Beer Business Finance

Health insurance costs are spiraling out of control for many beer wholesalers, with annual increases of 5-10% that seem impossible to escape.  But what if there was a better way?  What if you could not only stop these relentless increases but actually reduce costs while improving benefits? Erin Butler from BevCap Management reveals how beer distributors across the country are doing exactly that through captive health insurance plans. This isn't just a minor cost adjustment – it's a fundamental reimagining of how wholesalers approach healthcare coverage.  The numbers speak volumes: traditional fully-funded plans average $1,590 per employee monthly, while BevCap's captive members pay just $861.  For a 100-employee distribution business, that's annual savings approaching $900,000. The captive model works particularly well for beer wholesalers because of their homogeneous workforce – predominantly younger males who typically require less healthcare.  By pooling resources across multiple distributors (currently covering about 15,000 lives), the captive gains extraordinary leverage with providers while creating a protective buffer between individual businesses and catastrophic claims. Beyond pure cost savings, distributors gain unprecedented transparency and control.  Members receive detailed claims data that traditional insurers withhold, enabling informed decisions about plan design and cost containment.  Innovative approaches like direct provider contracting and specialized pharmacy management have yielded remarkable results – pharmacy costs alone have dropped 40% for participating members. The most successful wholesalers in the program take an active role, educating employees about benefits, implementing preventative health initiatives, and participating in the collaborative governance structure that guides the captive.  This engagement transforms healthcare from an uncontrollable expense into a strategic advantage that strengthens both the bottom line and employee satisfaction. Ready to explore whether a captive health insurance plan could benefit your beer distribution business?  Contact Erin Butler at BevCap Management to receive a personalized analysis of your potential savings and learn how joining forces with other wholesalers could fundamentally change your approach to employee healthcare. Connect with Erin Butler at BevCap to learn more: ebutler@bevcapmanagement.com, c: 817-343-4651

In this financial workshop with with RJ Martucci from PKF O’Connor Davies, we explore powerful and practical ways for beer wholesalers to get more value from their financial statements. Instead of just glancing at the P&L each month, RJ encourages a layered approach to financial analysis—using multiple tools and perspectives to uncover the full story behind the numbers. From trend analysis to dashboards, it’s all about building a clear picture of performance and spotting opportunities to improve profitability. RJ shared several specific techniques for sharpening your financial analysis. These methods don’t require complex software—just a commitment to consistency, curiosity, and clarity. By using these tools together, businesses can get a much deeper understanding of where they’re winning, where they’re falling short, and what levers to pull for better financial outcomes. Key takeaways from the workshop: * Financial trend analysis: Tactics to analyze sales, gross profit, and key expenses over time to spot patterns or warning signs. * Budget vs. actual comparisons: Shortcuts to measure performance against targets to manage proactively, not reactively. * Year-over-year or period-over-period comparisons: Tips to better understand where the business is growing or falling short. * Per case financial metrics: How to normalize sales, costs, and profit data to understand unit economics. * Dashboard development: How to build a custom, visual dashboard to track critical KPIs and monitor your real-time financial health. Do this next: 1. Watch the video workshop: Beer Wholesaler Financial Analysis [https://beerbusinessfinance.com/profit-by-the-numbers-creative-financial-analysis-for-beer-wholesalers/] 2. Connect with RJ Martucci, RMartucci@pkfod.com, and learn more about how PKF O’Connor Davies can help your beer wholesaler identify profit opportunities 3. Learn more about the network of beer wholesaler owners and managers  [https://www.bbfassociation.org/bbfa-wholesalers]working together to drive profits and cash flow

In today's podcast you'll hear the audio version of our Wholesaler Financial Round Table meeting.  This month's topic is on financial analysis techniques and wholesaler financial benchmarks.  Summary of Key Points * Financial analysis basics: How to focus on the most important numbers * How to follow a financial month-end process to speed up production of the financial statements * Standard set of reports and financial benchmarks  Resources * Connect with RJ Martucci at PKF O'Connor Davies, RMartucci@pkfod.com * Sign up for the FREE wholesaler financial newsletter  [https://app.kit.com/landing_pages/184464?v=7]

This podcast is all about how to reduce finished product loss (FPL) in your beer business.  Bud Dunn from VxP shares best practices, training ideas, and a cool software tool to help you significantly reduce out of code beer in your business.  * Step 1: Calculate how much FPL costs your business each year (probably around 10cents/CE) * Step 2: Reach out to Bud to see how you can reduce your FPL to 2-3cents/CE * Step 3: Enjoy the savings! Summary * Use VxP to grow volume, profit, and reduce finished product loss * Common causes of finished product loss and how to avoid them * Best practices to manage code dates on packages Resources * Connect with Bud from VxP and learn how to save $100K in your beer business this year, bud@vxptech.com * Get the FREE wholesaler financial newsletter [https://app.kit.com/landing_pages/94916?v=7]

Today on the podcast we hear from Dan Lust, Beverage Industry Consultant with Pints, LLC. Dan and I review the top challenges facing the industry and share data analytics, business planning, and performance measurement tactics for distributors and breweries.  Summary * Hot topics: Tariffs, pricing, and the importance of sales training * Strategic growth planning tactics for breweries  * Tools to make data-driven decisions * Keys to brewery-wholesaler business relationships Resources * Connect with Dan at Pints, LLC [http://www.pintsllc.com/] * Get the FREE beer wholesaler financial newsletter [https://app.kit.com/landing_pages/94916?v=7]