From homebrew to breakout brand: How Hazard’s Hop Water scaled with smarter shipping

Learn how Ryan Hansen, founder of Hazard’s Hop Water, streamlined shipping, reduced costs, and grew his business with Shippo. With a more seamless fulfillment process, it became easier to get his zero-proof hop water into customers’ hands—quickly and affordably.

The situation

Hazard’s Hop Water started as an experiment in home brewing. Ryan, a military veteran turned entrepreneur, wanted to create a refreshing, non-alcoholic beverage with the crisp, hoppy flavors of craft beer—but without the alcohol. What started as a personal passion quickly turned into a growing business, with more and more customers eager to try his unique take on hop-infused sparkling water.

But as orders increased, shipping became a major hurdle. The high costs of sending out cases of hop water were eating into margins, and managing fulfillment across different carriers felt overwhelming. Ryan needed a way to make shipping simple, cost-effective, and scalable.

The challenge

Shipping costs and inefficiencies threatened to slow down Hazard’s Hop Water before it could take off. The traditional local shipping options Ryan first relied on were expensive and unsustainable. Manually comparing rates, creating labels, and managing multiple orders across different platforms took up valuable time—time that could be spent growing the business.

“We were just trying to figure out the best way to get our product to customers without losing money on shipping,” Ryan recalls. “It was one of the biggest challenges we faced early on.”

How Shippo helped

When Ryan discovered Shippo, it changed the game. With Shippo, Hazard’s Hop Water found a solution that not only simplified the shipping process but also helped them cut costs and scale efficiently. Here’s how:

1. Simplified shipping, all in one place

Instead of juggling multiple carrier websites, Ryan manages all his shipping needs in one place with Shippo. Hazard’s Hop Water exclusively ships with UPS, and Shippo makes it easy to generate labels, track shipments, and streamline fulfillment—all from a single dashboard. “With Shippo, everything is centralized, which saves so much time,” Ryan says. The ability to print labels directly from Shippo also eliminates manual work, making fulfillment faster and more efficient.

2. Unlocking better shipping rates

As a growing business, every dollar saved on shipping matters. Shippo’s ability to apply carrier partner codes automatically means Hazard’s Hop Water gets access to discounted rates without the extra hassle. “The ability to put in our partner code and get better rates automatically was a game changer,” Ryan explains.

💡 Save up to 90% on shipping labels with Shippo—start today! 

Don’t have your own carrier discounts? No problem. Shippo gives you access to pre-negotiated rates so you can start saving right away.

3. Using shipping data to grow smarter

Beyond just getting packages out the door, Ryan also uses Shippo’s data insights to track order trends and optimize business decisions. “We like to see where orders are going, whether it’s specific states or regions,” Ryan says. “That data helps us make smarter decisions about inventory, marketing, and expansion.” Having visibility into shipping trends gives Hazard’s Hop Water a competitive edge as they continue to scale.

Shipping smarter, growing faster

With Shippo, Hazard’s Hop Water optimized shipping, cut costs, and delivered products faster. By managing all UPS shipments through Shippo, Ryan streamlines fulfillment, reduces manual work, and ensures reliable, on-time deliveries—freeing his team to focus on growth.

As Hazard’s Hop Water continues to expand—launching new flavors and reaching more customers—Ryan knows Shippo will be there to support them every step of the way.

“I’m just glad we found Shippo early in our journey,” he says. “Shipping through local places was eating up our margins. Now, we have a system that works, and we can focus on building the brand.”

Power your business with Shippo

Shippo helps small businesses like Hazard’s Hop Water streamline fulfillment, reduce costs, and grow faster. Compare rates, print labels, and manage shipping all in one place.

Start for free today.

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