Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What ERP or inventory management software do small drinks producers recommend, and how well do they integrate with Xero?
Members consistently recommend **Unleashed** as a powerful, scalable solution for inventory, production, costing and SKU-level tracking—but emphasize it requires significant setup and ongoing commitment. It syncs with Xero, Shopify, Vend, Zettle, and Wise, and produces strong reports. However, implementation typically takes 6–9 months and benefits from specialist support; members used **Outserve** (philip.oakley@outserveweb.co.uk) for implementation, though noted the cost is high. Success depends on dedicated team buy-in or a single person owning the system day-to-day. For smaller teams without heavy resources, members highlighted lighter alternatives: - **Breww** — £90/month all-in with unlimited users, focused on breweries but adaptable to other drinks production; integrates easily with Xero; includes batch/date tracking, warehouse floor app, built-in CRM and tank cleaning scheduler; requires no full-time operator. - **BrewMan** — £50 per user per month, noted for costing and production focus. - **Workhorse** — Simpler alternative recommended by members using third-party production models; handles POs, stock, production and tracking but less suitable for complex direct/bonded/duty-paid sales scenarios. - **Excel spreadsheets** — Several members running effective operations on well-built spreadsheets with bookkeeper support; members offered to share templates. **Caveats:** Unleashed can cause integration issues with Xero (phantom duty calculations reported); it's a blank canvas requiring API configuration and carries risk of problems if not carefully set up. Members cautioned that Zoho is primarily CRM, not true ERP. The choice depends on operational complexity—Unleashed scales to handle multiple SKUs, hundreds of ingredients and multiple warehouses, but simpler systems suit leaner operations.
What inventory and ERP systems do spirits makers recommend for managing duty compliance and scaling production?
Members report mixed experiences with cloud-based inventory platforms. **CIN7** was noted as potentially unsuitable for manufacturers based on initial review feedback. **Unleashed** was under active consideration by at least one member, though no conclusive recommendation emerged. The most concrete recommendation came from a member using **SAP B1 (cloud-based)**, supplied and supported by **LAKE financial in Leeds** (a licensed SAP partner). LAKE customised duty compliance elements for the member's needs and provides ongoing support, with the cloud-based model avoiding upfront server costs. This appears to be a more robust solution for duty-specific requirements. Members suggested booking live demos with multiple platforms before committing to a decision, to assess suitability for your specific manufacturing workflows and compliance needs.