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Business Plan Resources for Breweries

I started with the Brewers Association in 2014. My goal is to engage with as many members as possible, help them maximize their membership benefits, and act as the resident resource-Sherpa to assist in navigating through the mountain of information.

In my free time I like to sip on IPAs and pilsners while playing bass loudly or petting my dogs. I openly welcome pup-pictures and all heavy/loud/noisy music suggestions.

Many of the discussions we have at the Brewers Association (BA) revolve around resources and ideas that are specific to the beer industry. We focus on technical brewing, acquiring the right ingredients, building a brand, marketing beers, passing OSHA inspections, and complying with the TTB, among other things. Yet, there is a foundation to breweries, brewpubs, and taprooms alike, that is the common thread of all businesses. That foundation is a well-constructed business plan.

Learn How to Create and Maintain Your Business Plan

I’m often asked what business planning resources the BA provides, and I point members to our production statistics , benchmarking surveys , insight & analysis articles , and a myriad of Craft Brewers Conference (CBC)  presentations covering specific business-related topics. Additionally, Brewers Publications offers The Brewers Association’s Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery , which includes guidelines for business planning and a sample business plan. Despite all this information, though, I still hear questions about the root of the business plan – where to start and how to create one. So, I’ve compiled a handful of resources to help breweries create and maintain a business plan.

We all have preferences on how we digest educational materials. So, the information below comes in multiple formats from a variety of sources. These resources are helpful whether you are looking to create your first business plan or simply want to update your current one. A business plan is a living document that should be updated regularly, rather than a ‘one and done’ springboard for prospective businesses. This is by no means a comprehensive list of resources on this topic, as there are hundreds of them available. Rather, it’s a jumping off point for members who want to establish and expand their knowledge. These resources can help us establish and refresh business plans, in addition to highlighting components we wish to explore further.

Business Plan Resources:

• Writing Your Brewery Business Plan  is a step-by-step review of the necessary elements within a business plan and why those things are important.
• Successfully Planning, Starting and Operating a Nano Brewery  offers a broad overview of the planning process with highlights on fundamental considerations for both launching and growing a brewery.
• The Nuts & Bolts of Great Business Plans – An often cited (and very comprehensive) guide to the broader and finer points of creating your business plan. This 30-page PDF document is updated yearly and provides excellent details on the what and why of each section in the outline.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is a great general resource for businesses. They offer a step-by-step tool that explains each section of the business plan template, along with a place to input your specific business information along the way.
• SCORE , a nonprofit resource partner with the SBA, has a variety of resources geared toward creating business plans and starting small businesses. This includes a 60-minute webinar on One Page Business Plans , an on-demand Developing a Business Plan course , articles about business plans , and even mentorship opportunities .
• For those who prefer educational videos, BizPlanTemplate.com offers a free business plan template paired with a 10-minute tutorial explaining each section.
• If learning on the go is of interest, scribendi.com offers a very succinct podcast outlining How to Write a Business Plan . For those starting from scratch, this is a good primer for the deeper dive into more detailed templates.

Don’t Forget to Use Your Community

As a final note, I’d be remiss not to mention the Brewers Association Forum . This is an excellent place to ask questions and engage with fellow brewery owners as you create and revise your business plans. While each brewery (and therefore business plan) will be unique, there is much to be learned from those around us. I am constantly reminded of the community mindset amongst many breweries, and this a fantastic way to connect and share resources with one another.

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Brewery Business Plan

If you like to brew different flavors of drinks or have a microbrewery, you might have thought of starting a proper brewery business.

And the good news is that the brewery industry is now bigger than ever and continues to grow at a rapid pace.

If you are planning to start a new Brewery business, the first thing you will need is a business plan. Use our sample brewery business plan created using upmetrics business plan software to start writing your business plan in no time.

Before you start writing your business plan for your new brewery business, spend as much time as you can reading through some examples of Farm & Food Production-related Business Plans .

Industry Overview

The global beer market stood at a value of 623.2 billion dollars in 2020 and is expected to grow at a rapid rate thereafter too.

The main reason behind the rise in cultural changes and the growing acceptance of alcohol across the globe.

Moreover, the brewery business is growing due to differences in preferences between alcohol-free to low alcohol beers and the ones with different flavors.

Today’s consumers aim towards maintaining a better lifestyle along with socializing. Hence, demand for low-alcohol beers is on the rise and a brewery can serve that and more.

Say goodbye to boring templates

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Things to Consider Before Writing a Brewery Business Plan

Now you might want to get started as soon as possible. But before you start working on your business plan keep the following things in mind:

Decide on a menu and acquire resources

Though a lot depends on individual demands, having a certain set of items and proportions that work is important for a brewery business.

Moreover, it is also important to know what works best for the majority of your customers so you can have a handy set of ingredients.

Above all, you need to maintain a combination of quality and cost-effectiveness while acquiring ingredients for your brewery.

Stay up to date with your consumer’s preferences

The main purpose of a brewery is to provide a quality customer experience. What sets a brewery apart from a usual bar is the experience that comes with selecting your ideal flavors and proportions.

Hence, knowing what your customers want, things that influence their tastes, and what motivates them to change is essential for your business to succeed.

Know your competitors

Knowing what your competitors are doing is essential to do better than them. The brewery business is huge but it is also very competitive at the same time.

Hence, it is essential to stay a step ahead of your competitors for your business to thrive.

Write Your Business Plan

Reading sample business plans will give you a good idea of what you’re aiming for. It will also show you the different sections that entrepreneurs include and the language they use to write about themselves and their business plans.

We have created this brewery business plan  template for you to get a good idea about how perfect a brewery business plan should look and what details you will need to include in your stunning business plan.

Then again it’s no surprise because the demand for unique and different things is growing irrespective of the business. And a brewery can offer just that for beers.

Brewery Business Plan Outline

This is the standard brewery business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.

• Mission Statement
• Vision Statement
• Products and Services
• Customer Focus
• Management Team
• Keys to Success
• 3 Year profit forecast
• Startup cost
• Industry Analysis
• Market Trends
• Market Needs
• Target Market
• SWOT Analysis
• Marketing Strategy
• Ongoing Customer Communications
• Pre-Opening Events
• Online Marketing
• Pricing Strategy
• Operation Functions
• Administrative Functions
• Important Assumptions
• Brake-even Analysis
• Profit Yearly
• Gross Margin Yearly
• Projected Cash Flow
• Projected Balance Sheet
• Business Ratios

After getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this sample brewery business plan template into your business plan and modify the required information and download your brewery business plan pdf or doc file.

It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Download a sample brewery business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go;  download our free brewery business plan pdf  to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your brewery business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

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Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Brewery Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

You’ve come to the right place to create your brewery business plan.

We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their breweries.

Below is a brewery business plan example to help you write your brewery business plan:

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Mountain Craft Beer is a startup brewery located in Boulder, Colorado. The company is founded by Richard and Susan Williams, long-time craft beer enthusiasts who are ready to venture out and start their own brewing business. Richard has worked as a Brewmaster in a local brewery for over ten years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Colorado. Susan has a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of New York. She has worked as a General Manager for a local restaurant and bar for the past five years. Now that the duo has obtained the experience and knowledge needed to run a craft beer business, Richard and Susan are ready to start a brewery of their own. Richard is confident in his ability to to manage the brewing process, while Susan is ready to take on the leadership role and manage all aspects of business operations. Richard and Susan will recruit a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day to day complexities of running a craft brewery – marketing and sales, accounting and budgeting, customer service, product management, and quality control.

Mountain Craft Beer will make unique craft beers that patrons can enjoy onsite or purchase through distributors. The Mountain Craft Beer brewery will provide a fun taproom tasting experience for guests to try out new brews. Mountain Craft Beer will be the ultimate choice in Boulder for its specialty craft beers made with premium locally sourced ingredients.

Product Offering

The following are the products and services that Mountain Craft Beer will provide:

• Craft beer tasting
• Barrel-aged beer
• Seasonal IPAs
• Seasonal Ales
• Branded merchandise and apparel

Customer Focus

Mountain Craft Beer will target all individuals over the age of 21 in Boulder, Colorado. They will target locals and tourists. They will also target all beer-drinkers from seasoned connoisseurs to individuals brand new to craft beer, and everyone in between. No matter the customer, Mountain Craft Beer will deliver the best customer service, unique product offerings, and craft beer tastings led by friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Management Team

Mountain Craft Beer will be owned and operated by Richard and Susan Williams, long-time craft beer enthusiasts who are ready to venture out and start their own brewing business. Richard has worked as a Brewmaster in a local brewery for over ten years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Colorado. Susan has a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of New York. She has worked as a General Manager for a local restaurant and bar for the past five years. Now that the duo has obtained the experience and knowledge needed to open their own business, Richard and Susan are ready to start a craft brewery of their own. Richard is confident in his ability to to manage the craft brewing process, while Susan is ready to take on the leadership role and manage all aspects of business operations.

Success Factors

Mountain Craft Beer will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of brewing professionals that will create unique flavors and blends, lead tasting experiences, and serve as informative guides providing the best customer service around.
• Unique product selection made with premium locally-sourced ingredients. New beers will be introduced each month and rotating seasonal selections will be renewed based on popularity.
• Mountain Craft Beer will be able to offer the best pricing in town because they will save on shipping costs by using local suppliers. The savings will be passed on to customers.

Financial Highlights

Mountain Craft Beer is seeking $500,000 in debt financing to launch its brewery business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the facility and purchasing brewing equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the print ads and association memberships. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Build-out of the facility: $100,000
• Brewing equipment, supplies, and ingredients: $240,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $140,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Mountain Craft Beer.

Company Overview

Who is mountain craft beer.

Mountain Craft Beer is a newly established craft brewing company in Boulder, Colorado. Mountain Craft Beer will be the ultimate choice for craft beer enthusiasts in the area. Mountain Craft Beer will provide an exclusive selection of craft beers, with new editions being introduced monthly and rotating seasonal selections that will be renewed based on popularity. Their exclusive, customer-centric approach combined with their use of locally sourced ingredients will make them a unique alternative to the typical craft beer experience. Mountain Craft Beer will be able to cater to their customers with unique product offerings and informative beer tasting events led by a team of highly qualified brewers. Mountain Craft Beer’s mission is to provide a fun and welcoming experience for its customers while delivering highly sought after creations that can’t be found anywhere else.

Mountain Craft Beer History

Mountain Craft Beer is owned and operated by Richard and Susan Williams, long-time craft beer enthusiasts who are ready to venture out and start their own brewing business. Richard has worked as a Brewmaster in a local brewery for over ten years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Colorado. Susan has a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of New York. She has worked as a General Manager for a local restaurant and bar for the past five years.

Since incorporation, Mountain Craft Beer has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Mountain Craft Beer, LLC to transact business in the state of Colorado.
• Has a contract in place to lease the brewing facility.
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include craft beer enthusiasts, former customers, and friends and family networks to create excitement for the new brewery.
• Began recruiting a staff of brewers, sales associates, and marketing professionals to work at Mountain Craft Beer.

Mountain Craft Beer Services

Industry analysis.

The global craft beer industry is valued at $95BM. Beer is known for being the oldest and most broadly consumed beverage in the alcoholic category worldwide. The craft beer segment of the retail beer market in the United States has been growing steadily over the past ten years. In 2012, craft beer accounted for approximately 10% of the market. By 2021, this number increased to 26.8% of the market.

The U.S. brewery industry first became popular in the 2000s and hasn’t stopped growing since then. In 2006, there were approximately 1,400 breweries across the country. As of 2020, this number has grown to over 9,000.

The primary driver for growth in the United States craft beer market is the public’s increasing desire to find new and innovative drinks. The three most popular types of craft beers are pilsner, ale, and lager. Lager is the most popular of the three. Craft brewery industry operators can maintain a competitive advantage in the market by producing unique flavors and catering to their customers’ tastes.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The precise demographics for Boulder, Colorado are:

Customer Segmentation

Mountain Craft Beer will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Residents 21 and over of Boulder, Colorado and surrounding areas
• Tourists 21 and over of Boulder, Colorado and surrounding areas
• Craft beer connoisseurs and enthusiasts (21 and over)
• Craft beer newbies (21 and over)

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Mountain Craft Beer will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Boulder Brewery

Boulder Brewery is a newly established craft beer brewery and gastropub located in Boulder, Colorado. Boulder Brewery is owned and operated by a team of professional brewmasters and chefs. The brewery offers onsite craft beer tastings and has a full restaurant open seven days per week. Boulder Brewery also sells its craft beer to distributors. The brewery promises to provide unique flavor blends and premium exotic ingredients.

BC Craft Beer Company

BC Craft Beer Company is a Colorado-based brewery that provides fresh craft beer blends. BC Craft Beer Company provides a comprehensive menu of ales, pilsners, lagers, and other beers on site and available to order online. The owners of BC Craft Beer Company are former brewmasters so they understand how to create fine craft beers from scratch. Customers can depend on their unique brewing process to achieve one-of-a-kind drinks. By choosing BC Craft Beer Company customers know they are getting the highest quality ingredients and specialty beverages they can brag about. BC Craft Beer Company uses holistic inspections and quality control measures to ensure each batch exceeds the most stringent quality standards.

Crafty Colorado Brews

Crafty Colorado Brews is a trusted Colorado brewery that provides superior service to patrons in Boulder, Colorado and the surrounding areas. The company makes small batches of seasonal drinks onsite. Products include pale ales, pilsners, and lagers. Crafty Colorado Brews hosts craft beer tasting events onsite and also distributes its products to local restaurants and liquor stores.

Competitive Advantage

Mountain Craft Beer will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of brewing professionals that is able to create high quality, unique flavors using locally sourced ingredients and cater to customers’ preferences.
• New flavors developed each month and rotating seasonal selections that are renewed based on popularity.
• Mountain Craft Beer offers the best pricing in town. Their pricing structure is the most cost effective compared to the competition.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Mountain Craft Beer will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Highly-qualified team of skilled employees that is able to lead fun tasting events and provide insightful information to craft beer enthusiasts and novices alike.
• Unbeatable pricing to its customers – Using local suppliers allows the company to save on shipping costs and pass these savings on to its customers.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Mountain Craft Beer is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Richard and Susan Williams have built up an extensive network of craft beer enthusiasts and industry professionals. They plan to leverage this network to help them promote the new brewery.

Professional Associations and Networking

Mountain Craft Beer will become a member of Colorado Brewers Guild, Brewers Association, and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. They will focus their networking efforts on expanding their customer network.

Print Advertising

Mountain Craft Beer will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events, magazines, direct mailers, and newspapers.

Website/SEO Marketing

Mountain Craft Beer will utilize an in-house marketing director to design the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all of Mountain Craft Beer’s current product offerings. The website will also list contact information and upcoming tasting events.

The marketing director will also manage Mountain Craft Beer’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Colorado craft beer” or “brewery near me”, Mountain Craft Beer will be listed at the top of the search results.

Social Media/Influencers

The marketing director will create a brand presence across multiple social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. These accounts will be updated regularly to maintain an active social media presence. The company will work with social media influencers who will help to promote its products.

The pricing of Mountain Craft Beer will be moderate and slightly lower than competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing craft beer from the company.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Mountain Craft Beer.

Operation Functions:

• Richard Williams – Co-owner and Brewmaster who will oversee all brewing staff and manage the product development process.
• Susan Williams – Co-Owner and Operations Manager who will oversee all staff (outside of brewers) including sales, marketing, accounting, and maintenance employees.
• Ben Smith – Staff Accountant will provide all client accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
• Michelle Miller – Marketing Director who will provide all marketing promotions for Mountain Craft Beer.
• John Davis – Maintenance Director who will provide all maintenance for the facility.

Milestones:

Mountain Craft Beer will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

8/1/2022 – Finalize contract to lease facility

8/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts

9/1/2022 – Begin build-out of the brewery

9/15/2022 – Begin networking at industry events

9/22/2022 – Begin moving into the facility

10/1/2022 – Mountain Craft Beer opens its brewery for business

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Mountain Craft Beer are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the products and fees charged to enter exclusive tasting events.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a brewery. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, craft beer ingredients, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of Beers Sold Per Month: 3,000
• Average Fees per Month: $15,000
• Office Lease per Year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, brewery business plan faqs, what is a brewery business plan.

A brewery business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your brewery business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your brewery business plan using our Brewery Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Breweries?

There are a number of different kinds of breweries, some examples include: Microbrewery, Nano brewery, Brewpub, Taproom Brewery, Regional Brewery, and Contract Brewing Company.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Brewery Business Plan?

Breweries are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding. 

This is true for a brewery business plan, microbrewery business plan, or a craft brewery business plan

What are the Steps To Start a Brewery Business?

Starting a brewery business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Brewery Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed craft brewery business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your brewery business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your brewery business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Brewery Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your brewery business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your brewery business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Brewery Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your brewery business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your brewery business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful brewery business, brewery business planning and crafting a beer business plan :

• How to Start a Brewery Business
• How to Start a Brewery

Where Can I Get a Brewery Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free brewery business plan template PDF here . This is a sample brewery business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Brewery Business Plan Guide + Example

July 6, 2023

Adam Hoeksema

In this guide, we will navigate the process of creating a brewery business plan that reflects your  vision and entices potential stakeholders. Rather than viewing it as a chore that your lender may have tasked you with, embrace the opportunity to lay a solid foundation for your brewery's future growth.

Together, we will cover the essential components that make up a comprehensive brewery business plan, empowering you to showcase your brewery, analyze the market landscape, strategize marketing and sales efforts, and develop realistic financial projections. Your potential lenders will want to make sure your brewery plans are realistic and within industry averages as well!

This guide includes the following:

What Should be Included in a Brewery Business Plan?

• Conducting Market Research for Your Brewery Business Plan
• Creating Financial Projections for Your Brewery Business Plan

Example Brewery Business Plan

Brewery business plan faqs.

With that in mind as the path forward, let’s dive in. 

A brewery business plan should compellingly convey to investors and lenders why beer enthusiasts and other customers would prefer your brewery over competitors, why you or your team are the optimum choice to manage the brewery, and how the financial projections are tailored to secure a favorable monetary return on their investment. Below is a detailed blueprint of our complimentary brewery business plan template .

Brewery Business Plan Outline

I. Executive Summary

II. Company Description

III. Market Analysis

IV. Marketing and Sales Strategy

V. Operations and Management

VI. Financial Plan

• Startup Costs and Use of Funds
• Annual Sales, Gross Profit and Net Profit
• Key Financial Ratios
• Financial Summary
• Income Statement Annual Summary
• Cash Flow Statement Annual Summary
• Balance Sheet Annual Summary

VII. Appendix

VII. Conclusion

How to do Market Research for a Brewery Business Plan

Market research forms the backbone of any brewery business plan. Understanding your position within the market and establishing that there is adequate demand for your brewery's unique concept, location, and price range is key. Learn more about our approach to brewery market research here. Essentially, your goal is to grasp your competition, gauge potential customer footfall, identify an optimal location, and anticipate any seasonal fluctuations that could affect your business. You can learn more about our Brewery market research approach here, and below are some useful tools and methods for conducting market research for your prospective brewery.

What Will be the Cost to Advertise my Brewery?

We recommend Google Keyword Planner to aid you in identifying the ideal keywords to promote and attract customers to your brewery's website. This tool also offers an estimate of the cost per click when advertising using different keywords, as shown below:

What Keywords are Customers Using in Their Searches?

We rely on both Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs to discern which keywords are directing traffic to your competitors' websites. You can run a report on a competitor's website to uncover the keywords they are ranking for and the volume of organic traffic each keyword generates. This information can be pivotal in streamlining your SEO strategy.

How Seasonal are Brewery?

We utilize Google Trends to examine the seasonality of your brewery concept. For instance, it can highlight that "Craft Beer Breweries" might not have stark seasonal patterns, whereas a brewery with a specialty in summer ales might exhibit pronounced seasonal trends.

How Many Customers Do my Competitors Receive Each Month?

Lastly, it's advantageous to generate foot traffic reports for your competitors to gauge the typical number of patrons they serve at their breweries. An example is shown below that presents the number of visits per month for a specific location:

In the end, the projected customer base for your brewery is a key assumption that will be foundational to your financial projections. Therefore, understanding your competitors' patron volumes can assist in estimating the potential traffic to your brewery.

How to Create Financial Projections for a Brewery Business Plan

Now, it's time to translate your market research into meaningful financial projections. Unlike other industries, the art of brewing introduces unique variables that shape revenue projections. While some breweries face capacity constraints, dictated by factors such as available seating, others may be limited by their brewing capacity and the ability to efficiently fulfill orders. Creating accurate financial projections is crucial not only to showcase your brewery's potential to repay loans but also to demonstrate an attractive return on investment to potential stakeholders.

• Estimate startup costs for your restaurant
• Forecast revenue including distribution, tap rooms, brewpub
• Project food, beer, and labor costs
• Estimate your operating expenses like rent and utilities
• Calculate how much investor or loan capital you will need to open

If you use our brewery projection template , you'll be guided through this process, ensuring your projections adhere to the format required by investors or lenders. Typically, startup brewery projections should include an integrated income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow forecast to provide a comprehensive financial overview.

Through thoughtful financial planning and accurate projections, you'll not only showcase the potential profitability of your brewery but also gain the confidence of potential investors and lenders. Let our brewery projection templates assist you in presenting a robust financial plan that sets the stage for a successful brewing enterprise.

Discover our brewery business plan template , available in a customizable Google Doc format, allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs. Accompanied by our video walkthrough, you'll receive guidance on adapting the plan to your unique brewery concept. 

Table of Contents

1. executive summary,  1.1. company overview.

Briefly introduce the company's background, products or services, and target market.

      -  Example: Barrel & Brew Co. is a boutique craft brewery located in Asheville, North Carolina. We are dedicated to producing exceptional handcrafted beers that showcase the artistry of brewing and embody the spirit of the local community. 

   1.2. Objectives

Outlines the company's short-term and long-term goals.

        - Example:  Establish Barrel & Brew Co. as a premier destination for craft beer enthusiasts in Asheville, achieving a 70% taproom occupancy rate within the first year.

        - Example: Long-term: Plan to expand our operations, opening additional taprooms in neighboring cities and maintaining strong customer satisfaction..

  1.3. Mission Statement

 Describes the company's purpose and core values.

        - Example: At Barrel & Brew Co., our mission is to create exceptional craft beers that captivate the senses and foster a sense of community. We are dedicated to promoting the art of brewing, supporting local farmers and artisans, and providing an inviting and educational space where beer enthusiasts can gather, share experiences, and appreciate the craftsmanship behind our beers.

  1.4. Keys to Success

Highlights the factors that will contribute to the company's growth and success.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. thrives on the following key factors for success. We prioritize exceptional craftsmanship, ensuring our craft beers deliver unmatched quality and flavor. Our engaging taproom experience immerses beer enthusiasts through guided tours, tastings, and educational activities. Active community engagement through festivals, collaborations, and charitable support builds a loyal customer base. 

2. Company Description

   2.1. company history.

Provides context on the company's background and founding story.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. was founded by Martin Holts, a passionate brewer with extensive experience in the craft beer industry. Inspired by his love for brewing and the vibrant beer culture in Asheville, North Carolina, Martin set out to create a brewery that would celebrate the artistry and flavors of handcrafted beers. 

   2.2. Legal Structure

 Describes the company's legal structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, corporation).

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. operates as a limited liability company (LLC)

 2.3. Unique Selling Proposition

  Emphasizes the company's competitive advantage or unique offerings.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. distinguishes itself through its commitment to brewing excellence and innovation. We pride ourselves on crafting high-quality beers that showcase a harmonious blend of traditional brewing techniques and inventive flavors.

  2.4. Target Market

Defines the company's ideal customer base.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. targets beer enthusiasts and craft beer connoisseurs in Asheville, North Carolina, and beyond. Our offerings appeal to individuals who appreciate the artistry, quality, and diverse range of flavors found in handcrafted beers. 

3. Market Analysis

3.1. industry overview.

  Presents a general overview of the industry, its trends, and growth potential.

        - Example: The craft beer industry in Asheville, North Carolina, is thriving, driven by the city's vibrant beer culture, tourism, and a strong community of beer enthusiasts. With a growing demand for high-quality and diverse craft beers, the industry presents significant growth potential for Barrel & Brew Co.

3.2. Competitor Analysis

 Evaluates the company's direct and indirect competitors, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

        - Example: Direct competitors: Mountain Brew –  a local brewery located in Asheville, North Carolina, specializing in craft beers that celebrate the mountainous region.

        - Example: Indirect competitors: The Hop House – a popular brewpub and restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina. While they brew their own beers on-site, they also offer a wide selection of craft beers from other local and regional breweries. 

3.3. Target Market Analysis

Explores the company's target customers, demographics, preferences, and pain points.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co.'s target market includes beer enthusiasts, craft beer connoisseurs, and locals and tourists who appreciate the unique beer scene in Asheville. The target demographic comprises individuals aged 21 and above who seek flavorful, high-quality beers and enjoy exploring different beer styles and flavors.

3.4. Market Opportunities

Identifies potential opportunities for the company to grow within the market.

        - Example: There are several opportunities for Barrel & Brew Co. to thrive in the market. Firstly, by actively participating in local beer festivals, events, and collaborations with other breweries, Barrel & Brew Co. can increase brand visibility and attract new customers. Additionally, partnering with local restaurants and bars to showcase their beers can expand their reach and tap into new customer segments. 

Key Point  1

• Example 1: Conduct a competitor analysis to understand the strengths and weaknesses of existing breweries in the area. (e.g., Identify key competitors' offerings, pricing, and customer reviews to determine potential gaps in the market)
• Example 2:Analyze local beer consumption trends and preferences through surveys and market research. (e.g., Discover that there is a high demand for craft beers with unique flavors and local ingredients in Asheville)

4. Marketing and Sales Strategy

4.1. product or service offerings: .

Describes the company's products or services in detail.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. offers a diverse range of handcrafted beers. Our lineup includes a variety of beer styles, from refreshing lagers to hop-forward IPAs and rich stouts. Each beer is meticulously brewed using high-quality ingredients and crafted to deliver exceptional flavor and aroma.

4.2. Pricing Strategy

 Outlines the company's approach to pricing its products or services.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. employs a competitive pricing strategy that reflects the quality and craftsmanship of our beers while remaining accessible to our target market. 

4.3. Sales Strategy

  Explains how the company plans to generate sales and build

customer relationships.

        - Example:  To generate sales and build strong customer relationships, Barrel & Brew Co. focuses on creating memorable experiences for beer enthusiasts. Our taproom in Asheville, North Carolina, serves as a hub for beer tasting, socializing, and educational events. We prioritize customer engagement by offering guided brewery tours, hosting beer tasting sessions, and providing a welcoming and knowledgeable staff to enhance the overall brewery experience.

4.4. Distribution Channels

 Describes the methods through which the company will deliver its products or services to customers.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. primarily distributes its beers through its taproom in Asheville. Customers can visit the taproom to enjoy our beers on-site, purchase cans or growlers to-go, and engage directly with our team. 

4.5. Promotions and Advertising

 Details the company's promotional efforts and advertising strategies.

        - Example: To increase brand awareness and attract customers, Barrel & Brew Co. employs a multifaceted approach to promotions and advertising. We leverage social media platforms to showcase our beers, engage with our audience, and promote upcoming events. We also collaborate with local food vendors, musicians, and artists to host unique experiences and create cross-promotional opportunities. 

Key Point  2

• Example 1:  Organize a beer tasting event showcasing the brewery's signature brews to attract beer enthusiasts and build brand awareness. (e.g., Attract 300 attendees to the event, generating positive feedback and inquiries about future offerings). Attend local festivals, events, etc to offer beer tastings and sale discounted beers
• Example 2: Collaborate with local restaurants and bars to feature Barrel & Brew Co.'s beers on their menus, expanding the brewery's reach and attracting new customers. (e.g., Secure partnerships with three popular restaurants, resulting in increased sales and customer referrals)
• Example 3: pre-sale “beer of the month” or mugs for a “mug club” to provide a discount for the first year (or lifetime) based on a pre-launch subscription fee
• Example 4: Social Media & Email signups. Build a local (and broader) following by documenting/sharing the process of brewing, building, launching the brewery. Collect emails to provide updates to local supporters

5. Operations and Management

5.1. brewery production.

Involves the brewing process, quality control, and packaging of the beers.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. focuses on producing high-quality beers by adhering to strict brewing standards, conducting regular quality checks, and implementing efficient packaging and labeling processes.

5.2. Inventory Management

Refers to the management of raw materials, brewing supplies, and finished beer inventory.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. maintains a comprehensive inventory management system to monitor stock levels, track ingredient usage, and ensure sufficient supply of brewing materials. This enables us to meet customer demand and optimize production efficiency.

5.3. Taproom Operations

Encompasses the management of the taproom, including customer service, beer pouring, and creating a welcoming atmosphere.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. places a strong emphasis on exceptional customer service and creating a warm and inviting environment in our taproom. Our well-trained staff provides knowledgeable guidance on beer selection, offers a memorable tasting experience, and fosters a sense of community among our patrons.

5.4. Compliance and Regulatory Requirements

Involves adhering to local, state, and federal regulations related to brewing, licensing, health and safety, and responsible alcohol service.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing the brewing industry. We maintain proper licensing, prioritize health and safety protocols, and promote responsible alcohol service to uphold the highest standards of legal and ethical practices.

Key Point  3

• Example: Martin Holts, the owner of Barrel & Brew Co., has a decade of experience in craft beer brewing, including managing a successful brewery in a different location. His expertise ensures a deep understanding of brewing techniques, quality control, and industry trends.
• Example: The brewery's head brewer, Sarah Thompson, is a renowned expert in the craft beer industry, having won multiple awards for her innovative beer creations. Her expertise brings credibility and a competitive edge to Barrel & Brew Co.

5.5 Staffing and Human Resources

Covers the recruitment, training, and management of a skilled and dedicated team.

        -Example: Barrel & Brew Co. places great importance on hiring passionate and knowledgeable individuals who share our commitment to brewing excellence. We provide comprehensive training programs, offer competitive compensation, and foster a positive work environment to attract and retain top talent in the industry.

5.6. Financial Management

Involves budgeting, accounting, and financial analysis to ensure the brewery's financial stability and profitability.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. maintains a robust financial management system, which includes accurate bookkeeping, regular financial analysis, and strategic budgeting. This allows us to make informed business decisions, manage expenses effectively, and pursue growth opportunities while maintaining financial sustainability.

All of the unique Brewery financial projections you see here were generated using ProjectionHub’s Brewery Financial Projection Template . Use PH20BP to enjoy a 20% discount on the template. 

6. Financial Plan

   6.1. startup costs.

  Provide a detailed breakdown of the total startup costs requirements, and where you plan for those funds to come from. You will also want to breakdown how the startup costs will be used including working capital to cover losses before the business breaks even.

        - Example: Creating a solid financial plan is crucial, and we are taking the necessary steps to ensure the success of Barrel & Brew Co. We have raised $150,000 through personal investment from Matin, and we are working with financial institutions to secure a business loan of around $500,000. By combining these funding sources, we are confident in our ability to meet the startup cost requirements and establish a strong foundation for Barrel & Brew Co. 

6.2. Revenue Projections

Provides an estimate of the company's future revenue based on market research and assumptions.

        - Example:  Barrel & Brew Co. projects $1,367,824 in revenue in the first year. The company anticipates steady growth in revenue over the initial five-year period.

6.3. Expense Projections

 Estimates the company's future expenses, including fixed and variable costs.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co.'s expenses include property lease, accounting, advertising, professional services, utilities, and more.

6.4. Profit and Loss Statement

Summarizes the company's revenue, expenses, and net income over a specific period.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. expects to achieve profitability within the first two years of operation.

6.5. Cash Flow Projections

 Outlines the company's projected cash inflows and outflows.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. cash flow projections account for seasonal fluctuations in sales and expenses.

6.6. Break-even Analysis

  Determines the point at which the company's revenue equals its expenses.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. anticipates reaching its break-even point in year 2 of operation.

Watch how to create financial projections for your Brewery

Key Point  4 

• Example 1: Compare financial projections with industry benchmarks for breweries of a similar size and production capacity. (e.g., Aim for a gross margin of 50%, which is within the typical range for craft breweries)
• Example 2:  Consider potential market growth and expansion opportunities in Asheville, factoring in expected revenue increases from increased distribution and taproom sales.

7. Appendix

   7.1. supporting documents.

 Includes any relevant documentation that supports the information presented in the business plan, such as resumes, financial projections, market research data, and permits or licenses.

   7.2. Glossary of Term

 Provides definitions for industry-specific terms used throughout the business plan to ensure reader comprehension.

   7.3. References and Resources

Lists any sources or resources referenced during the preparation of the business plan, including industry reports, market research data, and relevant publications.

Key Point  5

• Example: Martin Holts and his family invest a substantial amount of personal funds into the brewery's startup costs, demonstrating their commitment to the business's success.
• Example: The brewery secures a small business loan backed by the collateral of brewing equipment, showing the willingness to assume financial risk and ensuring the lender's confidence in the venture.

How can I choose the ideal location for my brewery?

When selecting a location for your brewery, consider factors such as the availability of water supply, access to quality ingredients, proximity to your target market, zoning regulations for breweries, space for brewing equipment and storage, and the potential for a taproom or retail area.

What are the steps to start a craft brewery?

Starting a craft brewery typically involves conducting market research, writing a business plan, securing funding, obtaining necessary permits and licenses, sourcing equipment and ingredients, hiring staff, and marketing your brewery.

How can I finance my brewery startup?

There are various options to finance a brewery startup, including self-funding, bank loans, crowdfunding, seeking investment from private investors or venture capitalists, or applying for government grants or incentives.

What permits and regulations do I need to comply with to operate a brewery?

The permits and regulations for operating a brewery can vary depending on your location. Typically, you will need permits related to alcohol production and distribution, licensing for on-site consumption or retail sales, compliance with health and safety regulations, and adherence to labeling and packaging requirements.

About the Author

Adam is the Co-founder of ProjectionHub which helps entrepreneurs create financial projections for potential investors, lenders and internal business planning. Since 2012, over 50,000 entrepreneurs from around the world have used ProjectionHub to help create financial projections.

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Brewery Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Brewery Business Plan

Over the past 25 years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their breweries. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a brewery business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Brewery Business Plan Template here >

What Is a Brewery Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your brewery or microbrewery as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for Your Brewery

If you’re looking to start a brewery or grow your existing brewery you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your brewery in order to improve your chances of success. Your brewery business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your brewing company grows and changes.

Source of Funding for Breweries

With regards to funding, the main sources of secure funding for a brewery are bank loans and angel investors.

Banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

Angel Investors

The second most common form of secure funding for a brewery is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding or, like a bank, they will give you a loan. Venture capitalists will generally not fund a brewery. Private equity investors would consider a brewery or microbrewery business plan for funding if it has already reached a considerable scale.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a brewery business plan.

All business plans should include the following 10 sections:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of brewing company you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a craft brewery that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of brewpubs.

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the craft brewery industry. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy and plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of brewing company you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following 6 core types of breweries:

• Microbrewery: which is a brewery that produces less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year and sells 75% or more of its beer off-premises.
• Nano brewery: a brewery that produces less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year
• Brewpub: which is a restaurant-brewery combination that sells 25% or more of its beer on-site and offers food service
• Taproom Brewery: which sells 25% or more of its beer on-site, but does not offer food services
• Regional Brewery: a brewery that has annual beer production of between 15,000 and 6,000,000 barrels
• Contract Brewing Company: a business that contracts with another brewery to produce its beer

In addition to explaining the type of brewery you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new store openings, etc.
• Your business structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the brewery business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the brewing industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards lighter beer consumption, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for plenty of lighter brew options.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your brewery business plan:

• How big is the brewery business (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your brewery. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local or regional population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your brewery business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: college students, sports enthusiasts, soccer moms, techies, baby boomers, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of brewery you operate. Clearly, baby boomers would want a different atmosphere, pricing, and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than college students.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most breweries primarily serve customers living in the same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other breweries with which you compete. Most likely, your competitors will be other breweries and brewpubs located in your region.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from you that aren’t in the same target market or industry but may offer similar products or services. This primarily includes restaurants (for brewpubs) and other products (spirits, wine) for microbreweries. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who drinks alcohol frequents a brewery.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What products do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide superior brewery products or services?
• Will you provide brewery products that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, this section includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a brewery business plan, you should include the following:

In the product section, you should reiterate the type of brewery that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, will you brew IPAs, pilsners, stouts, etc.?

Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections, you are presenting the menu items you offer and their prices.

Place refers to the location of your brewery. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your brewery located next to a heavily populated office building, or gym, etc.? Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers. Also, if you operate or plan to operate kiosks, detail the locations where the kiosks will be placed.

The final part of your brewery marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Making your brewpub’s front store extra appealing to attract passing customers
• Establish a web presence
• Social media marketing
• Event marketing
• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites 
• Local radio advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your brewery such as brewing beer, serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the store clean, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your X,000th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch in new markets.

Management Team

To demonstrate your brewery’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a brewing company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in the brewery business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in breweries and/or successfully running retail and small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to create a sales forecast. For example, will you serve 100 customers per day or 200? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheet

While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your brewery, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your projected cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. For example, let’s say a company approached you with a $100,000 brewing contract, that would cost you $50,000 to fulfill. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $50,000 now for supplies, brewing equipment rentals, employee salaries, etc. But let’s say the company didn’t pay you for 180 days. During that 180 day period, you could run out of money.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key start-up costs:

• New location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of brewing equipment
• Cost of ingredients and maintaining an adequate amount of supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your store design blueprint or location lease.

Brewery Business Plan Conclusion

Putting together a business plan for your brewing company is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the brewery and microbrewery business, your competition, your business operations, and your potential customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful brewery.

To further help you, we have other articles on key aspects of how to start your brewery . and running it effectively. Specifically, our brewery marketing plan will help you develop the best promotions strategy. Our brewery startup costs post will let you know what costs to expect.

Microbrewery Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my microbrewery business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Brewery Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Brewery Business Plan.

Where Can I Download an Example Brewery Business Plan PDF?

You can download our example brewery business plan PDF template here . This is a sample business plan template you can use in PDF format.

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Brewery Business Plan PDF Example

• February 28, 2024
• Business Plan

Creating a comprehensive business plan is crucial for launching and running a successful brewery. This plan serves as your roadmap, detailing your vision, operational strategies, and financial plan. It helps establish your brewery’s identity, navigate the competitive market, and secure funding for growth.

This article not only breaks down the critical components of a brewery business plan, but also provides an example of a business plan to help you craft your own.

Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur or new to the food and beverage industry, this guide, complete with a business plan example, lays the groundwork for turning your brewery concept into reality. Let’s dive in!

Our brewery business plan is structured to cover all essential aspects needed for a comprehensive strategy. It outlines the brewery’s operations, marketing strategy , market environment, competitors, management team, and financial forecasts.

• Executive Summary : A quick overview of the Brewery’s concept, market potential, team, and financial strategy.
• Brewery & Equipment: Details on the brewery’s location, equipment, and production capacity.
• Beer Offering & Pricing : Lists beer types, special releases, and pricing strategy .
• Key Stats: Presents the size and growth of the craft brewery market.
• Key Trends: Points out trends like innovative flavors and eco-conscious brewing.
• Key Competitors : Identifies your main competitors and your unique selling points.
• SWOT: A brief analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Marketing Plan : Short strategies for promoting the brewery and its beers.
• Timeline : Major milestones from setup to the first year’s end.
• Management: Gives information on the leadership team and their roles.
• Financial Plan: Forecasts the brewery’s finances over 5 years, covering income, expenses, and profitability.

Brewery Business Plan

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Executive Summary

The Executive Summary presents an overview of your brewery’s business plan, succinctly describing the brewery and its offerings. It will highlight your market positioning, the variety of beers and related products you plan to brew, its location, size, and a snapshot of daily operations.

This section will also delve into how your brewery intends to establish itself within the local market, including an analysis of the number of direct competitors in the vicinity, who they are, and your brewery’s unique selling propositions that set it apart from these competitors.

Moreover, it should outline the management and co-founding team, specifying their roles and how they contribute to the brewery’s success. In addition, a brief on your financial forecasts, including expected revenue and profit margins over the next five years, should be included to offer a transparent view of your brewery’s financial strategy.

Make sure to cover here _ Business Overview _ Market Overview _ Management Team _ Financial Plan

Dive deeper into Executive Summary

Business Overview

For a Brewery, the Business Overview section can be effectively divided into 2 main parts:

Brewery & Equipment

Detail the brewery’s physical setup, focusing on the design, brewing capacity, and the state-of-the-art equipment used in the beer-making process.

Highlight the brewery’s location, emphasizing its accessibility and the convenience it offers to visitors, such as proximity to popular dining or entertainment areas or ease of parking. Discuss why this location is strategically chosen to attract your target market .

Beer Offering & Pricing

Describe the range of beers and related products offered, from classic ales and lagers to innovative craft and seasonal brews. Explain your pricing strategy, ensuring it reflects the quality and uniqueness of your offerings and aligns with the market you’re targeting.

Emphasize any special releases, subscription models, or loyalty programs that add value for your customers, fostering repeat visits and a strong brewery community.

Make sure to cover here _ Brewery & Equipment _ Beer Offering & Pricing

Market Overview

Industry size & growth.

In the Market Overview of your brewery business plan, begin by exploring the size of the craft beer and brewing industry along with its growth potential. This analysis is vital for grasping the market’s breadth and pinpointing opportunities for expansion.

Key market trends

Continue by discussing recent trends in the market, such as the growing consumer interest in craft and artisanal beers, the preference for local and sustainable brews, and the innovation in beer flavors and brewing techniques.

Highlight the demand for beers that offer a unique experience, such as those using locally sourced ingredients or those that cater to niche tastes, alongside the increasing popularity of breweries that emphasize environmental sustainability and community engagement.

Key competitors

Next, assess the competitive landscape, which encompasses a variety of breweries from large-scale operations to small, local craft breweries, as well as the rise of home brewing.

Focus on what sets your brewery apart, be it through superior quality, a diverse and innovative product lineup, or a focus on community and sustainability.

Make sure to cover here _ Industry size & growth _ Key market trends _ Key competitors

Dive deeper into Key competitors

Begin with a SWOT analysis for the brewery, identifying Strengths (such as a unique beer selection and strong brand identity), Weaknesses (including potential high startup costs or market saturation), Opportunities (for instance, the growing craft beer movement and local food pairing events), and Threats (like changing regulations or economic factors that may impact discretionary spending).

Marketing Plan

Then, formulate a marketing plan that details strategies for drawing in and keeping customers through targeted advertising, special brewery events, an active and engaging social media presence, and involvement in local community events and festivals.

Lastly, establish a comprehensive timeline that marks key milestones for the brewery’s launch, marketing initiatives, customer base development, and growth goals, ensuring the business progresses with clear direction and intent.

Make sure to cover here _ SWOT _ Marketing Plan _ Timeline

Dive deeper into SWOT

Dive deeper into Marketing Plan

The Management section focuses on the brewery’s management and their direct roles in daily operations and strategic direction. This part is crucial for understanding who is responsible for making key decisions and driving the brewery towards its financial and operational goals.

For your brewery business plan, list the core team members, their specific responsibilities, and how their expertise supports the business.

Financial Plan

The Financial Plan section is a comprehensive analysis of your financial projections for revenue, expenses, and profitability. It lays out your brewery’s approach to securing funding, managing cash flow, and achieving breakeven.

This section typically includes detailed forecasts for the first 5 years of operation, highlighting expected revenue, operating costs and capital expenditures.

For your brewery business plan, provide a snapshot of your financial statement (profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statement), as well as your key assumptions (e.g. number of customers and prices, expenses, etc.).

Make sure to cover here _ Profit and Loss _ Cash Flow Statement _ Balance Sheet _ Use of Funds

Privacy Overview

How To Write A Comprehensive Brewery Business Plan

Starting a successful brewery is a big dream for many. To achieve this dream, you need to start with a solid brewery business plan.

Your business plan includes everything you need to organize before opening your business, from your business goals and operations to your brewery name, beer menu, and everything in-between. Getting this plan right is one of the most important steps toward your business's success.

In this guide, we’ll outline everything craft breweries should include in their business plan template.

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a document that lays out your entire strategy for starting a brewery. This includes business objectives, operations, and how your brewery will be profitable and viable. A business plan is a roadmap you follow when setting up your new venture.

Your business plan must include details of how you will set up your brewery and what you aim to achieve. Doing this helps you prepare for the new challenge and know what to expect throughout the entrepreneurship journey.

Why Do You Need a Brewery Business Plan?

Your business plan ensures you open up your brewery as smoothly and efficiently as possible. It helps you avoid surprises along the way, getting your establishment off the ground by following all the proper steps. A well-thought-out plan will boost the chances of your brewery’s success in a big way.

A brewery business plan is also necessary if you need to secure funding. Nobody will put money behind a new venture without a clear plan on how it will operate and what kind of revenue and profits are projected.

What to Include in Your Brewery Business Plan

There’s a lot to consider when you write a brewery business plan. To help you out, here are some of the essential features to include in this document:

Business Description Section

Start with an executive summary of your business. This should be a description with the basic outline of what your brewery business will look like, what it will do, and why it exists. The executive summary should include details like your brewery name, its purpose for being, and why you want to start it.

Also include the type of brewery you plan to start and the proposed size. Do you imagine a lively beer hall, a country brewery, a trendy gastropub? A clear concept and vision to work toward are essential. You should also include goals that you want to achieve.

The craft brewery industry is highly competitive, so it’s vital that your brewery stands out. Make sure to include your mission statement, what will make your brewery unique, and why this is important.

Business Operations Section

A vital part of the planning process is outlining exactly how your business will operate. When creating a plan for your craft brewery, try to detail exactly how the establishment will work - from sourcing ingredients to selling beer to customers.

Will you have a restaurant in your brewery? Will you sell beer to liquor stores, or will it only be available to consume on-site? If you do sell beer off premises, will you have sales reps? How far around the country do you plan to stock your beer? These are all important things to consider in your business model.

When you write a brewery business plan, include every detail of your operations. Think about transporting your beer, whether your brews will change over seasons, whether you will bottle or can your brews, and so on.

Management and Team Overview

A key part of your brewery business plan is outlining the people behind your business. You will need to have a plan for staffing and management requirements. Who will be in charge of which jobs? Having a clear management and staffing team structure will help you understand your brewery operations realistically.

You will certainly need a head brewer and a general manager. Depending on your business model, you might also need a chef/kitchen manager, a sales manager, and various support staff roles, such as assistant brewers, cooks, bartenders, and wait staff.

As a brewery owner, outline why you are the right fit for the job. Outline your brewery-related qualifications, experience, and interests. Repeat this for any other management positions that you have secured.

Menu Overview

If your brewery is going to be a success, it will need a great product. Carefully planned menus are vital parts of all breweries' business plans. Ideally, you should have already perfected your recipes and have some sample products and home brews available if you need to convince investors.

As a brewery, start with your beverage menu. Outline precisely what brews you will produce.

Will you have a flagship beer that your brewery is known for? Will you offer seasonal or limited-edition beers?

Make sure that the style of beers you brew makes sense to your location and target market. Having tried-and-tested recipes for your beers is essential. You will also need to know exactly what equipment you require for brewing all of your beers.

Then you will probably also need a food or snack menu. Some breweries are known for their food, while others serve light snacks to compliment their beers. Figure out a sample menu for your brewery and match it to your brewery concept. Will you do beer pairings? Will your brewery have a theme (like German or all-American BBQ)?

Again, testing this out and getting feedback on it is crucial. You will also need to make sure you understand the exact kitchen and equipment requirements for your menu.

You might be an amazing brewer with a killer business idea, but choosing the wrong location could be the downfall of your brewery. Location plays a massive role in the success of any brewery so try to be as specific about your location as possible in your microbrewery business plan. Take the time to carefully research different location options.

Ideally, you should open your brewery in an area with minimal competition and high demand. When choosing your business address, look for features like foot traffic, visibility, parking, and a great view. Some breweries are opened as “destination” breweries and could be in a remote or unique area that people want to travel to. Others do well in busy areas full of hungry and thirsty customers, like tourist destinations or shopping malls.

Of course, your brewery space will also need to be large enough to brew beer and seat customers or do tastings. However, some breweries have separate premises for brewing and serving the public.

Market Research

No business plan summary is complete without in-depth local market research. You need to understand your market and target customers. Use this to provide evidence of why your brewery idea will be viable. This should include an analysis of market trends, competitors, and customer segments.

Do some detailed competitive analysis of the area you plan to open your brewery. Understand who your main competitors will be and how your business will be different from them.

You will also need to understand the demand for a brewery. Asking locals and even sending out questionnaires can help here. You could also try to do a market or a “pop-up” brewery event in the area, partnering with another local business. This will help you understand demand and how people react to your craft beers.

Another central bit of market research is to create a detailed target customer persona. This should include your ideal clients' demographics, interests, income, age, and other relevant details.

Your competitive analysis section should also cover the general market price of craft beer and food in your area. When you conduct research, try to visit as many direct competitors as possible to understand how they operate, what they do well, and what you can do better.

A thorough market analysis will give you a good idea of the scale your brewery should operate at, who your potential customers are, and what new markets you could tap into.

Business Structure and Licenses

Outlining how your business will be structured is an integral part of any business plan. This needs to include who the business owners will be.

Some business structures include a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited liability company (LLC), and a corporation (C Corp). Choose the structure of your business based on how many people will be involved, how big the company will be, and how it will operate. The proper legal structure can have some significant personal and tax benefits.

When starting a brewery, include a plan for all of the licenses and legalities involved in the business. You will need permits for trading, selling food, and for brewing and selling beer. The specific requirements will differ between states. Contact your local government as early as you can to understand the specific legal requirements for your brewery.

Make sure to include the application process for these licenses in your timeline. You will also need to ensure these licenses, including a brewery license, are possible based on your business location.

Equipment and Setup

There’s a lot that goes into a brewery. Part of your brewery business plan is figuring out all the necessary equipment. This should be related to your menu, your brewery size, location, and how you plan to operate.

When planning your brewing equipment, consider the volume of beer you need to brew and have a clear plan for how you will be able to sell this. Your brewing capacity needs to be just right in terms of your business demand. If your capacity is too large, it will result in wastage. If it is too small, your brewing process won’t be able to hit demand, and you will miss out on revenue.

Beyond your brewing equipment, you might need kitchen equipment, a bar, tables and chairs, booths, glasses, a POS system , a coffee machine… the list goes on. Try to list every piece of equipment required for starting your business - from your mash tun right down to your coasters. All of these items need to be planned and accounted for. Getting this accurate is necessary for understanding what our realistic startup costs will be.

This might be quite a stressful part of our business plan, but it’s one of the most important things for all startups and small businesses to get right. Your brewery business plan must include accurate startup costs, predicted income statements, and financial projections. Quite simply, you will need to establish:

• How much capital is required to get the brewery started
• How much it will cost to operate the brewery
• How much revenue you can realistically expect to make each month (and year) after starting the business
• How much profit you will be able to generate

It seems simple enough, but a lot goes into this. You will need a clear profit and loss statement, realistic cash flow statements, and a pricing strategy that will work.

You also need to consider your cash reserves (you might not make a profit for a few months) and your stock and inventory. There is also packaging, software tools (accounting software, POS software, restaurant management software , etc.), payroll, and production costs. Let’s not forget to consider loan repayments, insurance, and other ongoing expenses.

If you pitch to potential investors or want to secure bank loans, you will need your financial plan to be absolutely watertight. This is what determines how viable your business idea is.

How will you attract customers once your business is open? You will need a clear marketing strategy. This could include a strong web presence , social media marketing, special promotions, eye-catching signage, a well-placed chalkboard, collaborations with other businesses, and more.

When establishing your marketing plan, keep your target customers in mind. The channels and strategies that your marketing plan includes will need to align with their interests.

Following these steps to draw up your business plan template should cover all the necessary details. Just remember that your brewery business plan is a working document. Dedicate enough time to creating your plan, and constantly update and improve it as you learn more about the market and industry.

Plan to host private events at your brewery? Get in touch with Perfect Venue to learn more about our event management software designed for breweries, independent restaurants, and hospitality groups.

Have thoughts on the article? Feel free to email us at [email protected] - we'd love to hear it!

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• Business Plans

Brewery Business Plan

There is no question that there has been an increase in the number of craft breweries around the United States over the last several years. In 2018 alone,  1,049 new breweries opened  while 219 closed their doors forever. With over 25.9 million barrels of craft beer sold in 2018, commanding over $27.6 billion in revenue, there’s no wonder that entrepreneurs are launching more breweries than ever. Unfortunately, setting up a brewery can be expensive. Often, entrepreneurs must seek the funds of investors to support the launch of their craft beer business. To meet and attract investors, they need a strong brewery business plan that supports their case and showcases the potential of their idea.

Writing a business plan for a brewery is a bit different than writing for other types of businesses. Even when compared to other food & drink venues, breweries have several unique factors that should be addressed as a strategy is devised.

In the following post, we will explain everything you need to know about creating an awesome investor-ready brewery business plan.

Download our winning brewery business plan template here!

The Brewery Business Plan Format

The layout for a brewery plan will typically follow that of a standard business plan. However, because of the unique nature of a brewery business, the approach to each section may be considerably different. Here are a few tips as you write through each section of your brewery business plan.

Executive Summary

Seed and  pre-seed investors  receive business plans constantly, and often, they don’t make it through the first few pages. The executive summary is probably the most critical part of your document. Essentially, this summary is the pitch that sells investors on reading the rest of the plan! With so many breweries launching, your executive summary must effectively explain what makes your brewery special. After reading your summary, investors should be able to clearly recognize what factors make your brewery unique and why consumers would choose to patronize your establishment over another. In general, your executive summary should sum up the major concepts that are explained throughout your plan. If delivered successfully, investors will be excited to continue reading your plan. *Tip*  Although the executive summary is presented first in your brewery business plan, you should write it last. This way, you can ensure that it follows your strategy perfectly and that it mentions all notable details.

Brewery Details

This section introduces readers to your brewery concept and the products that it will offer. There are four major parts to a brewery details section: 1) Description:  Explain how the brewery concept was conceived and the milestones that have been achieved to date. Milestones can include things such as finding a location, securing advisors, or establishing beneficial relationships. 2) Mission Statement:  Write a statement that explains what your brewery stands for, who it serves, its beliefs towards quality craft beer production, and the type of experience you hope to provide to guests. 3) Products & Services:  List out the different products and brands you serve. Explain what makes these products unique from competitive breweries. Whether your product is more flavorful or fresher, this is the section to describe why your product is special – if it is in fact special. Don’t just stop at the product itself, but also consider the type of unique experience that your customers can expect when frequenting your brewery. 4) Key Success Factors:  This section describes the factors that must be accomplished in order for you to successfully launch and operate a brewery. Major key factors for brewery success include things like finding the right location, having the right brewing process, choosing the right equipment, and building a repeat customer base.

Market Research

Unfortunately, not every market is ripe for a brewery. In some markets, there just aren’t enough ideal consumers to keep a brewery at a meaningful capacity. It’s important to know who your customers are, how many of them exist within your specific region, and how many you can attract to your brewery each day, week, or month. Start your research by performing a  target market analysis  to estimate the size of your serviceable obtainable market. Unless you can find the research to prove that there is both a large market and a high demand for a brewery, investors will hesitate to invest their capital. Assess the demographics of your target consumer. Use research from reliable resources like the Census to accurately estimate how large your market really is.

Competitive Analysis

No matter how great your beer is, your brewery will face some level of competition. Even if you are the only brewery in town, competition will come from local bars, restaurants, and local stores that sell craft beer. On a secondary level, there will also be competition from distributors of mass-produced domestic and imported beers. Make sure you identify all of your players within your local competitive landscape. Assess what customers enjoy about these venues and what they dislike.  Perform a SWOT analysis  on your brewery business and detail the advantages you have over other breweries, bars, beer suppliers.

Marketing Strategy

Having the best brewery in town is meaningless if you can’t get customers through the door. Unfortunately, just existing isn’t enough – competition in the food & beverage industry is usually quite extreme and customers have many options to choose from. Decide how you will introduce your brewery to potential customers. Whether it’s local marketing with newspaper ads in a community newspaper or directory, or online using social media – an effective strategy must be implemented to succeed. Consider how you will market your brewery, how much you will invest into each method, and how many customers you will attract with your intended budget. Furthermore, answer the following questions:

• How will you ensure that customers are satisfied enough to give your brewery great ratings and reviews?
• How can you upsell to help increase the value of each customer on each visit?
• How can you ensure that customers will return to your brewery on an ongoing basis?

Operational Strategy

Planning a brewery is tough, but operating one is far more challenging. There are many factors that go into operating a brewery on an everyday basis. The operational strategy for your brewery plan should include the following elements:

• Location:  Explain where your brewery will be located, how big the facility will be, why it is the perfect location, how you will renovate the location, and more.
• Quality Control:  Maintaining product quality is essential for a brewery. Failure to stay on top of things could lead to food inspection violations. Detail the steps you will take to ensure that a high-quality standard is met at all times.
• Customer Service:  Breweries are service-based businesses, too. Customer service is key to ensuring that visitors are satisfied enough to return in the future. Describe how you will deal with customer service and how you will handle any customer complaints.
• Sales Process:  Explain the process of how a customer receives your product from the moment they walk into the door. Who seats them? Who serves them? How are they served? How is payment collected? What happens after they leave?
• Staffing:  Lastly, explain your staffing plan. Consider each individual you will need to hire to operate your brewery properly. When will you hire them? How will you train them? How much will you pay them?

Financial Projections

Finally, investors want to see the financial viability and potential of your brewery. Prior industry research should help you minimize assumptions as you build your financial model. Once you have identified all major expenses (such as equipment and staffing), be sure to identify minor expenses, too (such as equipment maintenance, cleaning supplies for the bathroom, soap to wash dishes with, and etc.). Your financial model should be realistic and should replicate the strategies described in your brewery business plan. It should showcase realistic growth, and should be based on real data and statistics – not fluffed up with too many unproven assumptions.

Special Considerations

While the  business plan format  of a brewery plan may be similar to every other plan, there are several special considerations that must be made. There are some challenges that are exclusive to food & beverage businesses, and some that are exclusive to breweries specifically. Here are three special considerations you should make when writing your brewery plan.

Pay Attention to the Details

Breweries have only recently began to explode across the country. Investors will either be experienced with breweries and extremely familiar with the associated details, or they will be clueless about what it takes to run a brewery. Either way, it is important that you are able to consider and communicate each detail clearly. Interview brewery owners who are not competitors – such as those operating in other regions. Ask if they can share their experience and have them look over your financials to make sure you aren’t forgetting anything. When starting a brewery, research is everything – and sometimes, you won’t find all the answers through an online search. Build relationships within the industry and use those relationships to to your advantage as you plan your brewery.

Consider the Community

Knowing your customer is essential to establishment and growth. The most loyal customers will generally come from the surrounding community. The better you know the community, the more effective you will be in serving your customers. Look into other food & beverage businesses that have launched within the area. Pay special attention to the ones that didn’t succeed. What factors led to their success? Why did other bars and restaurants succeed instead? Interview potential customers within the community. Ask them what they like about current options and what they’d like to see in a new brewery. The feedback will not only help you develop a business that the community supports, but it will also help you validate your concept to investors.

Know Your Numbers

If there’s one thing you want to be extremely detailed about – it’s your numbers. Finding out that your strategy isn’t viable during the business planning process may sting, but finding it out post-launch can completely derail your business. Every financial model will have some level of assumption built into it. Having too many assumptions though will turn a brewery financial model into a pipedream. When you write your brewery business plan, research as deeply as you can to find out the real numbers associated with starting and running your business.

Need Help With Your Brewery Business Plan?

Writing a brewery business plan can be an extensive challenge for an entrepreneur. At ThinkLions, we have written dozens of business plans for breweries and other food & beverage businesses – and we know what it takes to get your brewery funded. Need help?  Contact us  today and let us help you write the best brewery business plan possible!

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How to Write a Winning Beer and Wine Bar Business Plan (+ Template)

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be beneficial for beer and wine bar businesses who want to improve their strategy or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan outlines your company’s vision and documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you will accomplish it. To create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every beer and wine bar owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Bar Business Plan Template

What is a beer and wine bar business plan.

A beer and wine bar business plan is a formal written document describing your bar’s business strategy and feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Beer and Wine Bar Business Plan?

A beer and wine bar business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide to your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Beer and Wine Bar Business Plan

The following are the critical components of a successful beer and wine bar business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a beer and wine bar business plan is a one- to two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your beer and wine bar  
• Provide a summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast, among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

You may not have a long company history if you are just starting your beer and wine bar. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company or been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your beer and wine bar company, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen beer and wine bar business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an essential component of a beer and wine bar business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the beer and wine bar industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and, if applicable, how do these trends support your company’s success)?

You should also include sources for your information, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, a beer and wine bar’s customers may include:

• Business professionals in their 30s and 40s looking for a place to unwind after work with a drink and some appetizers.
• 20-something college students who want a place to hang out with friends on the weekends.

Include information about how your customers decide to buy from you and what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or beer and wine bar services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will differ from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them, if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or you may promote your beer and wine bar business via PR or by exhibiting at trade shows.

Operations Plan

This part of your beer and wine bar business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

You also need to include your company’s business policies in the operations plan. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, your Operations Plan will outline the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters and then each year for the following four years. 

Examples of milestones for a beer and wine bar include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include adding new locations, adding new services, or reaching a certain number of customers.

Management Team

List your team members here, including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific beer and wine bar industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here, you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs and the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Beer and Wine Bar  

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : Everything you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Beer and Wine Bar  

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include cash flow from:

• Investments

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup beer and wine bar business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Beer and Wine Bar  

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your beer and wine bar. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

A well-written beer and wine bar business plan is a must for any new bar owner. It’s a great tool for attracting investors and keeping the company focused.  

Finish Your Beer and Wine Bar Business Plan in 1 Day!

How To Write a Successful Brewpub Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for brewpub businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every brewpub business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Business Plan Template

What is a Brewpub Business Plan?

A brewpub business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Brewpub Business Plan?

A brewpub business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Brewpub Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful brewpub business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a brewpub business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your brewpub company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your brewpub business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your brewpub firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen brewpub business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a brewpub business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the brewpub industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the customers of a brewpub business may include local businesses and office workers looking for a place to unwind after work, consumers seeking distinctively-flavored beer, or customers who want to eat food with their beer.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or brewpub services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your brewpub business may have:

• Unique brewpub concept
• Extensive beer menu
• Casual and inviting atmosphere
• Good food options
• Excellent customer service

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your brewpub business via word-of-mouth marketing.

Operations Plan

This part of your brewpub business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a brewpub business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include expanding to a second location, adding new menu items, or increasing social media followers by 25%.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific brewpub industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Brewpub Business

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Brewpub Business

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup brewpub business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Brewpub Business

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your brewpub company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

A well-executed business plan will give you the best chance at success and keep you organized and on track as your brewpub company grows.

Now that you understand how to write a business plan, it’s time to get started on yours.  

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OSU-area plan would replace Bier Stube with nation's second-tallest wood-framed building

A Chicago-area company plans to build a 13-story apartment building in the University District out of wood, making it the country's second-tallest timber-framed building.

Harbor Bay Ventures is proposing the building on the site of the Bier Stube, a longtime Ohio State watering hole at 1479 N. High St.

"Our plan is to build Columbus’ first mass-timber building," said Dan Whalen, vice president of design and development for Harbor Bay. "We are really excited about that."

This would be Harbor Bay's second large, wood-framed structure. Two years ago, the company opened INTRO in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood, made of two timber-framed buildings, nine and 11 stories high. Harbor Bay bills INTRO as the nation's largest timber-framed building, though not the tallest.

The world's tallest mass-timber building, the 25-story Ascent tower, opened in Milwaukee nearly two years ago . Harbor Bay's campus-area building would be the second tallest mass-timber building in the U.S. behind the Milwaukee tower, according to several online lists of mass-timber buildings .

"Mass timber" has been used in constructing European high-rises since the mid-1990s, and is slowly becoming more common in the U.S. The technique, which involves laminating soft wood into large panels and beams, is considered more environmentally friendly than traditional steel-and-concrete construction, among other benefits.

"Using wood as a structural or finishing material not only offers aesthetic beauty, but enhances indoor air quality, acoustics, thermal comfort and energy efficiency," says Harbor Bay.

Harbor Bay's plans were approved Wednesday by the University Area Commission after the company agreed to make changes to the plan, including reducing the height from 15 stories. Harbor Bay is partnering on the project with Marker, a Philadelphia-based student housing company, and the Mollica and Ryan families, who own the Bier Stube site.

Harbor Bay's proposal is the latest for the Bier Stube site . Early last year, Buckeye Real Estate proposed a six-story apartment building on the site, but that proposal did not move forward.

Harbor Bay's plan, like Buckeye Real Estate's plan, would occupy the southwest corner of North High Street and West 9th Avenue intersection. In addition to the Bier Stube, the 14-0 Express convenience store and Yau's Chinese Bistro would be removed to make way for the apartments.

Harbor Bay's plan calls for a first-floor "podium" level of traditional steel and concrete topped by 12 floors built of wood. The building would include 184 apartments, ranging from studios to four-bedroom units, for a total 452 bedrooms. Like other student housing complexes, the units would be rented by the bedroom. Harbor Bay estimates that 90% of tenants would be students.

The building would be U-shaped, with the open part of the U facing south. On the north side of the building, five townhomes would open onto West 9th Avenue.

A deck, including a hot tub in the shape of a Block O, would sit in the middle of the U on the first floor roof. A fitness center and lounge would open onto the deck. Plans also include a library room, a listening room/record lounge, a "simulator room," a multimedia studio, a few conference rooms, multiple study pods and bike storage.

In addition to allowing the height, the University Area Commission granted a variance that allows no parking in the building, instead of the 276 spaces current zoning code requires. Harbor Bay's proposal notes that residents would have access to a surface parking lot on West 9th Avenue and a parking garage on East 9th Avenue, which Harbor Bay says are underused.

The apartment building would be by far the tallest of a string of new student housing developed along High Street and Lane Avenue. Harbor Bay notes in its proposal that the building would be significantly shorter than the 26-story OSU Wexner Medical Center's new building , and Morrill and Lincoln towers, also on Ohio State's campus.

Under the city's current zoning code, Harbor Bay's plan requires variances to raise the height and reduce parking. The project would have required few or no variances under the city's proposed zoning code , which would eliminate parking requirements and allow buildings up to 12 stories on the site, or 16 stories if the building includes affordable housing.

In its proposal, Harbor Bay says the site already includes affordable housing because it includes a string of affordable housing rentals along West 9th Avenue that Harbor Bay partly owns.

While the building was approved in a divided vote by the the University Area Commission, some commissioners remain concerned about the plan.

"To include no parking is just totally irresponsible," said Seth Golding, zoning chairman of the University Area Commission. "Even with the height reduction, this is twice as high as anything we've approved."

Golding said some commissioners felt their hands were tied a bit because Harbor Bay said it would leave alone the old affordable housing apartments that it owns on West 9th Avenue if the proposal was approved.

University Area Commissioner Michael Kehlmeier said he is also concerned about the project.

"The building will be much taller than any other building in the area," he said.

"I worry about the number of student housing units developers are building in the district," Kehlmeier said. "This is dorm-style student housing, not intended for nonstudents. ... I also worry that there is no parking at all in the building."

Kehlmeier also expressed concern that the building has no low-income housing.

Harbor Bay spokesman Steve Willobee said the company hopes to begin construction on the building this fall, and complete it 18 to 20 months later.

Willobee said Harbor Bay officials have been meeting with Columbus Building & Zoning officials on plans for the building.

"We're operating under current building codes, but as with any building method that hasn’t been used before, there’s familiarity that needs to be established and questions that need to be addressed," he said.

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'Save Beer Can Island' effort offers a piece of paradise - for a price

APOLLO BEACH, Fla. — A Tampa Bay man is working to recruit people online to become part owners of Pine Key, a nine-acre island two miles off the shore of Apollo Beach. Current owners put it on the market for $14 million earlier this year.

What You Need To Know

Nicholas lipidarov started the "save beer can island" effort to assemble a group to purchase pine key, also known as "beer can island" owners put the island on the market for $14 million earlier this year as of friday night, 660 people had pledged at least $1,000 toward the plan a current owner said there are several interested parties, but they aren't under contract yet.

“We wanted to see if we could get everybody together to do that and give people the opportunity to do that,” said Nicholas Lipidarov. “Maybe they wouldn’t be able to do that by themselves, but then together, we could all do it.”

Lipidarov set up a website asking people to “Help Save Beer Can Island” a few weeks ago. He’s asking for pledges of at least $1,000 that he said will be held in an escrow account in the trust of Pine Key Island, LLC, until the land is actually bought. He said that if the sale doesn’t happen, all the money would be returned. As of Friday night, 660 pledges had been made. 

“The phone hasn’t stopped ringing all day long — phone, e-mail — and I’m just trying to keep up with everybody, but they are excited,” he said.

The current owners bought the island in 2017, and they said they’ve had their struggles with Hillsborough County, including a legal battle over code violation citations that were ultimately dismissed . Last year, commissioners talked about creating a new land use category for the island that owners worried might shut it down to the public. Lipidarov said he’s not worried about that.

“Of course, we’d always have to work with them to make sure that we’re doing everything as a family-oriented place, and I think they’d like to see that in the county,” he said.

Lipidarov said the goal is to keep the popular recreation a place the public can enjoy.

“We wanted to open it up to the public, and I think we have a lot of people on board that want to do that, as well. They want to make it accessible for everybody,” said Lipidarov. 

The current owners have posted about Lipidarov’s effort on their own website. Co-owner Cole Weaver and Lipidarov said they had a meeting on Friday. Weaver said owners have several interested parties but aren’t under contract yet. 

Lipidarov said if his effort is successful, he’d like to make the island even more family friendly, expand the beach, and build breakwaters, among other additions. He said the deadline to submit payments will be sometime at the end of May.

How to Write a Bar Business Plan + Free Sample Plan PDF

Elon Glucklich

6 min. read

Updated March 17, 2024

Free Downloads: Sample Bar and Brewery Business Plan Templates

From sports bars to neighborhood pubs to upscale cocktail bars—drinking establishments are one of the oldest and most enduring types of businesses.

And the industry is projected to grow nearly 2.5% between 2023 and 2030, leaving plenty of opportunity for new businesses..

But competition in the bar industry can be fierce. You need to know your clientele, competitors, and how you’ll stand out if you want to succeed. Not to mention mapping out all the details of your financials and operations. 

Luckily, you can cover all of that (and more) by writing a business plan.

• What should you include in a bar business plan?

These are the typical sections to consider including in your bar business plan.

• Executive Summary
• Market Analysis
• Marketing and Sales Strategy 
• Operations Plan
• Business Overview

Financial plan

The sections you need will vary depending on why you’re writing a business plan and what you intend to do with it . 

Suppose it’s to manage your operations and not something you expect anyone outside of the business to read. In that case, consider keeping it to a few pages and skipping sections like the executive summary.

If you’re applying for a loan, then you’ll need a more formal plan that includes all the sections listed above.

Check out our step-by-step guide to writing a full business plan for more details.

• The 6 elements of an effective bar business plan

Executive summary

Your executive summary is a short, high-level overview of your entire plan. 

The summary should give readers a sense of what factors will make your bar successful. That could include securing a high-visibility location, partnering with a chef who will oversee meal preparation, or negotiating deals with brewers to get their beers in your bar.

If you’re seeking a bank loan for your bar, the lender will read your executive summary first. In all likelihood, they won’t read any further unless the executive summary grabs their attention. 

So, make it clear and convincing.

Market analysis

The market analysis may be the most important part of your entire business plan. 

It’s where you carefully research and document:

• Who your target customers are
• What they want
• What other establishments they may consider

Start by identifying the size of your market . Focus on the number of potential customers above the legal drinking age in your area. Then, segment these customers based on demographics such as age, income level, and lifestyle preferences. 

Then look into who you will be competing with. List and research other bars as well as indirect competition from restaurants, clubs, and even grocery stores that sell beer or home entertainment options.

Here are a few examples of what this process will look like:

Bar customer segmentation

If you find there are a lot of college students and younger adults near your bar location, you should cater your offerings to their tastes. But if you’re near office buildings or event venues, you may want to focus on older customers with more disposable income.

Will you offer a more diverse drink menu, better food, or a unique theme? Explain how these factors will set your bar apart and attract customers. Or, if your area lacks a certain type of bar, such as a sports bar or a high-end cocktail lounge, describe how filling this gap in the market will serve as your competitive advantage.

Marketing and sales strategy

Your market analysis gives you insights into potential customers. Your marketing and sales strategy is where you use those insights to get those customers in your door.

As you looked around at your competitive landscape, maybe you gained some insight into how your ideal customers discover new bars — through social media, online reviews, local event listings, or word-of-mouth.

Start by developing marketing strategies that are tailored to those channels . Consider tactics like:

• Creating engaging social media content showcasing your unique drinks, events and ambiance.
• Partnering with local businesses or events to increase visibility.
• Introducing special promotions to encourage repeat visits and attract new customers.
• Hosting themed nights or events to create buzz and attract specific customer segments.

In your business plan, document how you will implement these efforts and the resources required. 

Operations plan

The operations section of your business plan is where you detail the day-to-day requirements for running the bar smoothly. Start by describing your physical space and key equipment, such as:

• Beverage dispensing systems
• Glassware and utensils

Specify the types and number of each that you’ll need. Then you can address staffing needs, describing the roles of bartenders, servers, and support staff. Document in your plan that you’ll have a staffing strategy to cover peak hours.

You should also cover inventory management. Describe how you’ll stock alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, ingredients for cocktails and food. Be sure to spend time discussing supply chains for sourcing these ingredients.

Document the types of technology you’re using, like point-of-sale systems, inventory tracking, or customer reservation platforms. 

Finally, ensure that your operations plan demonstrates how you will comply with any licensing, health and safety regulations and that you have a plan for ensuring responsible customer behavior.

Business overview

The overview should fill in any gaps the reader may have, including:

• The name of your bar
• When it was founded (if it’s an existing business)
• The inspiration behind the business

You should include the background and qualifications of key team members here. Include their experience in the bar industry and any other experience that’s relevant to their position.

If you’re running an existing bar, discuss previous achievements like revenue milestones, recognitions, or community events you’ve hosted.

You don’t need a deep financial background to run a successful business. But it’s important to develop projections for how you expect the bar to perform. If you’re starting a new bar, consider that you’ll need to pay upfront costs like equipment, supplies, licenses and rent.

Then there are the ongoing costs like employee salaries, marketing, and continuing to keep your shelves stocked.

Making educated guesses about the future will help you determine what’s working, and where you should make adjustments as you run your business.

Include sales and expense forecasts in your plan. The financial section also should include a cash flow statement , income statement , and balance sheet .

Remember, no one knows exactly how the future will pan out — these projections are your baseline for how you think the business will do, and you’ll adjust them over time as you update your plan with actual results.

• Bar business plan templates and examples

To see how other bar businesses have created their plans, browse our free library of bar and brewery business plans . You can also check out our full selection of food and beverage business plans , or our entire library of over 550 business plans across industries.

Download as many as you want in PDF or Word format to help you write your own business plan.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Elon is a marketing specialist at Palo Alto Software, working with consultants, accountants, business instructors and others who use LivePlan at scale. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA from the University of Oregon.

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The European Parliament approved rules on Tuesday to give consumers the right to have worn-out products like washing machines and smartphones repaired by producers, to cut waste and make goods last longer.

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Famine risk 'very high' in Gaza, especially in north, US official says

Israel has taken significant steps in recent weeks on allowing aid into Gaza, the U.S. special regional envoy for humanitarian issues said on Tuesday, but considerable work remained to be done as the risk of famine in the enclave is "very high."

An aide to a member of the European Parliament for the far-right Alternative for Germany has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of "especially severe" espionage for China, the latest in a spate of such arrests across Europe.