A Report on Setting Up A New Coffee House

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A Report on Setting Up A New Coffee House

1.0 Executive Summary

The concept

Thanks primarily to Coffee Inn, within the past 10 years the coffeehouse has become a familiar feature of Chittagong life. Every day, millions of local people stop for an espresso-based coffee drink. People who would not have dreamed of spending more than Tk20 for a cup of coffee a few years ago now gladly pay Tk30 to Tk50 for their cappuccino, mocha latte or vanilla ice blended drink.

The specialty-coffee business is growing at a healthy pace. During the past 20 years, there has not been a single year, despite recession, in which specialty coffee sales have not grown. In many years the increase has been in double digits. In addition, no coffeehouses have failed during this time, although the list of casualties in other industries is quite long.

HALVESIA, Coffee Inn, Off Time, Sugar Bun and other major coffee shop serve average quality drinks in establishments that have the same generic design appearance. Indeed, Off Time and Sugar Bun are often referred to as “fast food” coffeehouses due to their “cookie cutter” design.

A niche exists that has yet to be filled for a high-volume, upscale, quality-driven coffeehouse with a warm, inviting atmosphere.

The Kandi’s Coffeehouse meets this need and fills this niche. We offer high-quality products in an upscale environment. Furthermore, our high-profile location in Chittagong provides a mixed customer base that will maintain high levels of business in every season, at all times of the day, every day of the week.

Founders

Golam Masum Morshed, founder of The Kandi’s Coffeehouse. He is going to be completed his graduation in 2008.he has the experience to work in HANDI, which is the only Indian restaurant in Chittagong as an adviser.

Financials

The Company anticipates rapid acceptance of The Kandi’s Coffeehouse concept in Chittagong, with revenues of Tk6000000 in the first fiscal year, rising to more than $10000000 in FY 2011. Net profit is projected to be approximately Tk990000 in 2009, growing to an estimated $2600000 by 2011.

An advanced and expandable point-of-sale system

After carefully tracking the performance of the Chittagong store through an expandable and highly detailed point-of-sale system, we will use this as a “blueprint” for expansion. For example, daily sales are tracked and analyzed by item, time period and cost of goods. Labor requirements are matched to projected in-store sales based upon past performance for maximum efficiency. Even after paying higher than average wages, we expect to allocate no more than 25% to labor costs.

Highlights

1.1 Objectives

ÆMake The Kandi’s Coffeehouse is the number one destination for coffee in Chittagong

ÆSales of Tk6000000 the first fiscal year, Tk7500000 the second fiscal year and Tk1 crore the third fiscal year

ÆAchieve a 15% net profit margin within the first year and 30% by FY3

ÆAchieve a total net profit of Tk1500000 in FY1 and Tk2000000 by FY3

ÆBe an active and vocal member of the community, and provide continual re-investment through participation in community activities such as the Chamber of Commerce and financial contributions to local charities and youth organizations

ÆCreate a solid concept in the industry and track performance in order to begin expanding to other markets within six months

1.2 Mission

Our goal is to be the coffeehouse of choice for the local Chittagong community, downtown business workers, tourists who visit the city, and students, by providing a higher quality experience than any competitor. As a result, we intend to create coffeehouses that quickly achieve profitability and sustain an attractive rate of return (20% or more annually) for our investors.

We also want to make our contribution to the welfare of the local community by supporting charitable and civic activities. We will support the farmers who grow our coffee by using Fair Trade, Sustainable Production and Organic products whenever possible.

The Kandi’s Coffeehouse also awards its business to as many local suppliers as possible, keeping the business in the community or, at the least, in the state.

1.3 Keys to Success

The keys to our success will be:

ÆA superior-tasting product backed by a unique quality store

ÆA relaxing, upscale interior design

ÆPrime site selection with an upscale affluent population, year-round tourist activity, heavy pedestrian traffic by the site, a dynamic student population and a concentration of local businesses

ÆA market that exposes The Kandi’s Coffeehouse to high-profile “trend-setters” and “key influencers”

ÆOngoing, aggressive marketing

ÆHighly trained and friendly staff

ÆMultiple revenue streams including gift items, gift baskets and coffee gift/frequency cards in addition to coffee, pastry, chocolates, tea, juice, water and soft drinks

ÆA dynamic website with online sales capability

2.0 Company Summary

The Kandi’s coffeehouseis going to launches with its first coffeehouse located in Chittagong.The Kandi’s coffeehouse will offer residents and visitors a totally new style of coffeehouse – one offering a uniquely flavorful coffee drink and a comfortable, upscale environment at which to socialize, relax or work.

ÆVariety: No other coffeehouse in the area will provide the range of coffee drinks, tea, cocoa, juice, smoothies and other products thatThe Kandi’s coffeehousedoes.

ÆLocation:The Kandi’s coffeehouse will be located in the prime section of Chittagong in the heart of the shopping and entertainment district. The Kandi’s coffeehouselocations are designed for high volume year round, with revenues and profits to match.

ÆExpansion: Assuming this store is successful, it will be the first coffeehouse located in markets that have similar demographic profiles, significant traffic by the store, year-round tourist activity and a sizeable student population.

The Kandi’s coffeehouse Concept

At one time Cadillac was the acknowledged quality automobile in America. Then came Mercedes-Benz. And then Lexus, with its superb product and service approach. It will be the first “Lexus” of the coffeehouse industry, offering a higher quality product and better quality service in an exceptional environment. The only coffeehouse that comes close to being as upscale as our concept in the premier university campus, with its high style Italian décor.

The first Kandi’s coffeehouseis located in G.E.C (Chittagong). Other Kandi’s coffeehouse will eventually be located in select affluent markets that support the business model (e.g. Dhaka- farm gate, University of Dhaka campus, Mirpur etc).

The Kandi’s coffeehouseoffers a superior coffee product, delicious pastries, fresh juices, the finest tea drinks, gourmet chocolates and gift items.

The Kandi’s coffeehousestaff members who prepare the coffee (baristas) are highly trained and experienced. They know how to prepare an excellent espresso-based drink and brew tasty coffee. We use the highest quality equipment and ingredients to deliver a noticeably superior product.

Our design style is different from all other coffeehouses; it features stained glass decorations, art glasswork, Mediterranean Riviera style furnishings and outdoor dining.

2.1 Company Ownership

The Kandi’s coffeehouseis a privately held company. It is registered under the sole proprietorship Act.

2.2 Start-up Summary

Start-up expenses are in line with those of other coffeehouse. For example, Coffee Inn spends approximately Tk3000000 on average to build-out a new store location. My costs are an estimated Tk3500000 and Tk500000 for opening inventory and operating capital. Future stores should cost no more than Tk1750000 to build out since many of the costs incurred here will not have to be repeated later.

The Start-up requirements, below, include Tk2000000 of short and long-term assets.

Long term assets: Tk1500000

Under counter Refrigerators	Tk250000
Service/Prep Counter	Tk175,000
Ice Machine	Tk150000
Large Refrigerator	Tk200,000
Milk Coolers (3)	Tk80,000
Cash register (2) Point of Sale System	Tk190,000
Espresso Machine	Tk145,000
Fetco Coffee Brewer	Tk110000
Counters/Condiment bar/shelving	Tk200,000

Short-term assets: Tk500000

Tables, Chairs, Furnishings	Tk300,000
Persian Carpet	Tk100,000
Lighting Fixtures	Tk100,000

Start-up

Start-up
Requirements
Start-up Expenses
CONSTRUCTION
Site design, architectural plan	Tk100,000
Demolition/Construction	Tk25,0000
Electrical, Lighting	Tk12,0000
Electrical, Other	Tk100,000
Flooring/installation	Tk50,000
Bathroom Construction	Tk40,000
Plumbing	Tk100,000
Fireplace Construction	Tk50,000
Painting	Tk2,5000
City permits/licenses/fees	Tk6,5000
LEGAL
Accounting	Tk20,000
Legal	Tk40,000
Insurance	Tk2,5000
MARKETING
Opening marketing/advertising	Tk30,000
Graphic design for signage, menu boards	Tk20,000
Outside Signage	Tk1,5000
Frequency Cards, Brochures	Tk1,5000
OFFICE
Office equipment	Tk6000
Computer, scanner, printer	Tk20,000
Telephones/Fax/DSL	Tk5000
Stationery etc.	Tk10,000
Gift item displays (3)	Tk1,5000
APPLIANCES, ETC
Preparation equipment	Tk10,000
Dishwasher	Tk3,5000
Blenders (3)	Tk20,000
Microwave	Tk5000
Panini maker	Tk7000
Storage racks	Tk10,000
Music system	Tk8000
Food display case	Tk60,000
Storage room shelving	Tk10,000
Bulk bean grinder	Tk7000
Sinks (2), prep counters	Tk1,2000
Menu board construction	Tk2,5000
Cups/Lids (50,000)	Tk14,0000
Total Start-up Expenses	Tk147,0000
Start-up Assets
Cash Required	Tk75500
Start-up Inventory	Tk500,000
Other Current Assets	Tk500,000
Long-term Assets	Tk1500,000
Total Assets	Tk2575500
Total Requirements	Tk4000000

Start-up Funding

Start-up Funding
Start-up Expenses to Fund	Tk147,0000
Start-up Assets to Fund	Tk2575500
Total Funding Required	Tk4000000
Assets
Non-cash Assets from Start-up	Tk2500,000
Cash Requirements from Start-up	Tk75500
Additional Cash Raised	Tk0
Cash Balance on Starting Date	Tk75500
Total Assets	Tk2575500
Liabilities and Capital
Liabilities
Current Borrowing	Tk0
Long-term Liabilities	Tk0
Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills)	Tk0
Other Current Liabilities (interest-free)	Tk0
Total Liabilities	Tk0
Capital
Planned Investment
Investors	Tk350,000
Other	Tk500000
Additional Investment Requirement	Tk0
Total Planned Investment	Tk4000000
Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses)	(Tk147,0000)
Total Capital	Tk2575500
Total Capital and Liabilities	Tk2575500
Total Funding	Tk4000000

Start-up

3.0 Products

The Kandi’s Coffeehouse sells high-quality specialty coffee beverages, tea, juice, water, soft drinks, pastries, chocolates and gift items. Despite being an upscale coffeehouse, our prices are in line with the leading in comparing with the other.

3.1 Vendors

ÆCoffee roasting is provided by Nescafe coffee company.

ÆTea is primarily supplied by Ceylon and Finley tea company.

ÆOur water vendor is MUM from Partex group.

ÆMango and oranges are brought from local market for juices.

ÆPastries are provided by Coopers, sugar bun.

ÆChocolates and cocoa are from different retailers.

ÆGift items are from various vendors

ÆSoft drinks are provided by coca cola, PepsiCo etc.

3.2 The Kandi’s coffeehouse menu

The Kandi’s coffeehousemenu sets us apart from other coffeehouses, giving me a competitive edge.

ÆWe offer six groups of drinks – coffee, tea, Italian sodas, smoothies, juice and cocoa – with several choices within each group. This enables us to provide more variety than our competitors while keeping the preparation of the drinks easy to execute.

ÆWe are taking advantage of the immense popularity of flavored drinks and Chai tea by offering a product mix that includes items the other coffeehouses don’t carry as well as more familiar drinks.

ÆWe are the only coffeehouse to have a wide range of gourmet hot cocoa.

ÆWe carry the highest quality fresh juices.

Prices have been determined after a thorough analysis of all food costs for every item in each drink. In some cases, an average price has been calculated and applied to all similar drinks in order to keep the menu from confusing the customer.

3.2.1 Coffee and Espresso Drinks

ÆCOFFEE

Coffees of the day: The Kandi’s coffeehouseBlend, Riviera Roast,

Tk30 Regular Tk50 Large

ESPRESSO

Name	Description	Regular	Large
Espresso	A double shot of straight espresso.	Tk30
Caffe Americano	Espresso combined with hot water, a gourmet brewed coffee.	25	50
Cappuccino	Espresso with a smooth topping of milk foam.	20	50
Caffe Latte	Espresso combined with steamed milk, topped with a small amount of velvety milk foam.	20	50

COFFEE DRINKS

Name	Description	Small	Large
The Banana Nut Java	Coffee. Warm milk. Banana, macadamia nut and vanilla syrups. Topped with whipped cream and cinnamon dusting.	Tk20	Tk40

FLAVORED ESPRESSO DRINKS

Name	Description	Regular	Large
Vanilla Cappuccino	Cappuccino made with vanilla flavored milk foam.	Tk25	Tk45
Vanilla Latte	A Caffe Latte with vanilla essence added.	Tk20	Tk40
White Chocolate Latte	Espresso, white chocolate flavoring and steamed milk topped with velvety foam and white chocolate shavings.	Tk25	Tk50
The 50/50 Latte	Espresso. Vanilla and orange syrups, steamed milk and whipped cream topping.	Tk20	Tk40

HOT COCOA DRINKS

all hot cocoa drinks are Tk30

Name	Description
French Vanilla Cocoa	Hot cocoa with vanilla and whipped cream.
White Chocolate Cocoa	Hot cocoa with white chocolate and whipped cream.
Holiday Spice Cocoa	Rich hot cocoa and holiday spices. Topped with whipped cream.
Peppermint Cocoa	Rich chocolate and refreshing peppermint. Topped with whipped cream.
Oval tine	Oval tine Chocolate Malt and milk.

3.2.2 Teas

ICED TEAS

Classic Iced Tea, just like you remember as a kid.

Tk7 Small, Tk10 Medium, Tk15 Large

HOT TEA

Tk10 Regular

Earl Grey

English Breakfast

Peppermint

Earl Grey Lavender

Golden Flowers Herbal

Herbal Lemon

Tropical Green

3.2.3 Juices

Name	Description	Regular	Large
Fresh squeezed orange juice	Exclusively from Longhorn Orchards, Corpus Cristi, TX	Tk15	Tk30
Old-fashioned Lemonade	Made fresh daily from Pleasant County lemons.	Tk15	Tk30
Martinelli’s Apple Juice (regular and sparkling)	A Chittaqgong favorite.	Tk20

3.2.4 Snacks and Pastries

Item	Price
Cheesecake, made just for us by coopers.	Tk120
Fresh scones, hot from the oven.	Tk150
Brownies	Tk160
Blueberry Muffins	Tk160
Best Ever Bakery Fancy Cookies	Tk120

3.2.5 Deli Items

Item	Price
Sandwiches: Turkey, Roast Beef, Ham and Salami.	Tk20-160
Soup	Tk80-220

4.0 Market Analysis Summary

The Kandi’s coffeehouselaunches with an exciting new coffeehouse concept in a receptive and steadily growing market segment – the specialty coffee retail business.

Despite economic downturns in recent years the specialty coffee business has been a bright spot. While literally hundreds of businesses in many categories are facing poor sales, negative balance sheets and even bankruptcy, coffee business continue to show strong growth.

Chittagong: The Perfect Launch Market

By launching The Kandi’s coffeehousein the Chittagong market we maximize our potential for success due to several factors:

Æ The highly affluent local population

Æ Year-round tourist activity

Æ Ever-changing upscale student population

Æ Excellent auto and pedestrian traffic by our location

Æ Low media costs

Æ High number of local special events

Æ Prime site location

The Kandi’s coffeehouseis located at what is arguably one of the best locations for a coffeehouse in Chittagong- in the heart of the tourist and business district, adjacent to fine dining and shopping, and just steps from the busiest intersection in town.

The Kandi’s coffeehouseCoffee has all the ingredients necessary for immediate success.

4.1 Market Segmentation

The Kandi’s coffeehousecustomer base in Chittagong is comprised of five target groups.

1. Affluent local residents

2. Tourists

3. Local business people

4. Students

5. Travelers passing through

These groups are all potentially strong customer segments. The benefit of this mix of customers is that it helps maintain consistent business throughout the year. For example, while tourism is strong all year long in Chittagong, it peaks during the summer months. Conversely, the student population is not as strong during the summer as it is from September through June of each year.

The other customer segments (local residents, local business) provide a consistent foundation all year long.

Also, by appealing to several market segments, The Kandi’s Coffeehouse does not become overly dependent on any single consumer group. For example, several local coffeehouses with primarily student customers do poorly during the non-school months. They must also market themselves a new each year to the incoming students. The Kandi’s coffeehousewill avoid these peaks and valleys in business with a mix of customers.

Æ Affluent locals. Within two miles of The Kandi’s coffeehouseare 200,000 of the most affluent people in Chittagong.

Æ Tourists. More than 5,000,000 tourists visit Chittagong every year because the world’s largest sea beach is near the Chittagong. Most will pass by The Kandi’s coffeehouselocation.

Æ Local business people. The Kandi’s coffeehouseis located on the center of Chittagong known as GEC Street in the heart of the prime downtown business district. It’s across from the exclusive, chic, department store, and the number one shopping destination in Chittagong.

Æ Students. Chittagong is home to a major branch of the Premier University as well as dozens of other schools, including many prestigious private schools and academies. Ispahani public School and collage is less than a mile from The Kandi’s coffeehouse.

Market Analysis

		2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Potential Customers	Growth
Local residents	2%	75,000	76,500	78,030	79,590	81,181
Tourists	5%	100,000	105,000	110,250	115,763	121,551
Students	1%	40,000	40,400	40,804	41,212	41,624
Local businesses	1%	20,000	20,200	20,402	20,606	20,812
Total	9%	235,000	242,100	249486	257171	265168

Market Analysis (Pie)

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

Overall, our strategy is to maintain a constantly high customer count by leveraging our appeal to four groups of potential customers.

Local Residents. Approximately 200000 people live within five miles of our The Kandi’s coffeehouse location. The most affluent of these live even closer, within two miles. It is a short 5 minute drive to The Kandi’s coffeehousefor most of our potential local customers. Excellent public parking is available within 100 yards.

Local customers form the loyal core of our business. We will reach out to them through local marketing, involvement in the Chamber of Commerce, support of local charitable organizations and sponsorship of events and youth sports teams.

Tourists. Chittagong has excellent year-round tourist activity. About 5 million people will visit the area during the next year. While hotels are virtually sold out during the summer months, tourism all year is exceptionally strong. This is due in large part to the temperate climate, large sea beach and an unusually large number of special events (e.g. film festivals, concerts, art shows) scheduled throughout the year.

With a troubled economy and fears of terrorism, more people are opting for the relatively inexpensive, easy and safe short trip to Chittagong for recreation. And, according to the Chamber of Commerce, 90% of all tourists visiting Chittagong will pass by The Kandi’s coffeehouselocation.

We will target these potential customers with ads in local tourism guides.

Local businesses. Many local businesses, both private and government, are within two blocks of The Kandi’s coffeehouse. Central plaza, the prime shopping center of Chittagong, is one block away. The county courthouse is two blocks away. The Kandi’s coffeehouse is in the heart of the shopping and dining area.

We also offer coffee service to local restaurants, night spots and businesses. Coffee service brings in additional revenue and promotes The Kandi’s coffeehouseamong employees at these businesses.

Students. The area has more than 30,000 students in several schools, including nearby City College and Premier University. Students, most of whom are under the drinking age, have few places they can go to meet their friends. Coffeehouses have proven to be very popular with students – even high school students.

To reach students we offer special student discount cards, pass out free coffee coupons at student events and offer entertainment on weekends.

Students represent an excellent customer segment for several reasons:

Æ Students bring an energy and youth to the coffeehouse

Æ By attracting students we generate excellent word-of-mouth

Æ Students represent a large base of potential part-time employees.

4.3 Industry Analysis

The specialty retail coffee business as we know it today began in 1982 after Howard Schultz purchased the Starbucks name and began the expansion of the modern Starbucks chain. Prior to his transformation of the business, Starbucks sold only whole bean coffee.

Overall coffee sales have not grown significantly in recent years, the specialty coffeehouse segment is growing steadily at a healthy pace every year. The low food cost of coffee drinks, relatively modest investment capital requirements, and low overhead, lead to high profit margins in the coffeehouse industry.

There are approximately 10 million coffee drinkers in the Bangladesh according to recent survey.” 77% of coffee drinkers consume coffee daily. Coffee drinkers spend an average of Tk5000 on coffee annually, and drink an average 2 cups daily. It’s easy to see why coffee is second only to oil as the largest commodity in the world.

Local Competition

The coffeehouse Coffee Inn has only one store in the Khulshi area. Its highest volume store (350 customers daily) is at an excellent location on ‘A’ block, the main thoroughfare in town, but the store is unattractive, small and lacks outside seating.

Off-Time also has an excellent location directly across the street O R Nizam Road in Chittagong. This busy coffeehouse is very small. A counter inside and a couple of tables outside are the only areas for customers to sit down.

Other competitors include three independent coffeehouses.

Sugar Bun is located on Dampara in a good location. They serve good coffee but have a limited menu and a very “funky” decor. A second Sugar Bun is located in Halisahar. New managers are trying to improve the store but without success so far.

Another independent is YUM YUM, located in a residential neighborhood but on a busy street in what was once a gas station. This coffeehouse is also very “collegiate” in its decor, and a favored haunt of the law school students, but manages to average more than 250 customers per day. They have a second location in Probortok More.

A new Coffeehouse is established in near the GEC which is named is “HALVESIA”. This coffee shop is very well known in Dhaka.

4.3.2 Competition and Buying Patterns

Competition is dominated by the presence of “HALVESIA”. Other major are Coffee Inn, Sugar Bun, YUM YUM. Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Seattle’s Best, Gloria Jeans Coffee.

Æ The coffeehouse business has grown every year since 1982.

Æ Not a single coffeehouse chain has failed during the past 15 years.

Despite major economic recessions and terrorist attacks, the specialty coffee industry has grown every year. One industry observer said, “When times are good the coffeehouse industry is great. And when times are bad the coffeehouse industry is great.”

Lifestyle factors converge to make the coffee industry strong at all times. The stimulant effect of coffee is an important reason why many hard-working. Conversely, coffeehouses provide calm, inviting environment for people to socialize, relax or catch up on work.

Young people under the legal drinking age are one of the fastest-growing segments of the coffee drinking market. Coffeehouses provide them with a much-needed place to meet with their friends.

Entertainment on weekend nights draws a young group of enthusiastic customers. The surge in interest in coffee drinking among young people assures a diverse, receptive, sophisticated customer base now and in the future.

Older adults also enjoy the fact that for the relatively modest price of a cup of coffee and snack, they can meet with their friends, relax or work.

Æ Quality is deteriorating even as the industry is growing.

Coffeehouses need to produce a quality product to back up the perceived “little luxury” image. Currently, most of the largest chains are bowing to the pressures of growth and are cutting corners on quality by introducing fully automatic espresso machines, mass bean buying and other efficiency measures.

Æ Coffee drinking is now an all-day activity.

Once concentrated in the early morning hours or mid-afternoon, in recent years coffee drinking has become an all-day activity. Even late at night, many coffeehouses are packed with patrons. It’s not unusual for a well located coffeehouse to exceed a daily average of 600 customers.

Æ Customer guest check averages are rising.

As pastries, chocolates, tea, pre-packaged sandwiches, snacks, juice drinks and gift items are added to the menu, the average customer expenditure has risen. Many popular coffeehouses report averages in the Tk250 – Tk400 range. The Kandi’s Coffeehouse expects that guest checks will average about Tk300.

5.0 Strategy and Implementation Summary

The Kandi’s coffeehouse uses a strategy of total quality – in product and service. Our promise is in our location, the products we sell, the people we attract and the atmosphere we create.

Strategic Assumptions:

Æ People want a better-tasting coffee drink

Æ Coffee drinkers want a more inviting coffeehouse environment

Æ Coffee drinks are considered an affordable luxury

Æ The coffeehouse industry is largely unaffected by the economy and world events

Æ The Kandi’s coffeehouse offers several unique advantages over all other coffeehouses

5.1 Competitive Edge

Our competitive edge, compared to the other coffeehouses in the greater Chittagong area includes the following:

Æ A significantly higher quality, better tasting coffee product.

Æ Our current location can arguably be considered the best in the market – in the heart of the downtown shopping, dining, entertainment and cultural district in Chittagong and adjacent to the historic Theatre.

Æ The only coffeehouse downtown to provide regular weekend evening entertainment.

Æ A wider variety of popular drinks than our competitors, including flavored coffee drinks, tea, cocoa and juice. We have several drink options for people who don’t drink coffee: tea, cocoa and juice.

Æ

Æ Our Internet website will include sales of whole coffee beans, tea, chocolates, gift items and gift baskets.

5.2 Marketing Strategy

Other coffeehouses rely almost entirely on word-of-mouth marketing to generate business. We will engage in an ongoing aggressive marketing program that will help us establish profitability quickly and set the stage for continual growth.

Our strategy will be to position The Kandi’s coffeehouse as the “Lexus” of coffeehouses, offering a high quality product and superb service in a superior environment.

5.2.1 Launch Marketing

Most coffeehouse does little or no marketing and advertising. For example, Sugar Bun from Malaysia’s philosophy is that their ubiquity in the marketplace is all they need to sustain and grow their customer base. They spend less than 1% of gross revenues on advertising, and when they do spend, it is usually to introduce a new product.

The retail coffee industry is a sales-oriented business with historically very little experience in marketing and advertising. This is likely why little is done. As yet, the major players have not been taken over by sophisticated companies like PepsiCo, where marketing is viewed as essential to gaining market share.

An element of our differentiation from other coffeehouse will be our use of advertising and marketing to gain awareness, build customer traffic and establish a strong brand image. We intend to create immediate customer awareness and not wait for word-of-mouth. We are also building customer traffic immediately with an aggressive Launch Marketing Plan.

Launch Marketing

Launch marketing will promote awareness, build immediate traffic and establish our brand image via several methods:

ÆPublic relations/publicity

ÆDirect mail

ÆLocal print and broadcast media

ÆDesign and packaging

ÆCommunity involvement

ÆSampling

ÆSuperior location

Public Relations

A strong public relations/publicity program uses as its primary “hook” these three main points:

1. The Kandi’s coffeehouse in Chittagong is the first true coffeehouse

2. Our unique quality products

The goal of the PR/publicity is to achieve local market awareness and establish the brand on a wider scale to set the stage for future expansion. Local market awareness is vital because more than 50% of sales will come from people living within a 5-mile radius of the store.

National awareness will help drive the expansion by generating opportunities created by the media buzz and familiarizing people with our brand name. It will help set the stage for future brand identification.

Local Media

ö The Chittagong Gazette

ö Chittagong Magazine

ö The Chittagong Weekly

ö Chittagong Dining

ö Chittagong Seasons

ö ABC-TV

ö Radio Today FM 89.6

ö Radio Foorty Fm 98.4

ö Radio Amar FM 101.6

Regional/National Print Media

ö Business Week

ö The Business Journal

ö Time

ö Newsweek

ö Entrepreneur

ö Newspapers in top 50 Bangladesh markets

National Broadcast Media

ö Radio Bangladesh

ö Bangladesh Television (BTV)

Direct Mail

ö Ongoing direct mail generated from our website data

ö Visa or MasterCard local direct mail program

Website

Our website is fully e-commerce functional and could easily become a significant revenue source.

We will eventually sell the following items online:

ö Whole coffee, tea

ö Gift baskets

ö Gift items

ö Furnishings

And in a first for any coffeehouse in the world, we will also sell a catalog of glass artwork representative of our store decor. We will act as the sales agent for a number of participating stained glass, and art glass artisans.

The website also markets The Kandi’s coffeehouse with:

ö A monthly newsletter

ö Interesting information about the coffee industry

ö A map to our store

ö Store hours

ö Special events

ö Coffee recipes

Most of these functions are already up and running.

Trend-setters

ÆChittagong and the southern part of the state are home to thousands of individuals who can be important to the successful positioning of The Kandi’s coffeehouse. One mention on a TV talk program or in a ‘lifestyle’ magazine can launched many successful careers and businesses.

ÆWith literally hundreds of celebrities and wealthy business people as local residents, the word-of-mouth recommendations from these people can drive significant business to us as well as generate favorable publicity.

ÆMany celebrities visit Chittagong or have second homes here. Politicians and entertainers have interests in several restaurants.

ÆCelebrities in Chittagong are also actively involved in the community, many supporting several local charities. Our involvement in the community will enable us to garner exposure for The Kandi’s coffeehouse among an important group of local residents.

ÆKey individuals will be targeted with gift baskets from The Kandi’s coffeehouse containing samples of our products to entice them to visit The Kandi’s coffeehouse and talk about us with their friends.

Design style

The interior design of The Kandi’s coffeehouse is unlike any other coffeehouse. While there are some upscale designs, they are the entire modern Italian or Indian look. Our upscale featuring stained glass decoration, art glasswork, differentiates us from all others.

Gift Items

We carry a wide variety of quality gift items, including gift baskets. Gift basket business could eventually grow to be substantial. However, since it is difficult to project at this time we have not included it in the financial computations. We also offer sales of stained glass and glass artwork by the artisans who produced our decor furnishings.

Community Involvement

We will make ourselves an integral part of the local and world community. This will generate goodwill, create opportunities to forge important contacts with key people and live up to our company Mission Statement.

Some of these community involvement goals include:

ö Take an active role in the Chamber of Commerce

ö Supply complementary product to local charities for fund-raising activities

ö Sponsor local sports teams

ö Purchase fair trade coffee whenever possible

ö Support Fair Trade, organic, sustainable farming

Location

The location of the first The Kandi’s coffeehouse in Chittagong is a prototype of future sites. Our second site on University of Dhaka Campus will feature our flagship store.

We will build The Kandi’s coffeehouse in the best locations possible, as this is the key element in a successful operation.

Site selection criteria include:

öHigh traffic location

öSmall or mid-size affluent market

öYear-round tourist activity

öNearby (within 5 miles) student population

öOutside dining

Other sites that meet these criteria include Halisahar, Tiger Pass, Lalkhanbazar etc.

Exceptions will be made for some sites if they are deemed to be potentially very profitable.

Sampling

We will engage in several sampling activities to introduce potential customers (and current customers) to The Kandi’s coffeehouse range of drink options.

öSamples will be distributed at the coffeehouse

öSamples will be given to passers-by on the street

öDiscount coupons will be distributed on the street, via direct mail and at special events

öComplementary coffee will be served at charitable and civic events

öFree coffee service will be provided to the Chamber of Commerce, a radio station, the newspaper and at select government offices (e.g. the Planning and Zoning Department)

Portable Kiosk

Within 6 to 8 months we will create a portable The Kandi’s coffeehouse kiosk to sell and market our products at special events and community activities. Chittagong has more than 130 such events every year. It will be an excellent way to publicize The Kandi’s coffeehouse coffee.

The kiosk will be highly visible and fun. It will also potentially be very profitable, although it’s hard to determine how profitable with any accuracy until the local response is measured. We believe it could generate Tk75000 – Tk100000 annual revenue.

Pre-paid, re-loadable, frequency and discount cards

ÆWe will promote our program of gift cards and customer frequency cards to drive business and stimulate cash flow. Industry records indicate that 25% – 40% of all gift card amounts go unused. Also, gift cards have proven to be a popular holiday item accounting for more than 5% of total sales during December.

ÆPre-paid and re-loadable cards have also proven to be very popular with the major coffeehouses, again accounting for a significant percentage of sales. These cards promote customer loyalty as well.

ÆFrequency cards rewarding the repeat customer with a free drink after a specified number of visits are popular and proven methods to forge customer loyalty.

ÆDiscount cards are used to build goodwill among specific groups such as the Chamber of Commerce members and college students.

ÆBy tying in with our computerized sales and inventory system we will be able to track usage and allocate the expense to marketing.

The Future

The number of The Kandi’s coffeehouse locations could easily reach 10 – 15 within five years. While the financials in this Business Plan only address the Chittagong location, we can extrapolate from the store’s performance (which will be carefully monitored and tracked) to get a general idea of the projected profitability.

With ten coffeehouses the gross revenues, when fully realized, would be more than Tk5 million using the third year performance figures. Even factoring in the cost of additional staff and other resources,

The Kandi’s coffeehouse start-up, implementation and operation in Chittagong will be the “blueprint” for future efficient expansion. Our new University of Dhaka Campus location will incorporate the knowledge we gain with our first store as well as new creative ideas, and become our “flagship” operation.

5.3 Sales Strategy

Our sales strategy includes:

ö Staff salaries that are 10% above the industry average in order to attract the best people

ö Hiring for attitude so that we always have a friendly, enthusiastic staff to make customers feel welcome and appreciated; constant staff training to assure the best quality possible

ö State-of-the-art sales/inventory system to (A) reduce customer waiting time, and (B) create efficient product ordering

ö Create a mobile kiosk to take The Kandi’s coffeehouse into the community at special events, farmer’s markets, art shows, etc.

ö Sell coffee, gift baskets and glass artwork on our website

ö Establish coffee service at local businesses

ö Sell gift cards, frequency cards, pre-paid cards, and offer discounts to key groups

ö Create an ongoing sampling program

ö Conduct a consistent, aggressive marketing program

ö Be an active member of the community; be visible at charitable functions

ö Solicit customer feedback to constantly improve and streamline our operation

Key Strategy: an advanced and expandable point-of-sales system

After carefully tracking the performance of the Chittagong store through an expandable and highly detailed point-of-sale system, we will use this as a “blueprint” for expansion. For example, daily sales are tracked and analyzed by item, time period and cost of goods. Labor requirements are matched to projected in-store sales based upon past performance for maximum efficiency. Even after paying higher than average wages we expect to allocate no more than 25% to labor costs.

Sales are linked to inventory to both streamline the efficiency of ordering and reduce “shrinkage” by instantly alerting us to unusual shortages compared with revenues.

Scheduling can be done online and easily revised to accommodate changes – all while projecting weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual labor costs. Schedules can be sent via email to staff members.

Cost of goods can be monitored for increased efficiency too. As we continually research methods of delivering a high quality but cost-efficient product, and by making small incremental improvements in the costs of items we expect to increase overall COG by a minimum of 5% during the first year of operation.

As expansion occurs, the POS system can be adapted to each individual location and allow the central office to monitor the stores remotely as well as the overall combined operation. Close monitoring will allow us to achieve a high level of communication between stores as well as spot problems immediately and take corrective action.

5.3.1 Sales Forecast

Conservatively, we are forecasting an average of 200 customers per day during the first year with average guest check expenditure for all items of Tk300. This figure was arrived at by surveying the customer traffic at the nearest competing coffeehouses which have a range of 150 – 500 customers per day and an average customer expenditure of Tk300.We have estimated our customer expenditure to be slightly higher (2.5%) due to the premium price we will charge for some of our items. Total cost of sales is approximately 25%.

We expect growth to occur across all categories at about 10% annually as the business becomes more established and well-known, reaching 300+ customers per day within a year and more than 400+ within three years. These estimates are likely conservative. However, it is possible we could attain a 500-per-day customer count within three year

Sales Forecast

Sales Forecast
	FY 2009	FY 2010	FY 2011
Sales
Coffee drinks	Tk265,101	Tk344,631	Tk448,021
Tea, soft drinks, water, juice	167,007	217,109	282,241
Pastries, food items	154,126	200,364	260,473
Coffee beans	2,105	2,526	3,031
Events/mobile kiosk	0	0	0
Coffee service to businesses	3,300	3,630	3,993
Internet sales	8,500	10,625	13,281
Gift items	6,440	7,728	9,274