A good business plan does two jobs: it pressure-tests your idea and it unlocks funding. Here's what to include.
The sections
- Vision & products — what you'll make and why it's different
- Market — who buys it, through which channels
- Operations — premises, equipment, production capacity
- Compliance — excise, licences and how you'll manage them
- Team — who's involved
- Financials — the part lenders scrutinise
The financials that matter
- Startup costs (see cost to start a distillery)
- Cash-flow forecast — critical if you're ageing spirit
- Revenue by channel (cellar door, wholesale, export)
- Excise and the remission cap impact on margins
- Break-even timing
Tip
Be realistic about the maturation gap for whisky — model how you'll fund the years before aged stock sells. See the full startup roadmap.
See it on your own production: Book a demo.