how to write a business plan for a bottled water company

Bottled Water Company Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Bottled Water Business Plan

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

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Bottled Water businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Bottled Water business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company is a startup bottled water company located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The company is founded by Eileen Dursten, a local landowner with a series of fresh waterfalls and streams located on her thirty-acre property just outside the city of Knoxville. Eileen has been studying the concept of providing bottled water from an acceptable source of freshwater for some years. She recently had the water in three streams on her property tested for bacteria and parasitic evidence, and received a report that the water was highly-potable and acceptable for bottling. With this information, she’s decided to move forward to build the necessary infrastructure and office area to start her bottled water business.

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will provide a unique, fresh and local source of water within each bottle, made especially for the communities within the Knoxville area. The brand name will become synonymous with “clean, crisp notes of the mountains” and it will be a distinctive product for consumers to purchase. ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will be the ultimate choice in Knoxville for fresh bottled water, while also offering the best pricing for local water in Knoxville.

Product Offering

The following are the products that ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will provide:

• Bottled water in consumer-sized containers: 12 ounce, 16 ounce and 24 ounce.
• Bottled water in 5-gallon and 7-gallon drum sizes to fit water dispensing machines.
• Flavored water (watermelon, peach, apple, lemon, and lime) in 16 ounce bottles.
• Carbonated water in 12 ounce, 16 ounce and 24 ounce sizes.

Customer Focus

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will target all individuals within the greater Knoxville area and surrounding communities. In addition, they will also target companies who use water dispensing systems. They will also target party planners and event coordinators who will want large quantities of specialty water or custom-made belly bands on the bottles for weddings, anniversaries, etc. ClearRiver Bottled Water Company is committed to serving every customer in the best way possible, meeting requests for customized bottles or simply one bottle of water with courtesy.

Management Team

RiverClear Bottled Water Company will be owned and operated by Eileen Dursten, who will take the role of President. She has recruited John Matheson, a Senior Engineer, from the Jacksonville, Florida company, SwampWater, LLC.

John created the SwampWater brand and developed the water treatment and bottling systems to the 6M business it is today. He initiated robotic labeling and packaging in 2017 and has been at the forefront of business trends throughout his entire career of twenty-five years at SwampWater, LLC.

John’s role will be Senior Engineer and Vice President of the company. He is eager to be back in the Knoxville area, where his family resides, and is also eager to create another success with RiverClear Bottled Water.

Success Factors

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly-qualified team at ClearRiver Bottled Water Company.
• Faultless system for treating and clarifying the pure local water of Knoxville prior to bottling.
• Unique flavoring and/or carbonation processes added to the product line that will appeal to all ages.
• Unique aspect of fresh water from the immediate area, as a “taste of home” product.
• ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will offer the best pricing in Knoxville for bottled water in comparison to other offerings. The customer, no matter whether a small concern or a large business, will receive modest pricing for superior products.

Financial Highlights

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its ClearRiver Bottled Water Company. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the office space and purchasing office 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 marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Office space build-out: $20,000
• Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph outlines the financial projections for ClearRiver Bottled Water Company.

Company Overview

Who is clearriver bottled water company.

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company is a newly established full-service water bottling company located in Knoxville, Tennessee. ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will be the most reliable, cost-effective, and efficient choice for bottled water in the city of Knoxville and the surrounding communities. ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will provide a comprehensive menu of pure local water, flavored waters, and carbonated water products for any customer to utilize. Their full-service approach includes a free water-tasting event in their bottling facility for those who would like to tour the bottling plant.

  Eileen Dursten and John Matheson will be able to provide a variety of bottled water for the residents and visitors of Knoxville. The team of professionals are highly qualified and experienced in water purification, bottling and marketing. ClearRiver Bottled Water Company is the perfect solution for those customers seeking the crisp, clear water that comes from natural streams within their local area. The best customer service will accompany that water, ensuring a seamless experience for all customers.

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company History

Since incorporation, ClearRiver Bottled Water Company has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered ClearRiver Bottled Water Company, LLC to transact business in the state of Tennessee.
• Has a contract in place at one of the office buildings, where Eileen Dursten will manage the staff within the 10,000 square foot office space.
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include RiverClear Bottled Water at corporate and private party events, in addition to distribution at grocery stores and convenience shops throughout the regional area.
• Began recruiting a staff of four employees for the bottling plant and 2 office personnel to handle filing, scheduling and mitigating errors.

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company Services

The following will be the services ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will provide:

Industry Analysis

• The bottled water industry is expected to grow over the next five years to over $12 billion in 2030.
• The growth will be driven by consumer demand for clean, notably pure and reliable water sources.
• The growth will be driven by the need for safe water in areas where unsafe water is often consumed, leading to illnesses.
• The growth will be driven by the demand of consumers seeking flavored and carbonated waters in lieu of sugary sodas and fruit juices.
• Costs will likely be reduced as prices are lowered for bottling processes through the use of robotics and other time-and-space saving bottling techniques.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will target individuals, companies, event planners, and party coordinators in Knoxville, Tennessee. They will target associations and city and state governmental entities who will want products that originate in the city or state.

Customer Segmentation

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• They will target all individuals within the greater Knoxville area and surrounding communities.
• They will target companies who use water dispensing systems.
• They will target party planners and event coordinators who will want large quantities of specialty water or custom-made belly bands on the bottles for weddings, anniversaries, etc.
• They will target every customer, whether a small shop or a large enterprise and serve every customer with courtesy.

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Crystal Water Company

The Crystal Water Company, a direct competitor, is owned by a conglomerate, S & H Products, located in Dallas, Texas. Crystal Water is produced in Texas, bottled, and shipped to national distribution centers for delivery to individual chain markets, such as Walmart, Target, Safeway, and other companies that sell bottled water. Distribution is approximately 11 million bottles of water shipped monthly. The water is labeled as “pure” and carries no flavor or carbonation.

The S & H Products Company is owned and operated by the Stewart and Hart Family Trust, which has been in existence for over 75 years, selling and bottled water from a water purification system located on the family ranch.

Naturally Sweet Sparkling Water Company

The Naturally Sweet Sparkling Water Company is a direct competitor, in that the company bottles and ships water throughout Tennessee and surrounding areas. The water is carbonated, sweetened with a sugar product, and flavored artificially. No claims are made of “pure” or “local” water being used in the making of the bottled waters.

The Naturally Sweet Sparkling Water Company is owned by Hugh Grover, a businessman who started a grocery outlet in 1990 and saw the opportunity to move into bottled sparkling water when parents began to complain that their children were drinking too much soda. Hugh played with water flavors and carbonation levels until he found the perfect fit, then brought in a bottling company to replicate his efforts. His company targets individuals, companies, and private party planners across the state of Tennessee.

Grover’s Back Road Water

Grover’s Back Road Water was started in Tennessee in 1973 by Arnie Grover, a farmer who held thirty acres of prime dark dirt and planted it all in sweet corn and tobacco. Arnie saw the potential to add products to his farm sales; he developed an earthy water to replicate the very dark water of the farming communities in the Tennessee areas. Arnie targets young adults and older adults who favor unusual tastes and water that is reminiscent of old farmhouse water systems. Grover’s Back Road Water is found in bars, coffee shops, restaurants, and convenience stores within the outlying communities of Knoxville and is sold in single 16-ounce bottle sizes only. It is an “acquired taste” and consumers are often split on whether or not the earthy-flavored water is exceptional or not. The company has developed plans to increase production and introduce new flavors of water, but has not done so as yet.

Competitive Advantage

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Highly-qualified team of skilled employees who are able to provide a comprehensive menu of bottled waters, including flavored waters and carbonated waters.
• Fresh, pure water from local streams that is purified, filtered and bottled under the best conditions.
• Packaged and presented to appeal to all consumers.
• Pricing that is modest and lower than national brands of water.
• A “made at home” feel and look to the bottled water.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for ClearRiver Bottled Water Company is as follows:

Social Media Marketing

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will use social media contacts provided by friends, family and local contacts to assist in sharing news about the launch of ClearRiver Bottled Water Company. The announcements will include free “water-tasting” parties at local malls and discounts on bottled water when the ClearRiver Bottled Water Truck is parked in the central area of Knoxville and offering giveaway prizes.

Professional Associations and Networking

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will join associations and community groups to network and build relationships with area companies in Knoxville. Both Eileen Dursten and John Matheson will join groups and work to secure contracts for events or large-quantity orders.

Print Advertising

One week prior to the launch of ClearRiver Bottled Water Company, every home in Knoxville will receive a direct mail offer, including a discount on bottled water and an invitation to attend a free tasting in the Knoxville city square. Prizes will be distributed at that event to celebrate the launch.

Website/SEO Marketing

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will utilize a website that is well-organized, informative, and complete. It will list all the services that ClearRiver Bottled Water Company is able to provide. The website will also list the contact information and the places where the bottled water can be purchased. SEO marketing tactics will be utilized so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “bottled water company” or “bottled water near me”, ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive excellent value when purchasing their services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for ClearRiver Bottled Water Company. Operation Functions:

• RiverClear Bottled Water Company is owned by Eileen Dursten, who will take the role of President. She will develop relationships with large accounts and work on product development with John Matheson.
• Eileen Dursten has recruited John Matheson, a Senior Engineer, from the Jacksonville, Florida company, SwampWater, LLC. John’s role will be Senior Engineer and Vice President of the company. John will oversee all water purification and treatment processes in addition to developing new products and managing staff members.
• Rocky Anderson will be the Operations & Maintenance Director for the facilities and the office. He will lead a team of two staff members who will clean, prepare, assist in filtration and other duties as assigned.
• Pamela Nygard will be the Office Manager, overseeing systems, scheduling and handling staff matters.

Milestones:

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will have the following milestones completed in the next six months.

• 5/1/202X – Finalize contract to lease office space
• 5/15/202X – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the ClearRiver Bottled Water Company
• 6/1/202X – Finalize distributor contracts for ClearRiver Bottled Water Company
• 6/15/202X – Begin networking at industry events
• – Begin moving into ClearRiver Bottled Water Company office
• – ClearRiver Bottled Water Company opens its office for business

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company will be owned and operated by Eileen Dursten. She recruited John Matheson, a former Senior Engineer, from the Jacksonville, Florida company, SwampWater, LLC.

Eileen Dursten, a local landowner with a series of fresh waterfalls and streams located on her thirty-acre property just outside the city of Knoxville. Eileen has been studying the concept of providing bottled water from an acceptable source of freshwater for some years. She recently had the water in three streams on her property tested for bacteria and parasitic evidence, and received a report that the water was highly-potable and acceptable for bottling. With this information, she’s decided to move forward to build the necessary infrastructure and office area to start her bottled water business.

John’s role will be Senior Engineer and Vice President of the company. John will oversee all water purification and treatment processes in addition to developing new products and managing staff members.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for ClearRiver Bottled Water Company are the fees they will charge to the customers for their products.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff the company office. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, office supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

ClearRiver Bottled Water Company is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its bottled water company..The funding will be dedicated towards securing the office space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward 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:

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 Customers Per Month: 600 (30 corporate; 570 single-unit)
• Average Fees per Month: $27,000
• Office Lease per Year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, bottled water business plan faqs, what is a bottled water company business plan.

A bottled water company business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your bottled water 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 Bottled Water Company business plan using our Bottled Water Company Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Bottled Water Companies? 

There are a number of different kinds of bottled water companies , some examples include: Purified or Distilled bottled water, Sparkling bottled water, and Alkaline bottled waters.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Bottled Water Company?

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

What are the Steps To Start a Bottled Water Company?

Starting a bottled water company 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 Bottled Water Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed bottled water 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 bottled water 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 bottled water business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Bottled Water Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your bottled water 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 bottled water 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 Bottled Water Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your bottled water 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 bottled water 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 bottled water company:

• How to Start a Bottled Water Company

Sachet Water Production Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Food Sector » Food Processing

Are you about starting a sachet water production company? If YES, here is a complete sample sachet water production business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

You may not find a sachet water company in developed countries because they may not welcome the idea of a sachet water business. However, in developing countries like Nigeria , it has become a thriving industry. If you are interested in the bottled water production business and you don’t have the capacity to go into the business, then one of your best bet is to start a sachet water production business.

Although a sachet water production company is easy to set up, but you would need to do proper ground work if you must make headway in this line of business. This is because there are loads of sachet water production and distribution companies scattered all across Nigeria and you are expected to compete with them for the available market.

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A Sample Sachet Water Production Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Sachet or bottled water as the case maybe is one commodity that is consumed in all parts of the world and of course those that are in the business of producing sachet or bottled water, are known to generate sales year in year out if the business is well managed.

As a matter of fact, economic downturn hardly affects the consumption of sachet or bottled water because water is as important as the air we breathe.

Production companies in the sachet and bottled water industry basically purify and bottle water into plastic and glass bottles for consumption. The bottled and sachet water are properly packaged (sealed or capped) and labeled accordingly before being sold to the general public.

Companies in this industry usually have an assortment of water offerings such as spring water, mineral water, sparkling water and flavored water in a range of sizes and prizes. Players in this industry are also involved in ice manufacturing.

It is common to find big corporations who are into production of soft drinks, food and beverages engage in the production of bottled water.

Research conducted by IBISWorld shows that in the united states of America, the level of concentration in the Bottled Water Production industry is modest, as the top four players are expected to generate 65.5 percent of the industry revenue.

Given the heavy bulk weight of industry products and the relatively low value per unit sold, bottled water production is generally taken on by large companies with major economies of scale and heavy investments in transportation.

While the majority of bottled water production is performed as one of many activities within the corporate portfolios of international food and beverage companies, the remaining portion of the industry’s production is performed through small-sized local players.

The Bottled Water Production industry is a thriving sector of the economy of the United States of America and they generate over $5 billion annually from more than 565 registered and licensed bottle water production companies scattered all around the United States of America.

The industry is responsible for the employment of well over 14,360 people. Experts project the bottle water production industry to grow at a 4.0 percent annual rate. The Coca Cola Company, Nestle and Pepsi Co are the world leaders in the bottled water industry; they have the lion market share in the United States of America and in most countries of the world.

Despite the fact that there are big corporations who are into the production of bottled water, the fact remains that starting a small – scale sachet water production business has minimal barriers to entry, with low startup capital. Most players in the sachet water production industry are small to medium size establishments that cater to the local community.

With this kind of business, if you want to start on a small scale, you can choose to start servicing your local community. All you would need are contacts, packaging, networking and good marketing and customer service skills. However, if you intend starting it on a large scale, then you should consider spreading beyond your local community to the state and even national level.

Over and above, the bottled water production industry that sachet water is a part of is indeed a profitable industry and it is open for any aspiring entrepreneur to come in and establish his or her business.

2. Executive Summary

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is a licensed and standard sachet water production company that will be located in Ikeja, Lagos – Nigeria. We have been able to secure a long-term lease for a facility in a strategic location with an option of a long-term renewal on  agreed terms and conditions that are favorable to us.

The facility has government approval for the kind of business we want to run, it is easily accessible and we are deliberate about that to facilitate easy movement of raw materials and finished products.

We are in the sachet water production business to engage in purifying and packaging sachet water. We are also in business to make profit and at the same to give our customers value for their money; we want to give people and businesses who patronize our sachet water the opportunity to be part of the success story of Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company.

We are aware that there are several large and small scale sachet and bottled water production companies whose products can be found everywhere in Nigeria, which is why we spent time and resources to conduct our feasibility studies and market survey so as to enable us locate the business in an area that will support the growth of the business.

We ensured that our facility is easy to locate and we have mapped out plans to develop a wide distribution network for wholesalers all around Ikeja and environs. Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company will ensure that all our customers (wholesale distributors) are given first class treatment whenever they visit our Depot/Plant.

We have a CRM software that will enable us manage a one on one relationship with our customers (wholesale distributors) no matter how large the number of our customer base may grow to. We will ensure that we get our customers involved when making some business decisions that will directly or indirectly affect them.

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is family business that will be owned by Mark Bassey Hector and his immediate family members. Bassey Hector who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Company is Graduate of Micro Biology (B.Sc.) and he holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management (MBA) from the University of Lagos.

He has over 5 years’ experience working in related industry as a senior manager prior to starting Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company. He will be working with a team of professionals to build the business and grow it to enviable height.

3. Our Products and Services

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is going to operate a standard and licensed sachet water production company whose products will not only be sold in Ikeja – Lagos State but also throughout Lagos State and neighboring states.

We are in the sachet water production business to make profits and also to give our customers value for their money. These are some of the products that we will be offering;

• Sachet water
• Bottled water (in the nearest future)
• Dispensable water (in the nearest future)

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to establish a standard sachet water Production Company whose products will be sold not only in Ikeja, but also throughout Nigeria.
• Our mission is to establish a standard and world class sachet water Production Company that in our own capacity will favorably compete with leaders in the industry such as Nestle Foods, Coca Cola Company, and Pepsi Co et al.

Our Business Structure

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is a business that is established with the aim of competing favorably with other leading sachet and bottled water brands in Nigeria. This is why we will put the right structure in place that will support the kind of growth that we have in mind while setting up the business.

We will ensure that we only hire people that are qualified, honest, hardworking, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all our stakeholders.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more depending how fast we meet our set target. In view of that, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Executive Officer (Owner)

Plant Manager

• Sales and Marketing Officers
• Accountants/Cashiers

Distribution Truck Drivers

• Production/Machine Operators

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO (Owner):

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the sachet water production plant
• Part of the team that determines the quantity of sachet water that are to be produced per day
• Maps out strategy that will lead to efficiency amongst workers in the plant
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of plant workers
• Ensures that the steady flow of both raw materials to the plant and easy flow of finished products through wholesale distributors to the market
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Serves as the quality control officer
• Ensures that the plant meets the expected safety and health standard at all times

Sales and Marketing Manager

• Manages external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
• Model demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer purchases
• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Helps to increase sales and growth for the company

Accountant/Cashier

• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the organization
• Serves as internal auditor for the organization

Production Workers/Machine Operators:

• Responsible for purifying and sealing of water
• Assist in packaging and loading bags of sachet water into distribution trucks
• Any other duty as assigned by the plant manager
• Assists in loading and unloading bags of sachet water
• Maintains a logbook of their driving activities to ensure compliance with federal regulations governing the rest and work periods for operators
• Keeps a record of vehicle inspections and make sure the truck is equipped with safety equipment
• Assists the transport and logistics manager in planning their route according to a delivery schedule
• Local-delivery drivers may be required to sell products or services to stores and businesses on their route, obtain signatures from recipients and collect cash
• Transport finished goods and raw materials over land to and from manufacturing plants or retail and distribution centers
• Inspect vehicles for mechanical safety issues and perform preventative maintenance
• Complies with truck driving rules and regulations (size, weight, route designations, parking, break periods etc.) as well as with company policies and procedures
• Collects and verify delivery instructions
• Reports defects, accidents or violations

6. SWOT Analysis

We are not unaware that there are several sachet and bottled water production companies both large and small all-around Lagos State which is why we are following the due process of establishing a business so as to compete favorable with them.

We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be welled equipped to confront our threats.

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company employed the services of an expert HR and Business Analyst with bias in startup businesses to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to help us create a Business model that will help us achieve our business goals and objectives.

This is the summary of the SWOT analysis that was conducted for Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company;

Part of what is going to count as positives for Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is the vast experience of our management team, we have people on board who are highly experienced and understand how to grow a business from the scratch to becoming a national phenomenon.

So also, our large distribution network and of course our excellent customer service culture will definitely count as a strong strength for the business.

A major weakness that may count against us is the fact that we are a new sachet water production company and we don’t have the financial capacity to engage in the kind of publicity that we intend giving the business especially when big names like Nestle Foods, The Coca Cola Company and Pepsi Co et al are already determining the direction of the market both in Nigeria and in the globe.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities for sachet water production companies are enormous. This is due to the fact that sachet water is far cheaper than bottled water and people can easily afford it.

As a result of that, we were able to conduct a thorough market survey and feasibility studies so as to position our business to take advantage of the existing market for sachet water and also to create our own new market. We know that it is going to require hard work, but we are determined to achieve it.

We are quite aware that just like any other business, one of the major threats that we are likely going to face is economic downturn and unfavorable government policies . Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new sachet or bottled water production company in same location where ours is located.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

If you are conversant with the trend in the sachet/bottled water production industry, you will agree that there are competitions in different stages of the industry. That is competitions amongst bigger corporations such as Pepsi Co, Coca Cola Company and Nestle et al; and also competitions amongst smaller and medium scale bottled water production companies.

Most bottled water companies are leveraging on creativity in terms of packaging and marketing to continue to stay afloat in the industry. One creativity approach that is common is ensuring that their bottled water conforms to the appropriate PH – level.

As a matter of fact, it is common to find sachet or bottled water production companies especially medium scale and small scale bottled water companies labeling their sachet or bottled water for specific occasions to meet the demand of their clients.

For example, a client that is celebrating his or her birthday may strike an agreement with a bottled water company to specially label the bottled water that will be served in the occasion to conform with the occasion.

Lastly, another trend in the bottled water production industry is the adoption of eco – friendly approach towards the production and packaging of sachet and bottled water. As a matter of fact, the industry’s adoption of eco-friendly practices will likely persuade environmentally conscious consumers to buy its products, while increasing operators’ efficiency.

8. Our Target Market

When it comes to selling sachet or bottled water, there is indeed a wide range of available customers. In essence, our target market can’t be restricted to just a group of people, but all those who reside in our target market locations.

In view of that, we have conducted our market research and we have ideas of what our target market would be expecting from us. We are in business to engage in wholesale distribution and to retail sachet water to the following groups of people;

• Restaurants and Canteens
• Event Planners, Parties and Corporate Functions
• Everybody in our target market location

Our Competitive Advantage

A close study of the sachet cum bottled water production industry reveals that the market has become much more competitive over the last decade.

As a matter of fact, you have to be highly creative, customer centric and proactive if you must survive in this industry. We are aware of the stiff competition and we are prepared to compete favorably with other sachet and bottled water production companies in Ikeja and throughout Lagos – Nigeria.

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is launching a standard sachet water brand that will indeed become the preferred choice of residents of Ikeja and every other location where our sachet water will be retailed.

Part of what is going to count as competitive advantage for Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is the vast experience of our management team; we have people on board who understand how to grow a business from the scratch to becoming a national phenomenon.

So also, our large national distribution network and of course our excellent customer service culture will definitely count as a strong strength for the business.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the bottled water industry, meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.

We will also give good working conditions and commissions to freelance sales agents that we will recruit from time to time.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the sachet and bottled water production industry in Lagos State and environs and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to sell our products to a wide range of customers. Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company will generate income by selling the following products;

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain when it comes to the sachet and bottled water production business, if your water is well packaged and branded and if your production plant is centrally positioned and easily accessible, you will always attract sales and that will sure translate to increase in revenue for the business.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in Ikeja – Lagos State and every city where our sachet water will be sold and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough profits from the first six months of operation and grow the business and our clientele base.

We have been able to critically examine the sachet and bottled water production industry and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to startups in Ikeja – Lagos State.

• First Fiscal Year: N1.2 Million
• Second Fiscal Year: N2.5 Million
• Third Fiscal Year: N4 Million

N.B : This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same products and customer care services as we do within the same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

Before choosing a location for Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company, we conducted thorough market survey and feasibility studies in order for us to be able to penetrate the available market in our target locations.

We have detailed information and data that we were able to utilize to structure our business to attract the number of customers we want to attract per time and also for our products to favorable compete with other leading brands in Lagos State.

We hired experts who have good understanding of the sachet and bottled water production industry to help us develop marketing strategies that will help us achieve our business goal of winning a larger percentage of the available market in Ikeja and other locations in Lagos State.

In other to continue to be in business and grow, we must continue to sell our sachet water to the available market which is why we will go all out to empower our sales and marketing team to deliver our corporate sales goals. In summary, Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company will adopt the following sales and marketing approach to sell our sachet water;

• Introduce our sachet water brand by sending introductory letters to residents, restaurants and other stakeholders all around Lagos State
• Open our sachet water production company with a party so as to capture the attention of residents who are our first targets
• Engage in roadshows in targeted communities from time to time to sell our sachet water
• Advertise our products in community based newspapers, local TV and radio stations
• Leverage on the internet to promote our sachet water brands
• Engage in direct marketing and sales
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Despite the fact that our sachet water production plant is a standard one that can favorably compete with other leading brands, we will still go ahead to intensify publicity for our product. We are going to explore all available means to promote Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company.

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company has a long – term plan of going into bottled water production and distributing, which is why we will deliberately build our brand to be well accepted in Ikeja – Lagos State before venturing out.

As a matter of fact, our publicity and advertising strategy is not solely for selling our products but to also effectively communicate our brand. Here are the platforms we intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company;

• Sponsor relevant community programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, twitter, et al to promote our sachet water brand
• Engage in roadshows from time to time in targeted communities
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Ensure that our sachet water is well branded and that all our staff members wear our customized clothes, and all our official cars and distribution vans are customized

12. Our Pricing Strategy

When it comes to pricing for sachet water, there are two sides to the coin. We are aware of the pricing trend in the sachet and bottled water production industry which is why we have decided to produce various sizes of sachet water.

In view of that, our prices will conform to what is obtainable in the industry but we will ensure that within the first 6 to 12 months our products are sold a little bit below the average price. We have put in place business strategies that will help us run on low profits for a period of 6 months; it is a way of encouraging people to buy into our water brand.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation in Nigeria.

Here are the payment options that Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company will make available to her clients;

• Payment with cash
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via mobile money

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients pay us without any difficulty. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials so that it will be easier for members to pay for products purchased.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

Starting a standard sachet water production company is capital intensive. The bulk of the startup capital will be spent on leasing or acquiring a facility and also in purchasing water purifying and packaging equipment. Asides from that, you are expected to purchase distribution trucks, pay of your employees and also pay utility bills.

These are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital;

• The Fee for registering the business in Nigeria – N15,000
• Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits as well as the accounting services (software, P.O.S machines and other software) – N30,000
• Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company – N15,000
• Cost for hiring Business Consultant – N20,000
• Insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – N20,000
• Cost for payment of rent for 12 month and renovation inclusive – N250,000
• The cost for purchasing and installing water purifying machines – N250,000
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – N150,000
• The cost for start-up inventory (supply of well – branded sachets, water purifying chemicals and fueling et al) – N150,000
• The Cost for purchasing a distribution truck – N800,000
• Cost for store equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – N10,000
• The cost of launching a website – N25,000
• The cost for our opening party – N70,000
• Miscellaneous – N50,000

We would need an estimate of N2.5 million to successfully set up a medium scale but standard sachet water production business in Ikeja – Lagos, Nigeria.

Generating Startup Capital for Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company

No matter how fantastic your business idea might be, if you don’t have the required money to finance the business, the business might not become a reality. Finance is a very important factor when it comes to starting a standard sachet water production business.

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is a family business that is owned and financed by Mr. Bassey Hector and his immediate family members. They do not intend to welcome any external business partners which is why he has decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital to 3 major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our startup capital;

• Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
• Source for soft loans from family members and friends
• Apply for loan from my Bank

N.B: We have been able to generate about N500,000 ( Personal savings N400,000 and soft loan from family members N100,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of N2 Million from our bank (micro – finance bank).

All the papers and documents have been signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited with the amount.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers they have, the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and their business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.

One of our major goals of starting Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to retail our sachet water and other products a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Glittering® Sachet Water Production Company will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Registration: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
• Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of facility and construction of standard sachet/bottled water plant: In Progress
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating capital from family members and friends: Completed
• Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Printing of Packaging and Promotional Materials: In Progress
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed furniture, racks, shelves, computers, electronic appliances, office appliances and CCTV: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business both online and around the community: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
• Opening party/launching party planning: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors – wholesale suppliers: In Progress