In connection with the current environmental situation, the problem of high-quality drinking water is quite acute. It is especially relevant in large cities. Drinking tap water is not recommended today, because it not only has an unpleasant aftertaste, but can also contain a variety of substances hazardous to health. In this regard, the population shows a high demand for the purchase of bottled drinking water. Despite the fact that there are many companies that satisfy such consumer needs, it is quite possible to take their place in this niche. We’ll talk about how to organize a business selling water today.
Organizational moments and business perspective
To start drinking water production it is necessary to draw up a detailed business plan that takes into account all the main stages of opening and conducting business.
As for the prospects for this event, they can be without exaggeration called colossal. This is due to the fact that, according to research, today drinking water for a cooler is consumed by at least 30% of the population of our country. Every year this percentage only increases. Accordingly, the business of selling water will be very relevant for many years to come.
Source for production
First of all, you need to determine where you will get water for its further processing. Sources can be either specially equipped wells, as well as lakes, rivers and other bodies of water, or ordinary water supply.
The cheapest option, of course, is the use of tap water. If you decide to drill a well, then this venture will cost you a very significant amount, however, the produced water can have unique qualities that will bring significant benefits in the future.
Company registration
Due to the fact that most of the sales volumes of finished products will be accounted for by legal entities, it is best to register your business not as an individual enterprise, but as a legal entity (LLP or LLC).
Getting Permissions
Regardless of the source of water, it is necessary to analyze it in a specialized laboratory for the presence of hazardous substances in it. The sanitary and epidemiological station should also examine your production premises and find out if it complies with state standards. Having these conclusions in hand, you can proceed to obtaining a production license. Once you have acquired this document, it is real to start a business.
Equipment for the production of drinking water
This item of business organization is the most expensive. So, the water production line should include the following equipment:
- pumping and cleaning equipment, the cost of which starts from 3.5-5 thousand dollars;
- a water bottling line worth about 4 thousand dollars.
If you plan to use fully automated equipment, then its price will be higher - from 20 thousand dollars.
For starters, you can buy ready-made plastic bottles for filling the finished product. However, in the future, for
When purchasing all units, be sure to pay attention to their performance, quality and warranty conditions. Do not forget that the quality of the final product, and consequently, the success of your business, depends on the equipment.business optimization, it is advisable to get your own line for their production.Such equipment will cost from 12 to 15 thousand dollars.
Water production technology
Water for the cooler is the result of a rather complicated technological process and is produced in several stages.
Drilling wells and producing artesian water, or taking a source product from a water supply.- Purification of raw materials by filtration. Special filters are used for this process, but it itself consists of two stages: rough cleaning (when large mechanical impurities are removed) and fine cleaning (with the removal of smaller impurities).
- At this stage, water quality is monitored, the content of mineral substances in it is measured, as well as the addition of any components (for example, if mineral water is produced).
- Water disinfection. As a rule, equipment with ultraviolet radiation is used for these purposes.
- Ozonation (oxygenation). Such water for the cooler not only has a beneficial effect on people's health, but can also be stored for a long time without losing its useful qualities. The use of ozonation technology eliminates the need for chlorination of water in production. However, this process will require the purchase of additional equipment consisting of an ozone generator, a thermocatalytic destructor, an injection pump, etc.
- Preparation of bottles for bottling, namely their disinfection with high temperatures.
- The process of bottling finished drinking water.
Production room
Due to the fact that water is a food product for a cooler, quite serious requirements are made to the workshop for its production. So, the room should include several separate zones: extraction of raw materials, its cleaning and bottling of the finished product. In addition, there must necessarily be office space for your employees and warehouses for products. Therefore, you will need to prepare well and take care of many details before you can start this business.
Water on tap: the financial side of things
When organizing this business, it should be borne in mind that such a product has a pronounced seasonality of consumption. So, peaks in sales of drinking water are in the period from May to August. Accordingly, at the same time, the entrepreneur can count on the greatest profit from his production.
As for profitability, then, according to experts, the gross margin of such a business can reach 700%, which is
very high rate. The payback period of all initial investments directly depends on the businessman’s sales markets for finished products, the methods used for cleaning raw materials, as well as the various characteristics of the equipment. On average, this period is from two to three years.
Ways to sell finished products
We figured out the process of organizing production. Now is the time to move on to the question of how to sell water. After all, it is not enough to organize a mini-factory, you also need to think through options for selling products to the end user.
There are two ways to sell finished drinking water: using your own delivery service or through other companies with an already established system for selling these products.
The first option is quite complicated, as it requires careful study of the plan for the delivery of products. In addition, you will need to organize your own car park, consisting of at least 5-7 suitable cars, as well as develop a marketing strategy for promoting your products, including the creation of a brand.
If you decide to sell your product through other companies, you will automatically become a wholesaler. In this case, you do not have to develop your own brand, as you can use the brand of the partner company.
Important details of the drinking water production and marketing business
When organizing such a business, the main attention should be paid to the quality of both finished products and services. Therefore, when buying equipment, it is advisable to prefer foreign, even used ones, to domestic units.
In addition, customer service should be at the highest level. After all, a consumer can very easily choose a competitor for you, whose organization of water delivery is better debugged than yours. Returning the lost customer is almost impossible.
Also, to achieve an excellent result, it is necessary to constantly study the competitive environment and try to offer the consumer more. So, today many manufacturers provide coolers for free use. Therefore, if you do not begin to do this, then your client base will expand rather slowly.
Additional means of generating income
In addition to the production and sale of bottled product, it is easy to organize a business on vending machines for drinking water. Today they can be increasingly found in the cities of our country. It is advisable to install automatic machines in stores with high traffic, located in sleeping areas. Earnings from each such machine can reach $ 500 per month, and its payback period is about 12 months.
