Small businesses and producers are essential in every industry. They fill gaps present in the marketplace, create jobs which in turn positively affect the local economy and innovate at a rate typically unheard of in larger corporations. Despite all of these positive influences for the economy and the industry they operate in, small businesses are typically those most affected by barriers to entry in the industries they operate in. If you’re a small business looking to enter the beverage industry, it’s imperative to be aware of the challenges that you may face so as to know how to best tackle them.
MOQ’s
The greatest asset in every business is inventory. Finding the perfect balance between having enough to supply demand without having too much that goes to waste, is often the biggest challenge that businesses face. MOQ’s or Minimum Order Quantities tend to exacerbate this barrier for smaller businesses. Bui
The covid-19 pandemic has done nothing to help this issue either. Production facilities all over the world were strained due to large financial losses and reduced numbers of staff leading to the closure of many of these facilities. When facilities like this are strained, they tend to shift their attention to companies with larger and more frequent order quantities. This means that production facilities have become a lot pickier with who they work with, they do this by raising MOQs and refusing business.
At InnoBev, our goal is to give smaller producers a chance to grow. Our MOQ are lower than industry standard, to get your beverage brand off the ground without the strain
Recipe Development
Turning your drink idea into a commercial product is more often than not, the first step taken in setting up a beverage business. Creating a commercially viable beverage isn’t just about having a great tasting drink (although it is a great help). It involves various rounds of prototypes, shelf-life stability testing, sourcing high quality, yet cost effective ingredients and so on!
Producing alcoholic beverages is another level altogether. Having a brewer or distiller on a consultative basis is a must, not a maybe. Without industry connections, this can prove to be incredibly difficult to source.
We strongly believe that a great recipe is the foundation upon which sales are built. Let our recipe development services help you and your brand grow.
Industry Connections
Our team has a wealth of experience in the drinks industry. With a lot of experience, comes a lot of connections. As the saying goes “It’s all about who you know”. While it is possible to succeed in the industry without connections (and many have!), introductions to the right people can make your life a lot easier. If needed, we can connect you with people for every step of the beverage production process from ingredient suppliers to package designers and suppliers.
Regulatory Compliance
The Irish are renowned for their high quality food and drinks produce. This level of quality also comes with high standards. Irish food and drink producers are amongst the most regulated producers in the world. This can make it extremely difficult to navigate the waters as a startup or as a small business. We will be there every step of the way to help you through the process of which programs to register for, applications for various beverage-related licenses.
While it’s important to appreciate that these barriers to entry exist in the beverage market, if you have a strong product you can leverage your unique offering with a niche target market to your advantage. Having the support to navigate these barrier is also extremely helpful. At InnoBev, we help drink brands go from concept to shelf within a 6 month period. If you want to set up a chat with our team or are looking to learn more you can contact us here!