Mini brewery business plan: 7 steps to opening a beer business


More and more people are thinking about starting their own business. There are a huge number of options for this, but a business such as a mini brewery is especially attractive. Why has this type of business become so popular?

The point is finances, this business does not need huge investments. Let's look at how to open a brewery, what needs to be done for profitability and quick payback. How to properly approach collecting documents and selecting the right premises.

Mini brewery

Mini breweries - business features

Beer is the favorite drink of many people, and therefore, with the right approach and organization, this type of business activity can bring considerable income to its owner. In most cases, such mini-enterprises produce live, unfiltered beer.

Do not be afraid that there are a lot of private breweries on the market that are used as a business; this will not prevent you from opening your own profitable enterprise. There are many reasons for this:

  • You don’t need a lot of initial capital to open a mini brewery;
  • easy to predict business profits;
  • It’s hard to imagine a situation where a brewery goes bankrupt.

In addition, if we consider the technology for preparing live beer, you do not need to install a filtration system and no heating is required. The advantage of this technology is that the drink does not contain preservatives and the yeast contained in the beer remains active. Despite the fact that live beer can be stored for several days, it is easy to calculate how much beer needs to be prepared so as not to burn out.

Possible problems and solutions

A peculiarity of the brewing industry in Russia is that the main raw materials for production have to be purchased abroad. Therefore, disruptions in the supply of malt and hops are possible. In order to reduce the risk of stopping production due to lack of raw materials, you should, firstly, have a sufficient amount of raw materials in the warehouse, and secondly, consider 2-3 backup options for purchasing raw materials.

Some organizations are faced with the problem of marketing their products. To solve this problem, you need to strive to organize your own retail sales network.

Beer production has high economies of scale. This means that for a large enterprise the cost of production of 1 liter will be approximately two times lower than for a small brewery. Therefore, we need to strive to expand and attract investments to modernize equipment.

Types of breweries

To understand which mini-brewery to buy for a small business, you need to understand the types of mini-factories , of which there are two types:

  1. Full cycle.
  2. With a short cycle.

In addition, there are breweries that produce up to 4,000 liters per day, or from 5 thousand liters. and more.

If we consider breweries with a full technological cycle, then this is a brewery that will require a lot of money and labor from you. The equipment for such a plant is expensive, and a large area for the brewery will be required. On average you will have to spend $150,000.

As for shortened production, a room of only 40 m2 is needed to produce 2,000 liters per day. This mini-brewery will require a minimum of equipment:

  • a kettle for boiling wort, but you can purchase a stove;
  • fermentation tank;
  • water filters;
  • kegs.

You won’t spend a lot of money on all this if you buy domestically produced equipment.

Equipment for mini brewery
Equipment for mini brewery

Market development

Beer is one of the most popular drinks. Activities related to its production become a source of high income. In this business it is always easy to predict profits; you do not have to invest huge amounts of money. Production will not have to involve a huge number of hired workers.

In recent years, the number of small and medium-sized breweries has increased. They are gradually ousting large players from the market. All this is due to the development of new sales channels and the introduction of new ways of consuming beer. Devices for foam-free dispensing of beer into containers are often used, which makes it possible to open points of sale in any places and establishments. In addition, the quality of the drink is not lost, which is important for the consumer. You can learn how to open a beer production and make a stable profit.

Experts say that the market will not reach its saturation point any time soon. Beer consumption will increase, which aspiring entrepreneurs can take advantage of. With a competent approach, high-quality and varied products, you can achieve high profits.

There is no need to worry about business development, since there will always be buyers, despite high competition.

How to open your own brewery from scratch

There is a certain action plan, following which you can open your own beer production:

  1. Find investors or a source of financing.
  2. Select a room to install the equipment.
  3. Register an LLC.
  4. Prepare and sign a rental agreement for the premises.
  5. Carry out preparatory work in the premises in accordance with fire safety and SES requirements.
  6. Buy equipment for a mini brewery; you won’t need much of it.
  7. Start production.
  8. Obtain appropriate permission to produce beer.
  9. Select staff.

After all the preparations, all that remains is to open a mini-brewery and start making a profit.

Important! Before purchasing equipment from a specific company, inquire about training and installation assistance. It is also advisable to find out about warranties and technical support. This is of great importance, since finding a good specialist in brewing equipment is difficult, especially in a small city.

Equipment for mini brewery
Equipment for mini brewery

Recruitment

An important link in the success of a business is properly selected personnel. It is important for a brewery to have an experienced brewer with appropriate education and qualifications working here. The staff must include an electrician, a manager, an accountant, and a premises cleaner. The position of manager can be performed by the entrepreneur himself. As the business expands, it is necessary to increase the number of jobs, and at the formation stage, an expanded staff of workers is not advisable. In addition, you can combine responsibilities to save money.

Read also:

What business to start in a small town

An employment service or recruitment agency will always help you find personnel. They can offer qualified workers here. Training is required, where employees will receive the necessary information and skills in operating the equipment, carried out by the manufacturer.

Recruiting personnel for your own business

How to register your production

Both a legal entity and an individual registered as an individual entrepreneur can open a mini-brewery as a business To start brewing beer, the constituent documents must contain a clause - production, retail and wholesale sales of beer.

You will not need to obtain a production license, but there are special documents that you will have to collect, for example:

  • hygiene certificate;
  • certificates for all raw materials that will be used in production;
  • production permit;
  • certificate for manufactured products.

All certificates can be obtained from the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision Authority, and they will require a certificate of compliance of the premises with sanitary standards. Here you may encounter some difficulties, since the SES imposes very strict requirements for such production.

Advertising and promotion

The main buyers of mini-brewery products are:

  • bars and restaurants;
  • shops selling draft beer.

If business takes off, then it would be advisable to open your own outlets for selling draft beer.

First you need to come up with a name for the beer: it should be original and memorable.


It is important to come up with an interesting name and label design

So, in order for potential buyers to be interested in cooperation with a microbrewery, it is necessary to offer them a product that has some competitive advantages. The main competitive advantage of beer is its taste and quality. In order for consumers to evaluate these qualities, an excellent option would be to conduct a product tasting.

You can also carry out various promotions and promotional events at the stage of introducing products to the market. It is advisable to create your own website and promote it online. At the first stage, the emphasis should be on the so-called “sale with language.” The most effective promotion will be personal meetings with the managers of restaurants and stores to which the product is offered.

You should know that the conclusion of the desired supply contract obliges the provision of a certain volume of beer in a specific period. To do this, the brewery must operate smoothly and smoothly.

How to choose a room

There are no special restrictions on the use of premises for microbreweries for small businesses. You can set up a brewery in the basement, or in the basement of high-rise buildings. Often a room is allocated near a pub or restaurant, installing some of the equipment directly in the bar room. The main thing is that the room is spacious enough for employees to work comfortably.

There are special technological requirements for the premises that must be met:

  • at a distance of two meters from the floor, the walls are finished with ceramic tiles;
  • the ceilings are covered with water-based paint;
  • the floor can be made of any material, for example reinforced concrete;
  • the room must be heated.

Mini brewery and cafe
Mini brewery and cafe

Employees

It will be difficult to cope with all the work on your own, even at a mini-factory. The business plan for beer production should include the search for employees. It is necessary to invite experienced specialists who understand beer production. Such employees will be able to control production at all stages.

You need to hire a financier to work with money. You can completely get by with the services of an accountant or, in extreme cases, a lawyer.

To transport beer, you need a car, a driver and a loader.

The manager will be involved in marketing activities.

Some functions can initially be performed independently, but it is still better to invite specialists.

The main personnel are: technologist, manager, cook, sales manager, driver, general workers. Their number depends on the volume of production.

How to promote your products

The first thing you need to do is to properly promote your products. To do this, you need to create a memorable image of the company and constantly improve its image.

There are several proven methods:

  • product advertising;
  • stimulating the buyer with discounts, coupons, competitions and promotions;
  • publicity – support for events and press releases;
  • sales personalization.

The market is saturated with similar offers and you will have to look for your niche, which is quite difficult. But you can get out of this situation by opening your own point of sale at the brewery.

Relevance of the idea


Craft beer is valued for its unique taste.
Investing in any business requires answering several important questions that will help you make the right choice. To understand how to open a brewery, it is important to be able to work more than 40 hours a week and be sure to love this drink. You will also need at least minimal marketing and accounting skills.

Interesting! You can save money if you do your own accounting and advertising campaign at the initial stage.

Globally, profits will not be seen immediately and you should be prepared for this, but the ability to attract investments will definitely be required. Excellent imagination and ability to create a unique product will be an advantage. You will also have to face problems with setting up and repairing equipment.


Production requires special equipment

It should also be remembered that the brewing process itself is continuous. If you have a large starting amount and the ability to hire staff, you will have to deal with buyers and suppliers yourself at the start. If you want to open a brewery yourself, you should remember that work at night and seven days a week will be guaranteed.

Financial planning when opening a microbrewery

Before opening such an enterprise, you need to know all the estimated costs that will fall on the shoulders of the owner of a microbrewery. So, financial planning can be calculated according to an approximate scheme:

1. One-time costs for opening an enterprise:

  • registration – 10,000 rubles;
  • renovation of the premises within 150,000 rubles;
  • equipment 1 million;
  • advertising expenses – 100,000 rubles;
  • unforeseen expenses - 50,000 rubles.

In total – 1,310,000 rubles.

2. Monthly expenses:

  • wages – 150,000 rubles;
  • materials and raw materials – 90,000 rubles;
  • communal apartment - 20,000 rubles;
  • rent within 60 thousand rubles;
  • advertising – 15,000 rubles;
  • taxes and fees – 80,000 rubles.

It turns out - 415,000 rubles.

3. Based on the above, you can calculate the volume of beer you will need to produce to cover your costs. To do this, divide 415,000 rubles by 60, since this is how much 1 liter of beer costs on average. The result is 6,916 liters. We will plan the profitability of the enterprise within 40%, and, based on this, we can determine how much beer you need to produce per month - 6,916 + 40% = 9,682 liters. If we divide this amount by 23 working days, we get 420 liters per shift.

If we calculate the profit, we will get a payback period within one year.

What kind of beer to produce?

It’s not difficult to draw up a business plan for modern craft beer production. You can choose a ready-made estimate and implement the idea according to the proposed points.

Today, light live beer is considered popular. To have a stable income, it is better to produce several types of alcoholic beverages: light, dark, with aromatic additives. Beer is also divided into:

  • weak – up to 5%;
  • average – no higher than 12%;
  • strong – from 14%.

You can produce top- and bottom-fermented beer, unfiltered and filtered.

It is better to start a business with an unfiltered live intoxicating drink. Its production technology is simple. You need to prepare a syrup from 200 g of honey and 1 kg of sugar. Add 2 kg of wort to it. 20 liters of soft water, 100 g of hops and brewer's yeast. If you experiment with the amount of hops, you can get unique recipes and original flavors of an alcoholic drink.

The amount of beer produced will depend on demand and population. While there are no regular customers, there are no contracts with retail outlets, there is no need to produce large quantities of intoxicating drink.

Franchise brewery

If you have money, you can buy a brewery franchise and start brewing as a business under the supervision of professionals and their support. The franchiser will constantly help you, firstly, you will receive an already promoted brand with a ready-made business plan, secondly, constant staff training, assistance in attracting clients, and competent advertising campaigns.

At each stage of brewery business development, the franchisor will provide advice and support, since it is beneficial for him that the franchised enterprise be profitable and profitable.

But it is worth remembering that the following requirements will be presented:

  • a room of at least 40 square meters;
  • mandatory availability of electricity and water supply:
  • purchasing raw materials at a specific location;
  • There must be a large population in the city, for example, at least 3,000 people.

Before buying a franchise, you should carefully study the franchisor’s offers, communicate with those who have already purchased a franchise, and ask how qualified assistance the franchisor’s company’s specialists provide. It is also worth paying attention to the size of the lump-sum contribution and royalties. If these components are not large, then it can be argued that the franchisor is confident in the quick payback of his project.

If you do not have a legal or financial education, then you should let your lawyer read the agreement that the franchisor offers, who will review it from a professional point of view and give practical advice.

Connection to EGAIS

Before you open a mini-brewery, you should connect to the EGAIS system. To do this, you need a digital version of the JaCarta key from CenterInform, which can be purchased for 3 thousand rubles. The key is sold through the official website and partner offices located in Russian cities.

After receiving the key, you should install the JaCarta software on your computer. Sending invoices is carried out through the free “Wholesale Client” program, which is available for downloading from the official website of “CenterInform”.

Only after going through this entire thorny path will an entrepreneur be able to start working. Therefore, before opening a craft brewery, you should think very carefully and weigh the pros and cons.

Permits

First of all, you should take care of opening a company. You will have to register a limited liability company, and choose taxation based on the simplified tax system at an income rate of 6%. The following documents will need to be completed:

  • certificate of registration of the enterprise (issued by the tax authorities);
  • certificate of assigned codes (issued by Goskomstat);
  • certificate of registration (does the tax office)
  • lease agreement or document on the ownership of the premises;
  • conclusion on the admission of the SES;
  • fire department permission;
  • conclusion of Rospotrebnadzor;
  • contractual documents with suppliers;
  • contract for the removal of solid waste;
  • an agreement with the housing office or management company for maintenance.

It is important to take into account that if you miss even one point, this will give rise to claims from government agencies and the problem will be more difficult to solve, so it is prudent to do everything in advance.

Reference! It is better to resolve documentary issues immediately to exclude force majeure circumstances.

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