Lean regional craft beer distributor

Local pubs, restaurants, bars, bottle shops and event venues, often ordering weekly or fortnightly.

A markup on beer bought from the breweries you represent. Keeping fixed costs low means you can start with a handful of venues and add breweries as orders grow.

• Selling and following up with venues
• Organising orders and deliveries
• Basic bookkeeping and invoicing
• Product knowledge of the beers you carry

• Liquor licence rules differ by state and territory, and storing stock at someone else's premises may affect which licence you need, so check before you buy stock
• Excise and GST obligations: ask the ATO or an accountant how they apply to your arrangement
• Public liability and stock insurance, including cover for stock held at third-party sites
• Reliance on one or two breweries; get terms in writing, including what happens if they stop supplying you
• Freight costs and keeping beer cool in warm weather can eat into margins
• Late payment from venues, so set clear terms and keep on top of invoices

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on how much stock you buy, whether you hire or buy a small van, and what shared storage costs. Check licence and insurance costs separately before you commit to stock.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on how many venues you win, how often they order and which beers you carry. Revenue is not profit, as freight, keeping beer cool and late payments can reduce margins.

Liquor licence rules differ by state and territory, and storing stock at someone else's premises may affect which licence you need. Check this before you buy stock, and ask the ATO or an accountant how excise and GST apply to your arrangement.