Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for vending machine businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.
A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your vending machine company but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.
This article provides an overview of the key elements that every vending machine business owner should include in their own vending machine business plan.
What is a Vending Machine Business Plan?
A vending machine business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s strategy and feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful and your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.
Why Write a Vending Machine Business Plan?
A vending machine business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide to your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.
Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.
Writing an Effective Vending Machine Business Plan
The following are the key components of a successful vending machine business plan:
Executive Summary
The executive summary of a vending machine business plan is a one-to-two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.
- Start with a one-line description of your vending machine business
- Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your vending machine business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.
Company Description
This section should include a brief history of your vending machine business. Include a short description of how your company started, the legal structure, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.
If you are just starting your vending machine business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in the vending industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your vending machines business, mention this.
You will also include information about your chosen business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other vending machine businesses in your industry. For example, you will mention the types of vending machines you operate (e.g., snack machines, drink machines) and what type of accounts you serve (e.g., colleges, nursing homes, manufacturing plants, all of the above, etc.).
Industry Analysis
The industry or market analysis is an important component of your vending machine business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market.
Questions to answer include:
- What part of the vending machine operators industry are you targeting?
- How big is the market?
- What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your vending machine business)?
You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.
Customer Analysis
The customer analysis section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, and interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.
For example, a vending machine business’ customers may include:
- Office workers who need a quick snack or drink during their break
- Students who want a convenient place to buy snacks and drinks in or near their school
- People who are looking for a healthier alternative to fast-food restaurants
You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you, as well as what keeps them buying from you.
Develop a strategy for targeting those potential customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or vending machine services with the right marketing.
Competitive Analysis
The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from direct competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.
For each of your direct and indirect competitors, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or competitive advantages; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors?
Marketing Plan
This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your vending machine marketing plan. Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 P’s.
- Product/Service: Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
- Price: Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your direct competition.
- Place: Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
- Promotion: How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may develop marketing materials such as flyers and business cards to hand out in person or launch a direct mail campaign. You could also use digital marketing methods including social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, or use pay-per-click advertising. Or you may promote your vending machine business via word of mouth, or via PR.
Operations Plan
This part of your vending machine business plan should include the following information:
- How will you conduct business to develop and secure new accounts? For example, will you do it in person or only over the phone?
- How will you install vending machines in the new locations?
- What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?
The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.
Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a vending machine business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include installing X number of vending machines or gaining a certain percentage of market share.
Management Team
List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific vending machine industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.
If you are seeking funding in particular, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire in the future.
Financial Plan
Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix).
This includes the following three financial statements:
Income Statement
Your income statement, also called a profit and loss statement, should include:
- Revenue: how much revenue you generate.
- Costs: These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
- Net Income (or loss): Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss
Sample Income Statement for a Startup Vending Machine Business
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
| Revenues | |||||
| Revenues | $ 336,090 | $ 450,940 | $ 605,000 | $ 811,730 | $ 1,089,100 |
| Total Revenue | $ 336,090 | $ 450,940 | $ 605,000 | $ 811,730 | $ 1,089,100 |
| Direct Cost | |||||
| Direct Costs | $ 67,210 | $ 90,190 | $ 121,000 | $ 162,340 | $ 217,820 |
| Total Direct Costs | $ 67,210 | $ 90,190 | $ 121,000 | $ 162,340 | $ 217,820 |
| GROSS PROFIT | $ 268,880 | $ 360,750 | $ 484,000 | $ 649,390 | $ 871,280 |
| Other Expenses | |||||
| Salaries | $ 96,000 | $ 99,840 | $ 105,371 | $ 110,639 | $ 116,171 |
| Marketing Expenses | $ 61,200 | $ 64,400 | $ 67,600 | $ 71,000 | $ 74,600 |
| Rent/Utility Expenses | $ 36,400 | $ 37,500 | $ 38,700 | $ 39,800 | $ 41,000 |
| Other Expenses | $ 9,200 | $ 9,200 | $ 9,200 | $ 9,400 | $ 9,500 |
| Total Other Expenses | $ 202,800 | $ 210,940 | $ 220,871 | $ 230,839 | $ 241,271 |
| EBITDA | $ 66,080 | $ 149,810 | $ 263,129 | $ 418,551 | $ 630,009 |
| Depreciation | $ 5,200 | $ 5,200 | $ 5,200 | $ 5,200 | $ 4,200 |
| EBIT | $ 60,880 | $ 144,610 | $ 257,929 | $ 413,351 | $ 625,809 |
| Interest Expense | $ 7,600 | $ 7,600 | $ 7,600 | $ 7,600 | $ 7,600 |
| PRETAX INCOME | $ 53,280 | $ 137,010 | $ 250,329 | $ 405,751 | $ 618,209 |
| Taxable Income | $ 53,280 | $ 137,010 | $ 250,329 | $ 405,751 | $ 618,209 |
| Income Tax Expense | $ 18,700 | $ 47,900 | $ 87,600 | $ 142,000 | $ 216,400 |
| NET INCOME | $ 34,580 | $ 89,110 | $ 162,729 | $ 263,751 | $ 401,809 |
| Net Profit Margin (%) | 10% | 20% | 27% | 32% | 37% |
Balance Sheet
Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:
- Assets: All of the things you own (including cash).
- Liabilities: This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
- Equity: The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.
Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Vending Machine Business
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
| ASSETS | |||||
| Cash | $ 105,342 | $ 188,252 | $ 340,881 | $ 597,431 | $ 869,278 |
| Other Current Assets | $ 41,600 | $ 55,800 | $ 74,800 | $ 90,200 | $ 121,000 |
| Total Current Assets | $ 146,942 | $ 244,052 | $ 415,681 | $ 687,631 | $ 990,278 |
| Fixed Assets | $ 25,000 | $ 25,000 | $ 25,000 | $ 25,000 | $ 25,000 |
| Accum Depreciation | $ 5,200 | $ 10,400 | $ 15,600 | $ 20,800 | $ 25,000 |
| Net fixed assets | $ 19,800 | $ 14,600 | $ 9,400 | $ 4,200 | $ 0 |
| TOTAL ASSETS | $ 166,742 | $ 258,652 | $ 425,081 | $ 691,831 | $ 990,278 |
| LIABILITIES & EQUITY | |||||
| Current Liabilities | $ 23,300 | $ 26,100 | $ 29,800 | $ 32,800 | $ 38,300 |
| Debt outstanding | $ 108,862 | $ 108,862 | $ 108,862 | $ 108,862 | $ 0 |
| Total Liabilities | $ 132,162 | $ 134,962 | $ 138,662 | $ 141,662 | $ 38,300 |
| Share Capital | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Retained earnings | $ 34,580 | $ 123,690 | $ 286,419 | $ 550,170 | $ 951,978 |
| Total Equity | $ 34,580 | $ 123,690 | $ 286,419 | $ 550,170 | $ 951,978 |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY | $ 166,742 | $ 258,652 | $ 425,081 | $ 691,831 | $ 990,278 |
Cash Flow Statement
Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:
- Cash Flow From Operations
- Cash Flow From Investments
- Cash Flow From Financing
Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup vending machine business.
Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Vending Machine Business
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS | |||||
| Net Income (Loss) | $ 34,580 | $ 89,110 | $ 162,729 | $ 263,751 | $ 401,809 |
| Change in Working Capital | $ (18,300) | $ (11,400) | $ (15,300) | $ (12,400) | $ (25,300) |
| Plus Depreciation | $ 5,200 | $ 5,200 | $ 5,200 | $ 5,200 | $ 4,200 |
| Net Cash Flow from Operations | $ 21,480 | $ 82,910 | $ 152,629 | $ 256,551 | $ 380,709 |
| CASH FLOW FROM INVESTMENTS | |||||
| Fixed Assets | $ (25,000) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Net Cash Flow from Investments | $ (25,000) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING | |||||
| Cash from Equity | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| Cash from Debt financing | $ 108,862 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ (108,862) |
| Net Cash Flow from Financing | $ 108,862 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ (108,862) |
| Net Cash Flow | $ 105,342 | $ 82,910 | $ 152,629 | $ 256,551 | $ 271,847 |
| Cash at Beginning of Period | $ 0 | $ 105,342 | $ 188,252 | $ 340,881 | $ 597,431 |
| Cash at End of Period | $ 105,342 | $ 188,252 | $ 340,881 | $ 597,431 | $ 869,278 |
Appendix
You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:
- Your complete financial projections
- A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
- Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.
Vending Machine Business Plan Summary
Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your vending machine business. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.
Be sure to include all the key components discussed in this article and tailor it specifically to your business. And, most importantly, remember that your business plan is a living document; meaning it should be updated regularly as your business grows and changes.
Finish Your Vending Machine Business Plan in 1 Day!
Wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your vending machine business plan?
With our Ultimate Vending Machine Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!
