This business plan presents Epic Coffee, a startup premium coffee roaster, wholesaler, and café. The plan outlines the company's LLC structure, three-person management team, and core competencies in sourcing and roasting specialty arabica beans. It details a marketing strategy built around premium pricing, social media, guerrilla marketing, and a strong brand identity. Financial projections for the first year forecast $200,000 in revenue and a net profit of $12,500, supported by a $50,000 line of credit. The plan is addressed to a bank lending manager and demonstrates how modest startup capital can launch a viable, award-caliber specialty coffee business.
To: Lending Manager, Big National Bank
I am writing to discuss your bank's investment in my new venture, Epic Coffee. This company will be a roaster and wholesaler of premium coffee and espresso beans, with a small café attached. The principals have extensive expertise in sourcing and roasting the finest beans — including heirloom varieties of arabica and single lots of fair trade coffee from organic farmers. Our expertise has resulted in numerous awards in city newspapers and magazines, and we believe there is a substantial market for high-quality custom-roasted coffee at both the wholesale and retail level.
Our startup funding requirements are only $50,000, and we expect to turn a profit within the first year based on feedback received thus far from potential customers. We believe we can meet these needs with a line of credit, and we offer the potential for mezzanine financing down the road as we look to expand. We look forward to our appointment with you to outline our proposal in more detail.
The company will engage in three primary functions: manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing. The manufacturing function will consist of processing raw coffee beans into roasted coffee beans. While the procedure is relatively straightforward, precision roasting in the hands of an expert can yield superior coffees. The wholesale function will be conducted through standard phone and Internet channels, with local distribution handled by the company and broader distribution handled through a courier service. The retail function will be conducted both online and in our café and store, which will be located on site.
We have chosen the limited liability company (LLC) as our form of organization. This structure offers a number of advantages we consider critical to our business. First, the tax rate for LLCs is lower than for partnerships or sole proprietorships. Second, the company is a separate legal entity, thereby reducing the personal legal liability of the owners. Each owner will be given a share in the business; a total of three shares will be issued. The LLC is also a strong choice because we expect to turn a profit by the end of the first year, meaning we will not need to declare losses against personal income (IRS, 2009).
There are three principals. The first has a background in coffee, having worked in multiple positions both as a barista and in production. This person will serve as our main roaster and has completed an internship with one of the nation's leading premium roasters to gain the knowledge and experience needed for this venture. This individual will roast in the evening and work the café in the afternoon.
The second principal is the marketing expert. This person has extensive experience in guerrilla marketing and social media. This expertise will be applied to building the brand's profile, handling distribution, and managing mail orders.
The third principal is the accountant and team manager, who will attend to all managerial, purchasing, and accounting needs. This individual will also work the café in the morning and contribute to the distribution function as needed.
"Four Ps strategy for premium coffee brand"
"First-year projections and credit line rationale"
"Income statement and balance sheet figures"
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