The problem is that most people are afraid to try something new and prefer the well-known stamped stamps. The task of the entrepreneur is to study the market, to find out what people really like and do even better and better.
A craft brewery is a miniature shop for the production of unfiltered live beer. The main feature is the creation of a unique recipe that would be distinguished by a bright, memorable taste. Business in this direction should be kept very carefully and prudently, in order to avoid blunders.
The first question to be answered is «For whom will the products be manufactured?». The main source of income are bars, restaurants, cafes and shops and other sales outlets. Try to determine in advance the class of products. The upper class can be sold in elite restaurants at a higher cost, but the demand for it is usually lower. It is distinguished by the addition of exquisite ingredients in the composition, for example, honey, pumpkin, a rare variety of hops or malt. In connection with which the price increases.
The middle class is designed for the average person, this is a «price / quality» option. The drink should be quality and delicious, but the manufacturer does not use expensive additives anymore, and the recipe is closer to the classical one.
It is not recommended to create cheap products because of low demand. After all, a low demand indicator + low cost = ruin. The business will badly pay back the initial investment.
Remember that if the demand for your products in the sales areas is high, then the required volume will increase, and, consequently, the profit will also grow. Therefore, the manufacturer must take into account the tastes of regular visitors to bars, restaurants, etc. Usually these are people from 20 to 40 years old with stable earnings, both men and women.
Investment size
This type of business is considered one of the most expensive, because in addition to the initial costs, a large role is played by permanent investments in the business. Let’s consider more in detail the basic articles of expenses.
Initial investments:
- Equipment and installation – 2-7 million rubles (the cost directly depends on the quality of the devices, as well as on the country producing the equipment.The cheapest option is China, the most expensive is Germany, Austria)
- Expenses for registration of documentation – 15-20 thousand rubles;
- Development of the advertising concept – 50-100 thousand rubles;
- Carrying out repairs – 500 thousand – 1 million rubles.
- Freight transport – 1-3 million rubles;
Monthly investments:
- Rental of premises – 40-80 thousand rubles;
- Wages – 150-200 thousand rubles;
- The maintenance of a premise (room) – 5-10 thousand rubles;
- Purchase of raw materials – 500-700 thousand rubles;
- Taxes + excise – 600-800 thousand rubles.
Thus, the opening of the brewery will cost 9-11 million rubles. Of course, this money is not freely available to everyone. You can try to optimize your own business. Note that if you purchase domestic equipment instead of a foreign one, you can save 2-3 million rubles.
Also, it is not necessary to buy cargo transport, you can rent it or find a driver with your own truck, this will reduce even at least a million rubles. We do not recommend saving on raw materials, because because of this the product may be of poor quality or lose flavor.
Step-by-step instruction
For many years since the emergence of craft breweries, there is a certain sequence of actions and aspects that must be taken into account without fail. So what should I look for in order to open a truly profitable business?
The first thing to think about is equipment. The main criteria in the choice are:
- Budget;
- Method of making beer;
- Performance;
- Power;
- Manufacturer country;
- Area of the room.
Domestic equipment manufacturers are more profitable for budgetary organizations. Those who are focused on long-term work, it is better to give preference to foreign, namely German or Austrian production.
The following equipment will be required for proper operation:
- Filtration systems for water;
- Capacity for fermentation;
- Syringe pot;
- Cooling chamber;
- Libra;
- Capacity for fermentation;
- Bath for the sterilant.
There are two types of equipment for brewing beer: with a full and short cycle. The first implies the presence in the system of a device for preparation of malt wort, therefore it is possible to save substantial amounts for raw materials.
It should be noted that many equipment manufacturers provide their own services for installation and training of personnel.
Raw materials and suppliers
To start the production of beer you need to have quality raw materials that would give a refined taste and gave a rich color to the drink.
Beer preparation involves the use of the following ingredients:
- Malt;
- Hop;
- Water;
- Yeast for beer.
Let’s consider what to look for when choosing raw materials for beer for each of the components.
- Pure water. Agree that ordering bottled water for beer production is unreasonable, so you need to establish your own system for cleaning and filtering water.
- Yeast for beer. There are domestic and foreign manufacturers. The better the yeast, the higher the cost per kilogram. On average, a good product costs from 3 to 10 thousand rubles per kilogram.
- Malt is the most important ingredient in this drink. To achieve a certain effect in the taste of beer use a different malt, it is worth considering if you want to make a wide range of beer. So light beer is made from malt without preliminary roasting, and dark – with roasting. The consumption is lower for imported malt.
- Hops have a lot of varieties. The most often used are bitter, traditional, universal and fragrant. Depending on the variety, not only taste qualities differ, but also the cost per kilogram.
Further components dictate the recipe. It can have unusual bright combinations. Try to use natural ingredients, because today it is a rarity. Many people who follow health prefer natural products, they can become your target audience.
When choosing a supplier, do not try to choose the cheapest options, this can lead to a deterioration in the quality of the goods. Remember that it is necessary to conclude cooperation agreements with suppliers, negotiating delivery terms and other issues.
Business promotion. Advertising
Advertising is the most important condition for finding the main sales outlets and promoting your own product. The first advertising move is the creation of a bright and memorable name. If you can not think of anything, hire a specialist in naming, he will offer several options. Further it is necessary to think up design of a label, it is desirable, that it differed depending on beer type, but the concept was saved. It is also necessary to develop a system of shares, discounts and offer favorable terms of sale.
Make your own website. Try to sell wholesale through the Internet. It is noteworthy that all negotiations are desirable to be held personally in order to get a profitable deal.
Staff recruitment
The main staff of the craft brewery should include:
- Brewer-technologist;
- Director;
- Sales Manager;
- Accountant;
- Driver-forwarder;
- The cleaner;
- Assistant chefs;
- Loaders.
The main criterion in the choice is professionalism. A person should be well versed in this area. Of course, the work of the personnel must be paid without delay of wages, with incentive bonuses.
A place
Unlike a beer factory, an entrepreneur does not need to look for large rooms or build a special equipped building.
It is enough to find a room from 40 to 120 square meters, which would meet the following requirements:
- Walls should have a tiled laying height of more than two meters, the rest of the wall, as well as the ceiling should be whitewashed or painted with water-based paint;
- The floor of any coating, preferably a ceramic tile or a reinforced concrete base;
- Heating is allowed air, water or steam.
There are no specific conditions for the placement, so the premises can be located in the basement, in a semi-basement, a single-story house. The room should be designed as non-residential. It is also necessary that it be clean, and it does not include such living creatures as cockroaches, mice, rats and others.
One of the accommodation options is cooperation with a bar or restaurant. An interesting solution, which is often used in practice, is the partial placement of equipment in the visitors’ hall. Such an interior will seem fabulous, and with the right advertising people will come to see and try something unusual.
Documentation
When opening a craft brewery, do not forget that the business should be legal, so first of all you need to take care of the documentation.
The beginning entrepreneur will need to draw up the following package of securities:
- Legal registration as an LLC;
- Regulation on the state of registration in Rosstat;
- The decision on a condition on the account in Tax inspection;
- Contract for the lease of premises or a contract for the purchase of premises;
- The permission from municipal service (water supply, water removal);
- Permission from the fire inspection;
- Permission from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service;
- License for the production of alcoholic beverages;
Hygienic certificate for products.
The production of alcohol-containing products does not imply the registration of individual production under the eleventh article of the Federal Law. This type of activity can only deal with a limited liability company.
Registration LLC also requires certain costs, which should be taken into account, mainly they include:
- Notarization of documents – from 2000 to 4000 thousand rubles;
- State registration of a legally responsible person – 5000 thousand rubles;
- Preparation of constituent documents (taxes and fees for registration) – 6-7 thousand rubles.
Thus, an entrepreneur should have approximately 15-20 thousand in inventory. There is a significant difference in the set of required documentation for the regions of Russia, so specific information is recommended to learn in the relevant authorities.
A separate point in the case is taxation. In addition to the basic tax, the organization must pay an excise tax in the amount of 20 to 40 rubles per liter of produced products. You can explain the payment by the fact that beer and beer products are drinks containing a certain degree, therefore they can be attributed to the excisable category.
Since 2015, all organizations engaged in the production of alcohol products, must supply goods with a special code of the EGAIS, which is entered into a single system when sold to a sales outlet. The information necessary to fill out the year of production, the main characteristics, the manufacturer, the country, the degree, as well as the name of the place of sale. This system helps the state to combat counterfeit alcohol products.
Check-list of opening
- Market analysis;
- Analysis of competitors (assortment monitoring, average cost)
- Choice of the prevailing concept;
- Search for a room;
- Evaluation of the rental location, selection of the optimal offer;
- Conclusion of the lease agreement;
- Registration of LLC, registration with the tax inspection;
- Making a loan (if necessary);
- Preliminary search of sales outlets for further cooperation;
- Carrying out of repair work;
- Conducting appropriate checks;
- Search for equipment suppliers;
- Order of equipment;
- Development of an advertising campaign;
- Purchase of equipment;
- Search for suppliers of raw materials;
- Development of conditions for cooperation;
- Staff search;
- Interviewing, selection of candidates;
- Scheduling shifts;
- Purchase of raw materials;
- Festive opening.
Is it profitable to open
The craft brewery specializes in the production of exclusive beers, so the price for a product is determined according to the following factors:
- Varieties of malt and hops;
- Use of additional ingredients;
- Method of production;
- Advertising attachments.
The price is usually greater than the cost price in 1.5 or 2 times. The average price range ranges from 200 to 600 rubles per liter. At the initial stage, the craft brewery can produce from 15,000 liters a month, if 500 to 800 liters are given per day. By simple calculations, the income is as much as 9 million rubles a month, of which almost 500 thousand rubles will go to pay excise. Next, you need to subtract the monthly expenses for doing business, so it turns out that the net profit is about 6-7 million per month maximum under ideal conditions.
According to statistics, business goes to the zero point in six months or a year after the start of production .
In many ways, the payback period depends on the number of sales points. The more products ordered by other organizations, the faster will pay off the initial investment.
Often, entrepreneurs open bars or restaurants, where the craft brewery is the hallmark of the establishment. So the sale of own production beer is an additional income to the sales points. But this requires additional investments both in opening and in registration.
Like any business, a craft brewery has its own risks. If the raw materials are purchased abroad, there can be serious breaches of the delivery time. Without foreseeing such an outcome, an entrepreneur may encounter stoppages in production activities. The risk is the loss of sales partners because of a violation of the deadline on your part. Avoiding problems is easy: try to keep track of the amount of raw materials needed and order products in advance so that supplies can not end.
It is worth noting that often breweries do not pay off due to glut of the market with beer products from competitors and because of the growth of offers from larger companies. If an entrepreneur can not find a place to sell, then he must try to open his own point of sale.
A craft brewery is a business that requires a lot of money and not only in material but also in moral terms. If you decide to act in this direction, then be prepared to face many difficulties and collisions. Success is achieved only by the strongest, so why not test yourself for strength?
