Starting a business is a huge investment in the time, money and dedication needed to get your idea off the ground.
Before you go too far down the road to entrepreneurship, it’s important to make sure that the craft producing industry is indeed the one for you.
“Starting a brewery can be a daunting task. Brew Hub breaks it all down into manageable pieces and gives you all of the information you need to get everything done efficiently. It saved me a lot of time and helped me avoid missing any important steps.”
It’s easy to get excited about a new business venture, but before you go all in opening a brewery/distillery, it’s recommended that you spend some time researching and preparing for your business. This will include analyzing your market, researching industry trends, and asking yourself some key questions, like what is your reason for entering the industry? What type of operation do you want to run? Where do you want it to be located? What is its potential for success? And of course, how much will it cost?
Entrepreneurship Manitoba provides business counselling and advisory services, market research information, access to capital and business skills training. Unsure as to whether self-employment is a good option for you? We suggest reading the Am I an Entrepreneur? article on Entrepreneurship Manitoba’s website.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has also put together market information and statistics on the Canadian Brewing Industry. Topics include the domestic market, profitability and trade performance.
A great place to start your journey is at Entrepreneurship Manitoba. This operating agency of Manitoba Growth, Enterprise & Trade exists to help you in starting and growing your business.
Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit Program (SBVCTC)
The SBVC tax credit program assists eligible small business corporations to issue new equity to primarily new investors. Brewpubs are eligible to participate in the program.
Starting any new business requires significant time and investment. Without a doubt, one of the most important steps you need to take is putting together a business plan. In this document, you will not only convey your enthusiasm and confidence in your new venture, but also how you plan to make your business a successful one.
The Canada Business Network (It's all in the plan)
If you’ve never put together a business plan before, no worries! The Canada Business Network not only provides information on how to write a business plan, but also access to business planning resources such as templates, sample business plans, market research information and statistics.
Entrepreneurship Manitoba is another resource to check out when putting together your business plan. Their business consultants can review your plan to make sure that your business is viable and achievable. In addition, the agency offers a three-day Business Planning Workshop that provides training on how to start and operate a small business in Manitoba, and covers such topics as developing a business plan, registering/incorporating your business, deducting business expenses for tax purposes, and more.
If you have product pricing questions related to the development of your business plan, please contact the Manager, Supply Chain Administration with Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries directly at 204-957-2500 ext. 2840.
You’ve done your research; you’ve put together your business plan, now it’s time to get all the necessary paperwork underway.