Starting a cocktail business?

[Jess.B]

Hi all, this is my first post I'm looking for some feedback as to whether my idea would be feasible or not.

I've just finished my final year at university and will be moving back to the city I studied at in around 2/3 months and will be getting a job to pay rent etc. I've been wanting to start my own business for a while (part time), as my parents and my boyfriends parents have done so.

I am looking to start a cocktail business, where I would act as a sort of mobile bartender to go to small parties and events and maybe even fetes and food fairs etc. I wanted to stand out by making my cocktails lower calorie or lower in sugar than the ones you'd buy in bars. (So try to make them guilt free essentially)

I want to understand if there would be a market for this before I invest anything, at the moment I've just got a few ideas written down in a note book and I've made some of my cocktails for my family.

I have some savings to get me started and I also understand there is a lot of licensing and legal issues to address before making any cocktails for the public. From what I've found on the web, I think I need a personal license, but to get this, I need a qualification that shouldn't be more than £150 or so.

Thanks in advance for any feedback as I'd like to know if my idea is feasible

(Its also worth mentioning that I am a bit of a cocktail enthusiast and have been a part of the cocktail society at uni for 2 years )

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

Sounds like a decent proposition. However I don't think the low calorie/low sugar is the best USP. A cocktail won't ever be healthy, so I tend to find that people who are really keen on a healthy lifestyle will just skip alcohol altogether.

Outside of that, I think there is a market for this kind of stuff. I would gladly hire a mobile cocktail bartender for a private party or whatever. I've also seen at parties that an outside host might bring in a bartender, and also some casino tables with croupiers...might be a good idea for an add-on.

I wouldn't worry too much about the low calories stuff. Might be good to offer as an option on certain cocktails, but its not for everyone. I know that if I went to a cocktail bar and asked for an Old Fashioned, I would be disappointed if it wasn't made in the traditional way.

You will certainly have plenty to think about with the licencing requirements.

 

[Jess.B]

Sounds like a decent proposition. However I don't think the low calorie/low sugar is the best USP. A cocktail won't ever be healthy, so I tend to find that people who are really keen on a healthy lifestyle will just skip alcohol altogether.

Outside of that, I think there is a market for this kind of stuff. I would gladly hire a mobile cocktail bartender for a private party or whatever. I've also seen at parties that an outside host might bring in a bartender, and also some casino tables with croupiers...might be a good idea for an add-on.

I wouldn't worry too much about the low calories stuff. Might be good to offer as an option on certain cocktails, but its not for everyone. I know that if I went to a cocktail bar and asked for an Old Fashioned, I would be disappointed if it wasn't made in the traditional way.

You will certainly have plenty to think about with the licencing requirements.

Thanks for the reply! Its much appreciated!
I understand what your saving, I think I would be cutting out part of the market if I only focused on a lighter option. I will think of some 'normal' cocktails to add to my ideas and keep one or two lower calorie ones as a possible option.

 

[ethical PR]

I agree low calorie cocktails aren't something I would think would appeal as a USP.

There are lots of people already out there that do mobile bar tending/cocktails - have you done any market research to see what they offer/what can make you stand out.

Some specialise for example in gins/ some have interesting bars etc.

 

[Jess.B]

I agree low calorie cocktails aren't something I would think would appeal as a USP.

There are lots of people already out there that do mobile bar tending/cocktails - have you done any market research to see what they offer/what can make you stand out.

Some specialise for example in gins/ some have interesting bars etc.

Thanks for the reply!
I can understand that low calorie drinks wouldn't be for everyone, I'm willing to branch out from this idea and have maybe a low calorie option. Its still just ideas after all.

Most of the mobile bartenders near me have a set menu with between 10-40 cocktails on and the client chooses 4/5 to have at their event.

And I have seen bartenders that specialise in just Gin or just rum etc, which could be an idea.

I plan to set up this business along side a full time job, so I wanted to start out small, maybe just with a set package of classic cocktails then branch out.

 

[Mr D]

Sounds workable.
Have been to events where a small bar is fitted (basically a bunch of bottles under the bar and a couple of kegs to the side) where a separate add on drinks provider is hired as needed.
Exotic drinks, stuff requiring mixing, stuff more than the basic bar stocks. Including cocktails and stronger spirits.

So certainly seems a market for it.

You have presumably looked at getting the alcohol wholesale? There are some cash & carry type places around that stock alcohol cheaper than retail. Blakemores may be worth looking at.

 

[Ian J]

Some specialise for example in gins/ some have interesting bars etc.

A chappie I know converted a small horse box into a (mainly) gin bar which he takes to country fairs and the like. He also does house parties and functions too and this year opened a small shop unit specialising in gins.

There has been huge growth in the sale of craft gins and gin generally in the last few years

 

[Jess.B]

Sounds workable.
Have been to events where a small bar is fitted (basically a bunch of bottles under the bar and a couple of kegs to the side) where a separate add on drinks provider is hired as needed.
Exotic drinks, stuff requiring mixing, stuff more than the basic bar stocks. Including cocktails and stronger spirits.

So certainly seems a market for it.

You have presumably looked at getting the alcohol wholesale? There are some cash & carry type places around that stock alcohol cheaper than retail. Blakemores may be worth looking at.

Yea it would be best to buy from a wholesalers, I haven't heard of Blakemores but I will definitely take a look, thank you.

I think there is a market for a mobile bartender, its just finding a USP.

 

[Jess.B]

A chappie I know converted a small horse box into a (mainly) gin bar which he takes to country fairs and the like. He also does house parties and functions too and this year opened a small shop unit specialising in gins.

There has been huge growth in the sale of craft gins and gin generally in the last few years

Yea I've seen those too, that's the kinda route I was looking to go down but maybe not a converted horsebox cause everyone seems to have those when mobile bar-tending.

I'm just not really sure how I'm going to stand out from the crowd.

 

[Ian J]

I'm just not really sure how I'm going to stand out from the crowd.

I'm sure that we can come up with some ideas

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

I'm just not really sure how I'm going to stand out from the crowd.

Back of a pickup truck?
Flatbed?
Low loader?

 

[Prime81]

Bethanny Frankel has made millions from Skinny Girl so there must be a market.

 

[Jess.B]

Bethanny Frankel has made millions from Skinny Girl so there must be a market.

Yea I've heard of her, she did make a lot of money

I don't know if its too unique still, as others have said, I might be better off having a range of low cal and normal and testing the water.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

You could ask someone to build you a mobile bar... Look on Facebook under Woodworking UK or Woodworking PLUS UK

There's a chap on there that makes them to order... quite cheap too

On another note: I use to work in bar, many many years ago... and we was asked to come up with a new drink for the bar... so I conjured up the following...

1 shot x Vodka
1 shot x Original Aftershock
lemonade and lime over ice...



We called it...

A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

1 shot x Vodka
1 shot x Original Aftershock
lemonade and lime over ice...



We called it...

A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

Excuse me while I go make myself one of those.


I also worked in a bar while I was at university, and my favourite one to make (and drink) whenever anyone wasn't sure what they wanted was as follows:

1 shot Raspberry Stolichnaya Vodka
1 Vanilla Stolichnaya Vodka
Lemonade and lime

Called a Drumstick, because it tastes exactly like a Drumstick lolly.

 

[Jess.B]

You could ask someone to build you a mobile bar... Look on Facebook under Woodworking UK or Woodworking PLUS UK

There's a chap on there that makes them to order... quite cheap too

On another note: I use to work in bar, many many years ago... and we was asked to come up with a new drink for the bar... so I conjured up the following...

1 shot x Vodka
1 shot x Original Aftershock
lemonade and lime over ice...



We called it...

A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

Yea I was looking into doing that actually, or making one myself, that way it would be unique.

And that sounds like a good cocktail, I might have to try it

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

OK...

Was the first thing that I thought of!

 

[Jess.B]

1 shot Raspberry Stolichnaya Vodka
1 Vanilla Stolichnaya Vodka
Lemonade and lime
Called a Drumstick, because it tastes exactly like a Drumstick lolly.

I made these at one of our training sessions at cocktail society, they really do taste like a Drumstick, except we put a Drumstick in it too!

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

OK...

Was the first thing that I thought of!

I would 100% try a cocktail that tasted like chicken drumstick.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

I don't know how to type it... so...

 

[Mr D]

Used to have a very fit 18 year old barmaid in my local. And she blushed easily.
The pub did a roaring trade in certain drinks. Screaming orgasms etc.
But only when she was serving, not the same demand when her big brother was serving.

 

[Boyce]

Presumably your drinks would have at least the alcohol equivalent of two shots of vodka in each? That's a minimum 111 calories even before you add any flavour. For reference, a can of "full fat" coke is 130. There's not really any such thing as a low calorie cocktail.

 

[anadalia]

I think you have the best low investment idea, specially if you have a passion for it. And there is a market for it for sure. You don't have to choose between low or high calorie, just offer both. Bartending is very popular at parties but also weddings, so the market is huge. Good luck.

 

[patientlady]

Hi Jess B
I am going to throw a spanner in the works and perhaps suggest a different route. I live near a major city with hundreds of cocktails bars and they go out of business all the time and new ones open. I have also worked for a spirit wholesaler for many years and have seen the ups and downs for business owners in this category for mobile bars. May I suggest ...
The you be ' the best there can be' with the knowledge and technique to serving a fabulous cocktail. I was at a branded spirits launch a couple of years ago, and they paid for someone to come in from a five star hotel ( I think Claridges) for the day - all expenses paid because he was the best they could get. He gave a fab performance on serving there house cocktail and some more, together with some training for us all. I understand the day rate for him was five figure.
Apply and get your personal license, some self training knowledge, a job with a company that will add to this and wow!
Further, to open a cocktail bar, mobile or otherwise will need need an investment from your family and I have seen many an experienced operator lose a great deal of money....
hope this helps and good luck p/l