations? Did your logistics partner help you with this?
We work closely with our logistics partner to prepare all shipments and ensure that customs and import regulations are handled efficiently before the products reach our warehouse. This allows us to navigate the US import process smoothly and ensure that our shipments arrive on time and ready for fulfilment.
What is your advertising and marketing strategy? Which tools do you rely on?
We rely on Amazon's advertising tools for around 80–90% of product advertising and use Sponsored Ads to reach customers directly in the store. While our strategy initially focused on lower funnel targeting to increase conversions, we're increasingly exploring mid and upper funnel campaigns to reach a wider audience and introduce more people to air up®. The remaining 10–20% of our advertising comes from external traffic sources, which help support brand recognition and complement our Amazon campaigns. This approach allows us to align our performance marketing with wider marketing initiatives.
Do you see a significant difference between European and US customers?
We found that US customers generally require more detailed product information and explanations compared to European customers. They also tend to be more price-conscious and are often more critical when reviewing products. If a particular detail of a product doesn't meet their expectations, it can affect their perception of the product as a whole. For example, if a particular flavor is not what they expected, it affects the overall rating. Understanding these differences has helped us adapt our listings and communications to meet US market expectations.
How do you decide which products to sell in the USA?
When we decide which products to offer in the USA, we rely on a combination of extensive market research and data-driven analysis. Before launching, we carefully examine which items best match local consumer preferences and assess how well our top products can perform in the US market environment. In addition, we intensively analyse the market environment, customer expectations and emerging business opportunities. These practical insights, combined with detailed data analysis, help us determine which products have the strongest potential and enable us to tailor our offerings to US customer needs.
How long did it take for your expansion to be profitable? Can you share any valuable insights you've gained along the way?
There are a few important things to keep in mind on the path to profitability. Make the most of peak season and Amazon deal events, which can help boost your sales and contribute to your success. One key insight was how crucial careful inventory planning and stable stock levels are in the US market, where demand can change very quickly. In addition, advertising costs and customer expectations are higher than in Europe, which is why investing in targeted campaigns and optimising listings have contributed significantly to our success right from the start. Overall, these early experiences helped us refine our strategy and lay the foundations for sustainable growth in the USA.
Tell us about your experience with the EU2US Strategic Account Services (SAS) program.
We worked with Amazon's EU Strategic Account Services program for six months, and as our focus shifted to expansion and growth in the US, we decided to continue the SAS program there. Our decision was influenced by our positive experiences in Europe and the high level of support offered by the program. Joining the US SAS program enabled us to benefit from strategic advice, insights and the same operational support as in the EU while scaling in a new market.
How did your marketplace consultant strategically support you in expanding into the USA? Can you give an example of how their advice has helped you identify new growth opportunities?
Our marketplace consultant played an instrumental role in supporting our US expansion by providing extensive analysis and insights into the overall market situation. His advice helps us understand the big picture, identify trends and make well-founded decisions about which products and strategies are most likely to be successful. In addition, his technical support was invaluable. With his help, we can quickly resolve system issues, minimise downtime and avoid potential revenue losses.
This combination of strategic advice and practical support has enabled us to navigate the complexity of the US market more efficiently and effectively.
This combination of strategic advice and practical support has enabled us to navigate the complexity of the US market more efficiently and effectively.
Where do you see your Amazon business in the USA in the next 12 months?
Over the next 12 months, we aim to steadily expand our US Amazon business. Our focus will be on expanding our reach, optimising our product listings and increasing our marketing efforts to connect with both new and existing customers. While we expect gradual growth rather than rapid scaling, we are confident that increased visibility, targeted advertising and insights from customer feedback will help us increase sales and gain a stronger foothold in the US market.
Patience and attention to detail are key. Success doesn't happen overnight, but with careful planning and persistence, the US market offers tremendous growth potential.
What are your closing remarks and key advice for selling partners who are setting out to expand into the USA?
Entering the US market is an exciting opportunity, but it also presents unique challenges.
Our advice to other sales partners is to plan carefully, understand local regulations and customer expectations, and be prepared for higher operating and advertising costs than in Europe.
Take the time to analyse your product-market fit, invest in accurate inventory planning and use the tools and support that Amazon offers, such as FBA and the SAS program.
Patience and attention to detail are key. Success doesn't happen overnight, but with careful planning and persistence, the US market offers tremendous growth potential.
Our advice to other sales partners is to plan carefully, understand local regulations and customer expectations, and be prepared for higher operating and advertising costs than in Europe.
Take the time to analyse your product-market fit, invest in accurate inventory planning and use the tools and support that Amazon offers, such as FBA and the SAS program.
Patience and attention to detail are key. Success doesn't happen overnight, but with careful planning and persistence, the US market offers tremendous growth potential.
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