What Should You Know Before Starting Your Distillery?

Before you start putting products into the market (and investing your own money) you really need to know what the demand is like. It's just a fact, if you're making vodka on a small scale, you won't be able to match the prices of the big brands.

Continue reading to find out why you'll need to do your research before starting your own craft distillery.

Will Anyone Buy It?

So, what is it that compels a consumer to spend two or three times the money on a craft product instead of a large volume (more affordable) product?

A large part of a company's success is their branding and their brand story. Branding is a really important aspect of craft distilling because of the sheer number of distilleries and products that are out there. So, a unique and compelling backstory can be invaluable.

Examples of Brand Stories

For instance, there is a new distillery in Newberg, OR, that is right at the end of the Oregon Trail.  They lean into that and a lot of their branding comes back to the Oregon Trail and the history of Oregon.

A company in Scotland are fourth generation potato farmers who know how to process potatoes, so they've got essentially free raw materials. And they make a lot of the fact that they grow and produce all of their materials on one site.

Thinking about your story and what makes you unique will go a long way to helping differentiate yourself.

Buy a high-quality distillery

What Is Your End Goal?

Sometimes the heart rules ahead, and we'll hear on occasion "I want to make something good."

But a good product from your perspective may not be what is popular for the consumer.

Would you like to own a small craft vodka brand? There's more emotion around the small product.

Who Is Your Brand Made For?

After analyzing yourself and your story, it's time to look at your audience. Who is your ideal customer? And more importantly, are they interested in what you have to sell?

Depending on your budget, you can collect your own audience information (primary research) and/or rely on outside data (secondary research).

Primary research is when you collect and gather your own information (surveys, interviews and focus groups).

Secondary research is utilizing data and public records that others have performed (sales data, industry reports, etc.)

You can learn more about primary and secondary research.

Create a Customer Persona

Once you've collected your audience data, a helpful next step is to create a customer persona.

The persona is a fictional embodiment of your key target audience in terms of pain points, problems they want solved and hopes and aspirations. Personas are a great way to get into the mind of your potential customer and understand what messages will resonate with them.

Distillation Course

If you want personalized one-on-one coaching and guidance on how to open your own winery and avoid common mistakes, you can read more about winery entrepreneurship workshops. You will:

• Learn basic information on the practical aspects of making new wines and finishing products.

• Interact with a practical demonstration of distillation.

• Addresses the challenge of adjusting alcohol content as required by law.