Do you want to start a strawberry jam business and need to write a plan? If YES, here is a detailed sample strawberry jam production business plan template.
Jam is a food spread that can come in different flavors but has both fruit juice and fruit pieces in the spread. Jam can be made from Pectin rich fruits such as crabapples, sour apples, lemons, partially ripened oranges, Kumquat, pomegranate, cranberries, partially ripened grapes, damson plums, sour cherries, melons, and quinces.
It can also be made from Pectin poor fruits such as peaches, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, pineapple, rhubarb, grapefruit, guavas. People usually go for healthier jams choices such as strawberry because it has more fruit in it and less sugar.
Below is a sample strawberry jam production business plan template that will help you write yours with little or no stress.
A Sample Strawberry Jam Production Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
Strawberry jam production business is part of the global fruit and vegetable processing industry and the industry is made up of companies that are engaged in the processing and packaging of fresh fruit and vegetables. Players in this industry also blend salt, sugar, preservatives and other ingredients with fruits and vegetables to make consumer food products.
A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that the Global Fruit and Vegetables Processing industry has experienced consistent demand over the five years to 2017. Demand has grown particularly fast in developing economies, as industrial growth has translated into greater urbanization, higher per capita income and expansion in the size of the middle class.
As the global middle class has grown, it has demanded larger quantities of higher quality and more diverse food. Over the five years to 2022, industry revenue is expected to expand. Industry demand is expected to increase as producers focus on nutritious ingredients and less invasive processing techniques to keep products as organic as possible.
The report further revealed that the production of processed fruits and vegetables occurs in all regions of the globe. In particular, low-tech fruit and vegetable processors, such as fruit driers, exist in almost every country in the world. However, high-tech, large-scale fruit and vegetable processing operations are concentrated primarily in Europe and Asia.
These continents dominate the Global Fruit and Vegetable Processing industry due to the fact that industry operations have been established in these areas for a very long time, enabling time for the development of major companies and advanced fruit and vegetable processing technology.
Statistics has it that in the world, there are about 32,123 licensed and registered fruit and vegetable processing companies directly responsible for employing about 507,446 employees. The industry rakes in a whooping sum of $290 billion annually with an annual growth rate projected at -0.1 percent.
It is important to state that Kraft Heinz is the establishment with the lion share of this industry. If you are looking towards leveraging on the food processing industry to generate huge income, then one of your best bets is to start a strawberry jam production company.
If you are able to conduct your market research and feasibility studies, you are not going to struggle to sell your products because there are loads of consumers all across the united states and the globe who are ready to buy from you.
2. Executive Summary
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is a licensed strawberry jam production company with bias in strawberry jam production that will be based in the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico – United States. We have done our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure hundred hectares of land to start our strawberry jam production plant.
Our strawberry jam production plant is going to be a standard company hence will be involved in cultivating and processing strawberry into jam.
We are in the fruits and vegetable processing industry because we want to leverage on the vast opportunities available in the industry to contribute our quota in growing the U.S. economy, in national food production, and also to export strawberry jam from the United States to other countries and also to make profit.
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is well positioned to become one of the leading strawberry jam production companies in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source for the best hands to run the company with.
We have put process and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to strawberry jam production.
At Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company, our customer’s best interest will always come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is a private registered fruit processing company that is owned by Mr. Larry Watkins and his immediate family members. The company will be fully and single-handedly financed by Mr. Larry Watkins and his immediate family members at least for a period of time.
Before starting Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company, Mr. Larry Watkins worked with some of the leading fruit and food processing companies in the United States of America. He has over 15 years experience in the industry and a Degree in Food Science Technology from Illinois Institute of Technology.
3. Our Products and Services
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is a standard strawberry jam production company that processes strawberry and other flavor of jams for both the United States’ and the global market. Here are some of our products;
- Strawberry Jams (Main product)
- Other jams from Pectin rich fruits such as crabapples, sour apples, lemons, partially ripened oranges, Kumquat, pomegranate, cranberries, partially ripened grapes, damson plums, sour cherries, melons, and quinces. And also from Pectin poor fruits such as peaches, blueberries, peaches, pineapple, rhubarb, grapefruit, and guavas.
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our Vision is to become the leader in the production of strawberry jams and other flavor of jams not just in the United States of America but also on the global stage.
- Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is a world class strawberry jam production company that is committed to cultivating and processing fruits in the form of jam for both the United States’ and the global market.
- We want our strawberry jams and other products to flood the nooks and crannies of the United States and other countries of the world.
Our Business Structure
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is a privately owned processing business that intends starting small in Santa Fe – New Mexico, but hopes to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading companies in the industry. We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the kind of world class business we want to own.
At Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, and creative, result driven, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the 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 ten years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;
- Chief Operating Officer
- Plant Manager
- Human Resources and Admin Manager
- Accountant/Cashier
- Sales and Marketing Executive
- Plant Workers/Field Workers (Contract Staff)
- Front Desk Officer
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Executive Officer – CEO:
- Responsible for increasing 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
- Responsible for creating, communicating, and implementing 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.
Plant Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the plant
- Part of the team that determines the quantity of products that are to be produced
- Maps out strategies 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 fresh fruits and vegetables to the plant and easy flow of finished products through wholesale distributors to the market
- Ensures that the plant meets the expected safety and health standard at all times.
- Ensure compliance in the plant
- Providing advice on the management of plant activities across all section
- Responsible for carrying out risk assessment in the plant
- Ensures that organizations’ goals and desired result is achieved, the most efficient resources (manpower, equipment, tools and chemicals et al) are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied
Human Resources and Admin Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
- Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
- Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
- Carrying out induction for new team members
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
- Oversee the smooth running of the daily office activities.
Accountant/Cashier:
- Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
- Responsible for administering payrolls
- Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
- Handles all financial transactions for the company
- Serves as internal auditor for the company
Sales and Marketing Manager
- Manage 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
- Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
- Writing winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
- Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
- Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
- Create new markets cum businesses for the organization
- Empower and motivates the sales team to meet and surpass agreed targets
Field Workers/Contract Staff
- Responsible for operating the jam processing machines
- Responsible for harvesting and washing of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Responsible for cleaning the entire environment
- Assist in packaging and loading jams into distribution trucks
- Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager
Front Desk/Customer’s Service Officer
- Welcomes guests and clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products
- Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients
- Receives parcels/documents for the company
- Distribute mails in the organization
- Handles any other duties as assigned by the manager
6. SWOT Analysis
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company do not intend to launch out with trial and error which is why we are compelled to conduct a proper SWOT analysis.
We know that if we get it right from the onset, we would have succeeded in creating the foundation that will help us build a standard strawberry jam production company that will favorably compete with leading companies in the United States of America.
We engaged the services of a professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured strawberry jam production company that can favorably compete in the highly competitive fruit and vegetable processing industry in the United States.
Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company;
- Strength:
Our strength as a strawberry jam production company is the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players (processed fruits and vegetable merchants) in the industry within and outside of the United States of America.
We have some of the latest fruits and processing equipment, commercial farm tools and equipment that will help us cultivate, process and package strawberry jam. Aside from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in the industry in the whole of Santa Fe – New Mexico in our payroll.
- Weakness:
Our weakness is that we are a new strawberry jam production company in the United States, and it might take us sometime to attract big time customers in the industry. We are aware of this and from our projections we will overcome this weakness with time and turn it to a major advantage for the business.
- Opportunities:
The opportunities that are available to us cannot be quantified. Grocery wholesalers constitute the largest downstream market for the industry’s products.
Therefore, growth in the Grocery Wholesaling industry tends to significantly increase demand for industry products. Demand from grocery wholesaling is anticipated to rise going forward, representing a potential opportunity for the industry.
- Threat:
While competition from fresh produce poses a threat, demand for industry staples will continue to grow across the global market.
Some of the threats and challenges that we are likely going to face when we start our own strawberry jam production company are global economic downturn that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters, unfavorable government policies and the arrival of a competitor within the same location.
There is hardly anything you can do as regards these threats and challenges other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for your good.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
If you are conversant with the food industry, you will notice that the different food consumption patterns have varied effects in different countries. Strawberry jam production companies have introduced healthier and organic products to fight competition.
The fruits and vegetable industry has grown steadily over the last five years as strawberry jam production companies have adapted to rapidly changing consumer preferences and lifestyle. As a matter of fact, investors/entrepreneurs who own big fruits farms find it easier to open processing plants within their farms. With this, it is easier for them to maximize profits and of course stamp their feet in the industry.
8. Our Target Market
Those who are the end consumers of processed jam (strawberry jam inclusive) and also those who benefits from the business value chain are all encompassing; it is far – reaching. North America is the largest market for processed fruit and vegetable products.
Loads of household consumes processed fruits and vegetables in the form of jams. In essence a strawberry jam production company should be able to sell its products to as many people as possible. In view of that, we have positioned our business to attract consumers not just in the United States of America alone but also other parts of the world.
We have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that we meet and surpass the expectations we set for the business. Below is a list of the people and businesses that we will market our processed fruits and vegetables to;
- Groceries stores
- Households
- Individuals
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Fast food eateries
- Processed fruits and vegetable merchants
Our Competitive Advantage
A close study of the fruits and vegetable processing industry reveals that the market has become much more intensely 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 strawberry jam production companies in Santa Fe – New Mexico and throughout the United States.
Part of what is going to count as competitive advantage for Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is our access to high quality inputs, attractive product presentation, economies of scale and of course the vast experience of our management team
So also, we have healthy relationships with loads of major players in the industry within and outside of the United States of America. We have some of the latest fruits and vegetable processing equipment, farm tools and equipment that will help us cultivate and also process our produce in commercial quantity.
Aside from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in Santa Fe – New Mexico in our payroll.
Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the 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 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
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is in the business for the purpose of maximizing profits hence we have decided to explore all the available opportunities within the industry to achieve our corporate goals and objectives. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income;
- Strawberry Jams (Main product)
- Other jams from Pectin rich fruits such as crabapples, sour apples, lemons, partially ripened oranges, Kumquat, pomegranate, cranberries, partially ripened grapes, damson plums, sour cherries, melons, and quinces. And also, from Pectin poor fruits such as peaches, blueberries, peaches, pineapple, rhubarb, grapefruit, and guavas.
10. Sales Forecast
One thing is certain when it comes to fruits and vegetable processing and packaging business, if your products are well – packaged and branded and if your processing plant is centrally positioned and easily accessible, you will always attract customers cum sales.
We are well positioned to take on the available market in Santa Fe – New Mexico and every city where our strawberry jams will be sold and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income/profits from the first six months of operation and grow the business and our clientele base.
We have been able to examine the fruits and vegetable processing industry, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast.
Below is the sales projection for Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company, it is based on the location of our business and other factors as it relates to small and medium scale strawberry jam production companies in the United States;
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): $450,000
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $950,000
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $1.35 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 as we do within 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
Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall business goal of Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company.
Over and above, we have perfected our sale and marketing strategies first by networking with groceries stores, hotels, restaurants and other key stakeholders who are likely to become our customers. Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company will adopt the following strategies in marketing our well – processed and packaged fruits and vegetable;
- Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to stake holders in the fruits and vegetable processing industry, grocery stores, households, hotels and restaurants et al.
- Advertise our business in food related magazines and websites
- List our business on yellow pages ads (local directory)
- Attend related food and fruits processing expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
- Engage in roadshows in targeted communities from time to time to sell our products
- Leverage on the internet to promote our business
- Engage in direct marketing
- Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)
- Join local chambers of commerce and industry with the aim of networking and marketing our products
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
Any business that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street must be ready to utilize every available means (both conventional and non – conventional) to advertise and promote the business. We intend growing our business which is why we have perfected plans to build our brand via every available means.
Below are the platforms we will leverage on to boost our strawberry jam production company and to promote and advertise our business;
- Place adverts on community based newspapers, radio and TV stations.
- Encourage the use of word of mouth publicity from our loyal customers
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Google+ and other platforms to promote our business.
- Ensure that our we position our banners and billboards in strategic positions all around Santa Fe – New Mexico
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas in and around our neighborhood
- Advertise our business in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site
- Brand all our official cars and trucks and ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirt or cap at regular intervals.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
When it comes to pricing our strawberry jam, there are two sides to the coin. We are aware of the pricing trend in the industry which is why we have decided to produce various sizes of strawberry jam.
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 market price in the United States of America. 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 brand.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam 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 of the United States of America.
Here are the payment options that Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment via credit cards/Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
- Payment via bank draft
In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payment for the purchase of our well – processed and well – packaged strawberry jam without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
When it comes to calculating the cost of starting a strawberry jam production business, there are some key factors that should serve as a guide. The source of the fruits and vegetables (especially if the processing plant is not going to own a fruit and vegetable farm) and the size of the business determines the total cost of setting up the business.
Below are some of the basic areas we will spend our startup capital in setting up our strawberry jam production processing plant and fruits and vegetable farm;
- The total fee for registering the business in the United States of America – $750.
- Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits (Health department license and business license) and permits (Fire department permit, Air and water pollution control permit, and Sign permit et al) as well as accounting services (CRM software, Payroll software, P.O.S machines and other software) – $15,300.
- Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of the plant in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of $3,580.
- The cost for hiring business consultant (including writing business plan) – $2,500.
- The cost for insurance (general liability, theft, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $30,400.
- The cost for leasing a large farm land – $200,000
- The cost for construction of a standard fruits and vegetable processing plant and farm facility with the right fencing – $300,000.
- Other start-up expenses including stationery ($500) and phone and utility (gas, sewer, water and electric) deposits ($6,500).
- The operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $60,000
- The amount required for the purchase of the first set of fruit seedlings (Pectin rich fruits: crabapples, sour apples, lemons, partially ripened oranges, Kumquat, pomegranate, cranberries, partially ripened grapes, damson plums, sour cherries, melons, quinces.
- Pectin poor fruits: peaches, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, pineapple, rhubarb, grapefruit, guavas.) – $60,000
- The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment / machines – $200,000
- The cost for store equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $13,750
- The cost of purchase and installation of CCTVs – $5,000
- The cost for building and hosting a website – $600
- Miscellaneous – $5,000
Going by the report from detailed research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need an estimate of nine hundred and fifty thousand Dollars ($950,000) to start a standard strawberry jam production business with a fruit and vegetable farm in the United States of America.
Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam Production Company is owned and financed by Larry Watkins 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.
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
- Source for soft loans from family members and friends
- Apply for loan from the Bank
N.B: We have been able to generate about $250,000 (Personal savings $200,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $700,000 from our bank. All the papers and document 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 that they have, the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and business structure. If all 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 Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam 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 strawberry jams and other related 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.
Larry Watkins® Strawberry Jam 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.
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
- Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: 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 land and building of standard fruit and vegetable processing plant and farm: In Progress
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating capital from family members: 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 Marketing/Promotional Materials: In Progress
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of the needed fruits and vegetable processing machines / equipment, 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
- Establishing business relationship with vendors – key players in the industry: In Progress