Beverage Distribution/energy drink start up

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Expert: - 11/22/2008


Question
Dear Eric,
I'm currently considering an energy drink start up and have seen reference to
having enough capital. How much is enough? Can you give an approximate
dollar figure?

Answer
This is a "length of string" question: eg. there's no "right" answer.

You need to do a business plan, establish resources available, competition, marketing, niche of market, route to market, how you plan to grow the business, local resource costs, etc.

I'm sure there are people more versed than me that can give you a plan, but will still hedge their bets as to "how much" you need...

You could do it on a shoe-string - say for 250K but then you'll need to get "injections", more than likely you'll need access to at least 2M in capital going in.  And you'd be safer with 4M.

Eric

Beverage Distribution

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Eric Hofer

Expertise

Over 27 years experience, with 17 in international FMCG in back office operations and in field sales and data collection, including design, development and deployment of Handhelds, Marketing Equipment (Service, Tracking and Return on Investment), reporting and Vending management. Have participated on the launch of operations in new markets, and re-engineered the back office in several countries.

Experience

Designed and led the development and deployment internal ERP system for Pepsi used in On-Premise/Vending in 13 markets. Designed 2 handheld systems, the latest is now deployed in 4 markets internationally. Re-engineered the back office functions (settlements, despatch, invoicing, credit control, etc) for over 20 snack, confectionary and beverage operators. Developing software: Progress, VB, Access, C, Sybase, SA

Organizations
Innovative-Selling Solutions; SalesSuite

Publications
BudapestSun

Education/Credentials
State University of New York - BA Economics NYU - Courant - Graduate work - Computing

Awards and Honors
Moderator of LinkedIn CEE Group

Past/Present Clients
PepsiAmericas PepsiCola International PepsiCola Company British Steel British Telecom Britvic (Pepsi's bottler in the UK) AT&T BellSouth Mars Overseas Bottling Pepsi France Matutano (Frito-Lay Spain) Frito-Lay Pepsi Foods International Chase Manhattan Bank Kidder Peabody National Power SmithKline Beecham Mars Overseas Bottling (Pepsi Azerbaijan) A&P Bottling (Pepsi Serbia & Montenegro) Iberia Bottlers (Pepsi Georgia)

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