Start a Dates Business in the USA: Import, Wholesale & D2C

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Updated: 22 Sep 2025 • USA Launch Playbook

Start a Dates Business in the USA (2025): Step-by-Step, Import, Wholesale & D2C

This guide is built for US entrepreneurs and importers—not a varieties ranking. We focus on compliance, sourcing, pricing, packaging, logistics, retail, and D2C SEO to avoid keyword overlap with our varieties articles.

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Contents

1. US Market Snapshot & Positioning
2. Business Setup: Entity, Licenses & Insurance
3. Import & Compliance (FDA/FSVP basics)
4. Sourcing & Specs (What to Ask Suppliers)
5. Pricing Math: Wholesale, Retail & D2C
6. Packaging, Labeling & Merchandising
7. Logistics & Cold Chain Playbook
8. Quality Control & Storage SOPs
9. E-commerce SEO & Growth (US-focused)
10. US-Friendly Recipes & Use-Cases
11. Copy-Paste RFQ (USA)
12. FAQs

US Market Snapshot & Positioning

The United States blends domestic production—especially Medjool and Deglet Noor—with robust imports (Ajwa, Sukkari, Kimia/Mazafati, Piarom, Zahidi). Demand is driven by clean label snacking, specialty cultural gifting, and better-for-you bakery. Your brand can win by carving a clear, non-overlapping niche:

Premium Gifting

Position on large size-counts (Medjool 16–18/18–22), rigid gift boxes, and limited seasonal editions.

Daily Snacking

Offer soft, juicy options (Kimia/Mazafati; soft Medjool) in 12–24 oz resealables and 2 lb family packs.

Bakery/Industrial

Supply Deglet Noor/Zahidi diced/paste for granola, bars and bakery lines—stable and cost-effective.

Avoid keyword cannibalization: Keep this page centered on starting/operating a business, and cross-link to variety guides with clear anchor text like “see varieties matrix” instead of restating tasting notes at length.

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Business Setup: Entity, Licenses & Insurance

Choose Your Entity

• LLC: liability shield + pass-through taxation; flexible for small brands.
• S-Corp/C-Corp: consider for outside investment or multi-state operations.
• Sole Prop/Partnership: simple, but minimal protection.

Numbers & Licenses

• EIN (IRS) and state sales tax registrations as applicable.
• Food handling permits (state/county), if repacking.
• Resale certificates for tax-exempt wholesale purchases (where applicable).

Insurance: Product liability, cargo/marine, property/warehouse, and recall coverage (if you repack or private-label).

Import & Compliance (FDA/FSVP basics)

Dates are relatively straightforward to import, but you must maintain a compliance trail:

Regulatory Checklist

• FDA facility registration (foreign packers; US warehouses as required).
• FSVP for many US importers: verify your supplier’s safety controls and maintain documentation.
• Labeling: identity, net quantity (US customary + metric for retail), ingredients (if processed), nutrition facts, origin, lot/batch.
• USDA/APHIS: confirm admissibility and any phytosanitary requirements by origin.

Paperwork & Codes

• Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading/air waybill.
• HS codes for your product form (whole, pitted, diced, paste).
• Country-of-origin declarations; any certificates requested by CBP.

This is informational, not legal advice. Confirm details with your customs broker and check current FDA/USDA guidance.

Sourcing & Specs (What to Ask Suppliers)

Quality and price hinge on variety, origin, size-count/grade, moisture/Brix, pack format and defect tolerances. Standardize specs to compare quotes apples-to-apples.

Spec	Ask For	Why It Matters
Variety & Origin	Medjool (USA/Jordan/Israel/Morocco), Deglet Noor (USA/Tunisia/Algeria), Ajwa, Kimia, Zahidi, etc.	Flavor, shelf life, and consumer expectations vary.
Size-count / Grade	e.g., Medjool 16–18 / 18–22 / 22–26; Ajwa Large/Medium	Drives visual impact and price tier.
Moisture / Brix	Declared ranges, photos, and if possible recent lab notes	Texture, stability, and cold-chain needs.
Defect Tolerance	% skin breaks, insect damage; 0 foreign matter; pitted defect rate	Prevents disputes and returns.
Crop Year & Lot	Printed on master cartons; traceable batches	Freshness and recall readiness.
Pack Format	5/10 kg bulk; retail 12–24 oz, 1 lb, 2 lb; gift boxes	Affects freight and shelf presentation.
Incoterms	FOB origin / CIF/CFR / ex-warehouse USA	Clarifies risk and who handles freight/insurance.

Sampling tip: Always request two adjacent counts (e.g., 18–22 vs 22–26 Medjool) to compare margin vs. presentation. Ask for sealed photos of cases to verify grade consistency.

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Pricing Math: Wholesale, Retail & D2C

Use the landed cost as your base: ex-works/FOB price + freight + insurance + duty + brokerage + inland + storage + shrink. Then set margins by channel.

Wholesale Targeting

• Value SKUs (Deglet Noor diced/paste) = tighter margins but high volume.
• Premium (Medjool 18–22) = higher ASP; lower velocity; gift season spikes.
• List $/lb and $/case; offer pallet price breaks.

Retail & D2C

• Test 12–24 oz resealable pouches; trial at 1 lb; family value at 2 lb.
• Bundle samplers (Medjool/Ajwa/Deglet Noor) to increase AOV.
• Run free-shipping thresholds and subscription discounts.

Promotions: Introduce loyalty points, seasonal boxes (Ramadan, holidays), B2B corporate gifts, and chef/foodservice packs.

Packaging, Labeling & Merchandising

Packaging That Sells

• Matte films + clear window to display texture.
• Claims: No added sugar, Fiber-rich, Plant-based, origin callouts.
• Gift: rigid cartons with tray inlays; counts/kg on label.

US Label Essentials

• Identity, net contents (US + metric), nutrition facts, ingredients, allergens (if any).
• Manufacturer/distributor name + address; country of origin; lot/batch.
• Storage handling: “Refrigerate after opening” for soft varieties.

Merchandising Tactics

• Cross-merch with nut butters, yogurt, cheese, granola.
• Endcaps during Ramadan/holidays; include recipe tear-sheets.
• In-store tastings: sampler flights drive trial and reviews.

Logistics & Cold Chain Playbook

Choose mode by variety and season. Soft/moist dates travel best with chilled legs; semi-dry typically tolerate ambient with insulation.

Variety Type	Mode	Notes
Medjool, Kimia/Mazafati, Ajwa	Air for replenishment; reefer LCL/FCL for scale	Keep 4–12 °C; buffer last-mile with liners/ice gels in summer.
Deglet Noor, Zahidi, Piarom, Mabroom	Dry container with thermal liners	Stable at 15–20 °C; avoid heat spikes; use desiccants in humid months.

Receiving SOP: Temp-gun a sample, photo outer/inner cases, log lot numbers, quarantine suspect cases, and let cartons acclimatize before opening to minimize condensation.

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Quality Control & Storage SOPs

QC on Arrival

• Visual: uniform color, intact skin, low defects.
• Texture: soft vs. semi-dry expectations by variety.
• Docs: match lot/batch, crop year, and declared counts.

Warehouse Settings

• Soft: 4–12 °C; ≤60% RH; airtight secondary packaging.
• Semi-dry: 15–20 °C, dark; use pallets and airflow.
• FIFO/FEFO rotations; regular pest & hygiene checks.

E-commerce SEO & Growth (US-focused)

On-Page Strategy

• Long-tail H2s: “best Medjool 18–22 gift box USA”, “Deglet Noor diced wholesale California”.
• Comparison tables and FAQ schema on product pages.
• Unique portions for each product page—avoid repeating tasting notes verbatim.

Content That Converts

• “How to choose size-count for gifts” (decision guides).
• Storage tutorials with photos and short reels.
• UGC: photo reviews; answer Q&A quickly to build trust.

Marketplace Hygiene: Standardize titles (variety + count + size), bullet benefits, origin, storage, and $/lb. Use A+ content on Amazon and syndicate FAQs.

US-Friendly Recipes & Use-Cases

Medjool Breakfast Bowl

Greek yogurt + chopped Medjool + walnuts + cinnamon. Add protein powder for gym audiences.

Ajwa Entertaining Platter

Walnut-stuffed Ajwa, tahini drizzle, sea salt flakes—perfect for holiday hosting.

Deglet Noor Granola Bars

Diced Deglet Noor + oats + peanut butter; bakes with clean sweetness and good structure.

Copy-Paste RFQ (USA)

Subject: RFQ —  Dates (Size-Count & Grade), , 

Specs:
• Variety & Origin: 
• Size-count / Grade: 
• Crop Year: 
• Moisture/Brix (if available): 
• Pack: <5 kg / 10 kg bulk> (retail masters if any); 
• Quantity: 
• Delivery:  | Lead time: 
• Docs: FDA facility status, FSVP readiness, lot/batch, CoA; tests if applicable
• Incoterm/Payment: 

Please quote landed $/lb (and $/kg) by grade, attach case photos, and confirm next available lot date. Samples: 1–2 kg requested.
    

FAQs

What count should I launch first? Medjool 18–22 balances price and presentation in US retail; offer 22–26 for value tier and 16–18 for luxury gifting.

Is pitted better? For snack SKUs, pitted improves convenience and sell-through. For gifting, whole fruit often looks better and holds shape.

How do I prevent sugar bloom? Keep soft dates cool and stable; avoid temperature shocks; let cartons acclimatize before opening; reseal airtight.

Disclaimer: Informational only—not legal/compliance advice. Consult your customs broker and food law counsel.

Need wholesale lots or private-label packs for the USA?

Share your variety, size-count and destination. We’ll shortlist vetted lots, send samples, and quote landed prices.

💬 +91 88796 66906 (WhatsApp) • 📧 hurzuk.abid@gmail.com • 🌐 dates.business

Mohammad Abid Hurzuk

USA launch playbook • Last reviewed: 22 Sep 2025.

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