hi-
I'm writing a business plan for starting a soda company. I'm having
trouble locating specific business-related info for a small, regional
soda maker.

I've tried http://www.nsda.org/ and other varios sites but it didn't
really have the type of information I was intrested in. I'm trying to
find specific information (how mush $$) on the relationship with
contract bottlers and retailers.

Is there anywhere on the web that has good business-related info on
the runnings/workings of a small-time soda maker?

Thanks for asking!

I've compiled a short list of resource sites you might find helpful
for the preparation of your business plan. I've also included a
general article written about the success of one such bottler. You
might try contacting this producer for a direct exchange of
information.

Applied Beverage Technologies  - The International Brewers & Bottlers
Resource.  International sales, service and consulting for small-scale
breweries, brewpubs, soft drink and water bottling plants, PET
bottling making plants, boilers, grain-handling systems and glycol
cooling systems. ABT also offers consulting services that include
business plan assistance.

"Bottling Plants, both new and used, can be integrated with our larger
breweries or operated independently to bottle water and soft drinks.
ABT also offers access to reasonably-priced soft drink flavor
concentrates and possible overseas franchise rights for American
branded soft drinks.

PET Bottle Production Plants for water, soft drinks and even beer can
be the answer for bottlers who have difficulties obtaining secure
supplies of PET bottles. ABT offers reasonably priced moderate-scale
equipment for both pre-form production and blow molding of PET
beverage bottles."

Applied Beverage Technologies, Inc.
P.O. Box 267814
Chicago, IL 60626 U.S.A. 
Tel: 1-773-465-7285 | Fax: 1-773-465-7387 
E-Mail: abt@abtonline.com 
http://www.abtonline.com/


EssayFinder.com - A website which offers a database of prepared essays
on a variety of subjects. Individual essays are available at a cost of
$9.95 each. The following might be helpful to you:

Zappy 
A 5 page paper which presents an analyze for a company which wishes to
take their product, Zappy, a non-alcoholic energy-boosting soft drink,
to Mexico for bottling and distribution. The paper examines the pros
and cons of such an endeavor and addresses the various concerns which
would need to be addressed prior to making such a decision. A major
bottling and distribution center which serves the Coca-Cola company,
Panamco, is presented as a very viable avenue of pursuit for Zappy.
Bibliography lists 6 sources.

EssayFinder.com
Business/Management
Papers On Business Plans & Technical Writing Samples 
http://www.essayfinder.com/categories/041-010.html


Beverage Marketing Corporation - Market reports for strategic business
planning. They offer a category of reports for Carbonated Soft Drinks
(select from the drop-down menu box labeled BEVERAGE CATEGORIES).
You'll be able to view Tables of Contents for each of the available
reports.

Beverage Marking Corporation
http://www.beveragemarketing.com/home.htm


The following site contains a partial soft drink bottling business
plan sample. The purpose of the page is apparently to demonstrate the
company's planning services.

Category Management
http://www.categorymanagement.com/Articles/ECR_Report/Chapter4/chapter_4C.htm


The following website is the distributorship plan for Charity
Beverage. The plan summarizes the business and it's relationships to
suppliers and distributors.

Distributorship.com - Charity Beverage
http://www.distributorship.com/plan.htm


Local Soda Pop - Community Development article. Description of
business, Clare Beverage.
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/CommunitySupport/CUSO/clarepop.html


Related Industry: micro-breweries

Search Terms
"business plan" bottling
carbonated beverages "business plans"
soda pop

I hope you find these resources useful. 

~larre-ga

Great! it's great info posted quickly. i will certainly use Google Answers again.