What went into the Bridgehead business plan? The successful fair trade coffeehouse chain took off in Canada in the early 1980s. Extremely popular in Ottawa and frequently recognized by food and trade magazines as one of the leading independent coffee ships in the provinces, this Canadian venture sells more than just coffee. Teas, snacks, soups, and salads are all part of the mix. Now owned by a group of more than two dozen independent investors, Bridgehead started out with a much more modest business plan: deliver high-quality, fair trade coffee at a reasonable price and the customers will come. It worked, and now the business has been going for three decades. Starting your own coffee shop, and wondering what should go into the business plan?
• A short, clear executive summary
• A sources and uses of funds table (start-up summary)
• A market analysis showing the immediate vicinity's population
• A competitive comparison and industry analysis
• A list of marketing strategies you'll employ
• A bio for yourself, any other owners, and a personnel plan
The business plan for a coffee shop, fair trade or otherwise, follows a fairly simple model but does need to include all of the common elements that banks will look for when deciding whether a new venture is creditworthy. The business plan should feature all of the important financial tables – cash flow, profit and loss, balance sheet, sensitivity analysis, break-even point, and revenues – for a period of at least three years. (In some cases, a 5 year pro forma will be required.) Whether you ever achieve the success of Bridgehead or not, you WILL need a plan to get going, and no one is as well-equipped to develop one for you as Portland, Oregon's MasterPlans.com. From Canada to the U.S. to Europe, we have developed funding-ready documents for a wide range of coffee businesses. Call today! 877-453-2011
