Prepared for: Michelle White and Donnie King
“The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.”
Albert Einstein
Facts:
Bourbon Production: Distillery Production of bourbon, gin, moonshine, vodka and rye continue on the rise worldwide. Entrepreneurship and inflated egos drive the need to build and distill products from the ground up. However, there is a unique and specific manner to create world class bourbon, in less time and with a more profitable picture using less capital outlay. This business plan will layout this alternative structure.
Bourbon Profitability: Knowing the business of bourbon, bottling, labeling, creating the "story" and a sound marketing plan plus understanding what makes a great tasting bourbon, leads to a less stressful and lower dollar commitment entering this business sector on the national and international scale.
Specific and Unique Knowledge: Bourbon production, professional tasting ability and market distribution channels with inside information create the perfect storm of success in the bourbon and distilled products business climate.
"World Class knowledge of distilling, marketing, distribution inclusive of a built in market of "sippers in the millions" collide, creating the first "World Class Bourbon" sourced from the world's finest bourbons in localized taste tests, exported back to America for special finishes which are produced and aged in a secure and deeply guarded production facility."
This Business Plan is created to continue discussions of forming a new LLC which would execute this unique business plan of marketing world class bourbon on a national and international scale. This plan is unique, as it combines the history, education, work and marketing experience of Randy and Michael Weckerly, brothers, who have built careers in and around the world of understanding growth and potential profitability the small craft production, marketing, distribution channels and sales while executing this plan.
Business Plan: Create a Bourbon Marketing and Distribution Company
• History: The Weckerly Brothers:
• Michael Weckerly: Masters in Advertising and Marketing: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois; Doctorate A.B.D. Advertising and Political Consulting: Purdue University. Work Place:1986Current- Marketing Consultant Morning Star Media Group, LLC., Sycamore, Illinois. Former owner and creator of Driftless Glen Distillery of Baraboo, Wisconsin. Currently: Consultant to major national brands.
• Randy Weckerly: Communications Degree: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois.
1974-1996 Agent/General Manager and On Air Personality for Mutual of Omaha, and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins. 1997-Current Marketing and National Consultant to major golf, ecological, and media entities. SAG Card Holder.; owns Distillery Channel Media, LLC producing over 3000 on air interviews with weekly podcasts served on the MAJiik Interactive Media Network and 26 major podcast platforms. 6900 Craft Businesses with over 30 million followers make up the Distillery Channel Marketing network.
• The Opportunity: The extensive knowledge, education, and experience in marketing, building, executing and inside knowledge of the small craft bourbon and sipping world, with the ability to get the marketing story out on The Distillery Channel Media, LLC platform is unique and understandably, highly sought after entity. The Weckerly Brothers, through private conversations with many potential investors, are now considering bringing on a private investor as partner and executing this business plan.
This is neither an offering nor a solicitation for investment. This material is Private and Confidential; and limited to the persons or persona requesting a general overview for continuing in conversations to clarify some mutual points of interest.
Address for:
Distillery Channel Media, LLC.
157 Buena Vista Dr. DeKalb, Illinois 60115
The Distillery Channel Media, LLC. Bourbon Division NationalOffices, Due to predictable growth in distribution and sales, there is a need to form a Distillery Production Facility in Dekalb-Sycamore, Illinois, which is located 70 miles west of downtown Chicago, Il.
A Distillery Spirits Plant which produces, bottles and distributes bourbon or other alcoholic products requires a DSP number from the Federal Government to begin production. Upon application for this number, work can begin.
• Opportunity: This Business Plan outlays the need using unique ability to secure the world's best existing bourbons through travel, taste tests and experience; then acquiring inventory and importing such back to the United States; and repositioning such in a very safe and secured warehouse setting for bottling and distribution nationally and internationally under our private label.
• Mission:To grow the company in 36-60 months for sale or retained generational income.
• Opportunity:The Weckerly Brothers retain the unique knowledge of years of experience in the distillery arena, through building a distillery in actuality; and through thousands of interviews traveling the USA. There is a unique opportunity to use this blend of knowledge, marketing experience, education and focus to execute this plan.
• Market Focus: Minimal investment of $2-4 Million over two years to inventory, age, and reposition bourbon, plus the ability when needed, to produce the marketing platform for distribution awareness through the Distillery Channel Platform.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - To Be Blunt!
"Knowledge is Power" - "We have that Knowledge"
Fact: Most private distillers spend $5-12 Million Dollars on their distillery, with zero to limited ability or understanding of what they are doing. They then have to wait 4 years for their bourbon to age, find a distributor, execute a limited marketing plan, and HOPE their bourbon tastes good enough to sell.
Fact: That is a very difficult and investment heavy plan with limited shared knowledge in the market place.
To Be Redundant-There is an Easier Method with One Caveat - Knowing and working with Dave Pickerell, known at the "Founding Father of the Distillery Industry" . Michael Weckerly, was a close friend and worked with Dave in setting up and learning the distillery industry while building Driftless Glenn Distillery. Dave gave Michael the "Keys to the Kingdom of Knowledge" of distillery spirits. Dave's fourteen years as VP and Distiller at Makers Mark Distilling, he increased sales form 140,000 cases per year to over 1 million per year. Dave passed in September 2018. Michael now holds uniquely Dave's insight into the world of distilling and distribution.
The Plan: The Weckerly Brothers are looking to rent 6000-8000 square feet of warehouse space in northern Illinois to secure, age, bottle, label, receive and distribute bourbon products which support the marketing, sales and distribution plan. $2,000,000.00 is needed for capitalization for the first two years with potentially another $1-3 Million for acquisition of additional preferred bourbon stock if the opportunities present themselves in the buying of world class bourbons.
Primary Investment: is in travel of the principals in acquiring assets of existing bourbon, a limited number of employees for office, bottling, and distribution plus interior assets in the rickhouse aging process.
• Expected Returns: Simple Math: If Funded by August 1,2021 would produce income September 1, 2022
• In the first twelve months: purchase 200 barrels of unique world class bourbon at approx. $2500.00 per barrel. Total investment: $500,000.00
• Import to America and after aging and re-purposing, produce 225 bottles per barrel at $35.00/bottle wholesale. Income of $1,575,000.00 at wholesale through our distributors.
• Costs: $10.00 per bottle for all other costs: warehouse, taxes, benefits, wages etc. $450,000.00
• Gross Profit: $625,000.00
• Company Summary: Using the math of 200 barrels per years, we would double production every year.
• 400 barrels in 2023, 800 barrels in 2024, 1600 barrels in 2025; at that point looking for a buyout from a larger national concern like Diageo or Beam/Suntory.
• Mission Statement: Using Unique Education and Experience to Produce the "World's Greatest Bourbon".
• Company History: Formulated through growth, investigation, world travel, and multiple consulting contracts stretching around the world supported by millions of followers on the Distillery Channel Platform.
• Websites: Our media and coffee plus our story can be found at: www.thedistillerychannel.com
• Distillery Channel Media Kit: https://issuu.com/liveecostyle/docs/ media_kit_version_2_2021_distillery_channel_media
• Management Team: Randy Weckerly and Michael Weckerly: personnel to be added 1 office, two warehouse plus two bottlers.
• Legal Structure and Ownership: The Distillery Channel Bourbon LLC
• Projections of Profit and Loss Attached
