Beer is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, along with water, tea, and coffee, and a favorite alcoholic beverage to millions across the globe. So, it can be argued that any business inspired by beer has the potential for success. However, it takes a lot more than your love for beer to start and run a brewery.
If you aren’t educated in the field, you must spend time learning before thinking about starting a business. But if you already have the necessary skills and experience, you can start thinking about opening your brewery. Here are the seven key steps you need to take to get there.
1. Choose the Type of Brewery You Want to Run
There are several types of brewery businesses you can start, including craft breweries, microbreweries, brewpubs, and farm breweries. It depends on your preferences and interests, your funds, your knowledge. You should choose a production method, how much you want to brew, as well as whether you only want to produce and sell, or you also want to have a place where people could consume your beer.
2. Write a Business Plan
Starting a brewery is a long process and a significant investment. To ensure that you will be able to build the best possible and profitable business, you will have to create a detailed brewery business plan that will guide you through the journey, helping you define your tactics, determine your goals, as well as the strategies to do everything you have to.
Business plans are crucial for many reasons and preparing one can help you start strong and with a real chance for success. Not only does a well-prepared business plan help you see the big picture, plan out your finances, determine your expenses, understand your possibilities, see your potential, but it can also help you raise funding and find investors or partners.
3. Find Your Identity
If you don’t have a name for your brewery, you should think of one as soon as possible. A memorable, catchy name can go a long way. You also have to design a logo and come up with a slogan. Make sure that you can define what your brand represents, what you stand for, what makes you different from other breweries, your values, your philosophies.
Later on, this, along with the quality of your product, can be a strong foundation upon which you will be able to build a meaningful relationship with your target audience. Remember that many consumers choose to buy from businesses to which they can relate, businesses to which they have an emotional connection.
4. Prioritize Marketing
Today it’s possible to run a small business without paying for marketing, relying solely on your social media skills. And depending on what kind of brewery you want, it may work. However, to make a profitable and scalable business, it’s better to set aside a budget for marketing. If you hire an agency, experts, experienced in marketing, armed with knowledge, and aware of the latest trends, will help you raise brand awareness, gain customers and grow an audience, faster and more successfully than you could do on your own.
Whatever you decide, you must have an excellent online presence. A good website that shows your brand in the best way possible, useful and entertaining blogs, content-rich social media accounts across platforms, good reviews, testimonials, interaction with your prospects and customers, good customer experience, are all vital for business success in the digital world, regardless of the type of brewery you decide to run.
5. Set Up the Legal Stuff
Probably the most tedious and tricky part of starting a business is taking care of all of the legal requirements, getting licenses, registering a company, choosing insurances, and so on. And when it comes to producing alcohol there are many strict rules, regulations, and laws you must learn and follow, depending on your business, the area, the state, etc.
6. Find a Location
Location can be crucial for a brewery, especially if you have a bar. The first thing to think about is convenience and comfort. Depending on the type of brewery you are opening, it should be easily accessible, not too far from whatever area you want to serve, near a busy area if you are looking for foot traffic, with a pleasant interior design, etc.
7. Buy the Equipment
One of the biggest expenses when starting a brewery business is the equipment. Finding the right equipment is crucial, and investing in quality is always the best choice.
Conclusion
Breweries can be very profitable, but it takes time and hard work to start one. Following these steps can help you be more efficient, avoid mistakes and give your business a chance for success.