Entering the U.S. Market.
Done with Precision.
If you're building something in the U.S. food and beverage market — whether you're starting fresh, buying an existing business, or repositioning what you already have — this is where that work begins. We've been doing this for over two decades, and we know what it actually takes.
The Right Fit
for the Right Client
We don't work with everyone — and that's intentional. The clients who get the most out of working with us come in ready to treat this like the serious business decision it is. Here's who we work with best.
Foreign Food & Beverage Brands
You've built something that works at home and you're ready to bring it to the U.S. market. We help you understand what needs to change, what shouldn't, and how to position your brand so it lands the right way with American consumers — without losing what made it successful in the first place.
International Restaurateurs
You own or operate restaurants and you're serious about expanding into the U.S. — whether that means opening something new, buying an existing location, or repositioning what you already have here.
We work best with operators who think about the whole business — systems, vendor relationships, financials, and revenue beyond the dining room. If you're focused exclusively on the food, we're probably not the right fit.
Foreign Investors
You're looking at food and beverage opportunities in South Florida and you need to understand the landscape — what's realistic, what it costs, and who the right professionals are for each part of the process.
We don't handle legal, immigration, or financial services directly — those come from licensed specialists in our network. What we do is help you understand the full picture and make sure the right people are at the table.
Businesses Needing Compliance & Staff Training
Your team needs food safety certification and your operation needs to be ready for what Florida health inspectors actually look for. We've been doing this training work longer than almost anything else we do — and we take it seriously.
As a Registered International Proctor and Certified International Instructor through the National Restaurant Association, we can deliver and proctor 16 college-level, industry-recognized courses for your team — regardless of size.
Academic professor and industry practitioner with over two decades of experience — from the classroom to corporate food distribution to hands-on consulting with businesses at every level.
Registered through the National Restaurant Association — authorized to deliver and proctor 16 college-level, industry-recognized courses. Training is conducted in South Florida or at a mutually agreed location.
Active Florida-licensed broker and owner of The Distinctive Lifestyle Real Estate Company — with a network of trusted specialists covering real estate, legal, immigration, financial, and distribution needs.
What We Actually
Do Together
Every engagement is different. Some clients need end-to-end support. Others come in with a specific problem. Either way, we start with your assessment and build from there — nothing is recommended until we understand your situation.
U.S. Market Entry & Business Strategy
Whether you're opening something new, buying an existing business, or restructuring an operation that's already running — we help you figure out what the right path looks like for your specific situation. We look at your concept, your resources, your timeline, and we build a plan that's honest about what it's going to take.
Vendor Relationships & Supply Chain Guidance
This is one of the most overlooked parts of entering the U.S. market — and one of the areas where we can help most. We have a current working relationship with Sysco Food Services and connections across major food distributors, liquor companies, and specialty suppliers. We help you understand who to work with, how to negotiate, and how to structure your purchasing so it supports your margins from day one.
We also guide clients through the process of obtaining liquor licenses in Florida — something that catches a lot of international operators off guard if they haven't planned for it in advance.
Menu Strategy & Revenue Development
We work on the business side of your menu — pricing, positioning, and how the menu supports your overall profitability. To be clear about what this is and isn't: we don't develop recipes and we don't cook for clients. What we do is help you look at your menu as a financial tool and make sure it's doing the work it needs to do.
Beyond the menu, we work with operators to identify and build multiple revenue streams — catering, retail, events, licensing, and whatever else makes sense for your concept, your space, and what you actually have available to you.
Brand Adaptation for the U.S. Market
Your brand worked at home for a reason. Bringing it here means understanding what American consumers respond to — and what they don't — without stripping out the things that made your brand worth bringing in the first place. We help you make that transition thoughtfully, so you're not starting over from scratch but you're also not walking into a market with a brand that doesn't connect.
Professional Coordination & Work Review
Most engagements involve more than one professional — attorneys, brokers, designers, contractors, accountants. We help you assemble the right team, coordinate their work, and review what comes back to make sure everything is accurate and aligned before you make decisions based on it.
We're clear about what we don't do: we don't produce architectural or front and back of house plans, and we don't provide legal documents. What we do is make sure the people doing those things are the right people — and that their work holds up.
Food Safety Certification & Staff Training
We've been doing food safety training longer than almost any other part of this work — and it remains one of the most important things we do. Your staff needs to be certified, and your operation needs to be ready before the health inspector walks in. Training is conducted in South Florida or at a mutually agreed location when travel has been arranged.
We Meet You
Where You Are
Clients come to us at different points in the process. Some are still planning. Some have already signed a lease or purchased a business. Some are already open and something isn't working. Whatever stage you're at, we start with an honest conversation about your situation before we recommend anything.
New Market Entry
You're coming to the U.S. market for the first time and you want to do it right — from the initial strategy through vendor relationships, staff certification, and opening day.
Acquisition & Transition
You've purchased or are purchasing an existing business. We help you assess what you're walking into, restructure what needs to change, and build the right systems and relationships going forward.
Existing Business Revamp
You're already operating and something needs to change — revenue, compliance, vendor relationships, brand positioning, or all of the above. We help you identify what's actually wrong and fix it.
Based Here.
Available Where You Need Us.
We're based in South Florida — already one of the most internationally connected markets in the country, so a lot of our international work happens right here. If you're coming to the U.S. market, we're already in the right place. For training, we work with clients here or we can travel to you when that's been arranged. For consulting, we can work in person, virtually, or a combination of both — whatever makes sense for your situation.
- Davie (Headquarters)
- Miami & Miami Beach
- Wynwood & Brickell
- Coral Gables
- Fort Lauderdale
- Las Olas Boulevard
- Broward County
- Boca Raton & Palm Beach
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Caribbean Basin
- United States — nationwide
- International — by arrangement
- In South Florida
- At a mutually agreed location
- Travel arranged when applicable
5 Things Every Foreign Brand
Should Know Going In
This is a starting point — not a substitute for guidance built around your specific situation. But if you're early in the process, these are the five things that tend to catch international operators off guard.
Before You Enter the U.S. Market
Quick ReferenceThe way your entity is formed here touches your taxes, your liability, your visa eligibility, and your ability to sign leases and distribution agreements. It's not a detail to sort out later — it's a decision that shapes everything that comes after it.
Who supplies your food, beverages, and spirits — and on what terms — has a direct impact on your margins, your consistency, and your ability to grow. The U.S. distribution system works differently than most international markets, and building the right relationships before you open protects you from expensive mistakes early on.
In Florida, every food service establishment's inspection score is posted at the entrance and searchable online. Your staff needs to be properly trained and certified before you open, not after a failed inspection becomes part of your public record.
The operations that survive and grow here typically generate income from more than one source — dining, events, catering, retail, licensing. Understanding what's possible for your specific concept, facility, and resources is part of the planning process, not something to figure out after you're open.
Pop-ups, shared commercial kitchens, and market events let you put your product in front of actual American customers and collect real feedback before you sign a long-term lease or start a full buildout. The operators who validate first spend less, open faster, and last longer.
Ready to Take the First Step?
Every engagement starts with the Client Business Assessment. It's required before a consultation is scheduled — and it's what makes that first conversation worth having.
The assessment is required before payment is accepted. The consultation fee applies toward consulting services if an engagement is established.
Market data sourced from MIAMI Realtors® 2024–2025 International Report and National Association of Realtors® 2025 Profile of International Home Buyers.