Urban Blendz | Application Preview
Urban Blendz is seeking government grants to significantly expand its wine production capabilities and market presence. The grant funds will specifically be used to increase their annual capacity to 10,000 finished wine bottles, requiring the purchase of additional equipment such as four 600L stainless tanks, valving hoses, bottles, labels, caps, and corks. Additionally, funds will support entry into new markets and festivals, as well as new label designs for upcoming wine flavors.
Currently, Urban Blendz produces 1,500-1,600 bottles of fruit-based wines each year, including three approved flavors: Cranberry Apple, Raspberry Apple, and Bluezberry. They have utilized this current capacity to refine their products and gain exposure through various community events. The plan is to transition from a warehouse setting to a more visible storefront within the next two years, enhancing their ability to sell to restaurants, stores, and larger venues.
The company’s unique selling point is its exclusive focus on fruit wines, using a process similar to traditional grape winemaking but without any grapes. This positions them in a niche market with refreshing offerings. Urban Blendz has already gained positive feedback from consumers across Oregon, participating in events alongside numerous other vendors. While they face local competition from HV Cellars and Oram Mor, their wines are drier compared to typical offerings, appealing to a demographic seeking less sweetness.
Their competitive edge lies in innovative products like the Smoozy, a smoothie-style drink made with their wines, which attracts significant sales at events. With plans for additional flavors and ongoing label design, the company combines a vibrant energy with local music partnerships to enhance their branding and outreach efforts. The funding is crucial for their growth, allowing them to better serve a wider market while continuing to offer their distinctive fruit wine products.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: Urban Blendz
Location: Roseburg, OR, United States
Length of Operation: 1-5
Number of Employees: 1-10 Employees
Annual Gross Income: Less than $100k
Annual Gross Expense: Less than $100k
Open to Loans: YES
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Funding Usage
Funds will be used to expand our current capacity of finished wine bottles to 10,000 bottles a year. 4 600L stainless tanks, valving hoses, bottles, labels, caps, corks. Funds will also be used to expand into different markets and festivals, new label design for our next two wine flavors. We currently have four wine varieties that are all approved by the TTB and OLCC. We currently have the capacity of 1500-1600 bottles. We have used this capacity to refine our flavors, get our name out into the local market using festivals, farmers markets, music events and private events. We want to expand to a level that can maintain us selling to restaurants, stores and move into a storefront.
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Business Plan
We want to take our small batch fruit wine making to the next step. Within the next year we want to expand our production to 10000 bottles a year. This level will allow us the necessary inventory to go out into the market and offer our wines to stores, restaurants and larger venues. Our current capacity was set to get our licensing completed, make enough product to use as market testing at various locations and demographics. Currently we operate in a warehouse that was affordable while obtaining the proper licensing and foundation. We want to move into more of a store front with at better location with in 2 years. We are offering a unique product in the wine and beverage industry. Our wines are made entirely of fruit other than grapes. We use the same process as grape wineries only without the grapes. We currently have three flavors that are approved by the TBB and OLCC. Cranberry Apple, Raspberry Apple and Bluezberry which is a combination of Blueberry, Apple and Cherry. We have had awesome results from numerous different areas here in Oregon. We have taken our wine booth to First Taste in Salem Oregon where we were in the same area selling with 138 other wine and beer vendors. We have done events in Douglas County and as far south as Ashland Oregon. Our wines are different, refreshing and a great niche in the wine, cider and beer world.
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Self Identified Competition
The only local competitor we have is a small winery named HV Cellars that produces a fruit wine in Winston Oregon. Another close style product in Oram Mor in Roseburg Oregon that produces a fruit mead wine. On a larger state scale Honeywood winery produces fruit wines but several are mixed with grape wine and are on the sweet side. Our wines are on the dryer side instead of sweet. We make a drink we call and Smoozy with our wines that is fruit and fruit juices blended up into a smoothie style drink. Excellent choice for hot summer months. We can sell up to 150-200 of these a day at local events. We are also looking at our next two flavors Apple and Cheery Apple. We are in the process of designing our label with our market designer. We are highly energetic, we bring in the music aspect to our product by our branding and partnering with local musicians, breweries to set up our own events as well.
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Contact Applicant
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