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 CRM systems do drinks brands recommend, and what should we prioritize when choosing one?
Members recommend several CRM platforms suited to different company sizes. For smaller teams, Capsule is popular—straightforward, affordable, integrates with Outlook and Gmail, handles tasks and sales pipelines, and syncs with accounting software. Pipedrive at ELLC costs around £30 per head per month (basic package) and is user-friendly for tasks, deals tracking, and pipeline management with flexible user scaling. FreshSales is used at REAL and offers strong data output and reporting alongside pipeline management. For those using G-Suite in wholesale, Streak integrates well; for D2C brands, Klaviyo is recommended. HubSpot works well but success depends more on setup and design than features alone; integration with Mailchimp or similar marketing tools is important. Sales-I is noted as customisable with mobile real-time functionality at reasonable pricing. BrewMan works for some, with customisable sales pipelines. Larger enterprises considering Dynamics 365 should note it's typically justified only for teams of dozens or significant Microsoft budgets. Members stress that CRM effectiveness depends heavily on how you configure and use it rather than which platform you pick.
Which 3PL and fulfilment companies work well for D2C operations?
Members recommend several options depending on geography, channel mix, and budget: - **Diamond Logistics** — Consistently praised for service quality. Use Flexi-Hex packaging. Contact: Emma.Whitaker@diamondlogistics.co.uk. Portsmouth location reported working well; some members note they aren't the cheapest but deliver good value. - **Big Blue Logistics** — Recommended specifically for B2C. Raising Series A funding. Members suggest requesting an intro to the CEO. - **Future Pro Logistics** — Working well but noted as expensive. - **BWA** — Described as good and cheap. - **Robert Guy** (https://www.robertguy.co.uk) — London-based option suitable if geographically convenient, but storage costs are high. **To avoid:** - **Codestorm** — Multiple members report poor service and are actively looking to exit. The Dudley warehouse location was specifically called out as problematic; Portsmouth location performs better if you must use them. **Key caveat:** Members note that different 3PLs suit different business stages and channels. Geography matters significantly (London storage is premium; Portsmouth works well for others). Request introductions and site visits before committing, as location quality varies even within the same company.
What production and inventory management software systems are most suitable for drinks manufacturing?
Members have experience with two main platforms for production tracking and inventory management: - **Workhorse** — praised for quick setup, customisable features, and responsive team. Costs around £2,000 for initial setup plus £200–300/month. Handles stock management, purchasing, production runs, stock movement, and sales tracking. Integrates with Xero and appears to support Shopify integration. Supports batch tracking and can accommodate multiple users (members running 5 users without per-user charges reported). Several members have switched from Unleashed to Workhorse due to the latter's streamlined implementation. - **Unleashed** — several members continue using this system and report it performs well once fully configured. However, setup and ongoing maintenance are noted as time-consuming and painful, which is why some have migrated away. Members recommend focusing on whether the software handles batch tracking (important for drinks manufacturing) and whether it integrates smoothly with your existing accounting and sales systems before committing.
What are the typical costs, operating procedures, and working capital implications of using Tortuga for logistics and distribution?
Tortuga is a logistics and distribution operator (part of Mangrove Brands, owned by GBH) that handles order processing, invoicing, credit control, and logistics for drinks brands. They operate their own WOWGR and AWRS independently. **How it works:** - **Charges a monthly fee with no margin taken** — you break even once you've sold enough cases to cover the fee; beyond that is profit. - **Relatively cost-effective** — roughly half the cost of employing internal operations staff to manage orders, logistics, and invoicing (saves 2–3 job roles). - **Pre-established retail & wholesale accounts** — they have open accounts with most major wholesalers and retailers, reducing barriers to getting new products listed and saving time on account setup. - **Shared delivery costs** — brands benefit from consolidated logistics with other Tortuga clients. - **Services include**: order processing, invoicing, credit control, reporting, storage, and logistics to major RTM (ready-to-market) and grocery accounts. **Key caveats:** - **Not a sales or account management service** — Tortuga handles logistics only; they do no sales, account management, forecasting, or ordering guidance. - **Significant working capital hit** — stock is given on consignment, and you don't get paid until 45 days after Tortuga gets paid by the retailer/wholesaler. This can become a serious constraint as you scale. - **Cannot invoice factor** — because invoices and POs are issued to Tortuga or Mangrove (not to you), you cannot use invoice financing to fund growth, meaning you must self-fund the working capital gap. - **Limited capacity** — they have a queue and can only take on a limited number of brands. - **Pricing can be high** — some members found their pricing "punchy" compared to existing arrangements, and pricing should be evaluated against your current setup and scale. Members report good experiences over many years, with the service working well particularly for multi-brand operations (e.g., 5 brands, 15 SKUs across Tortuga). Best suited for businesses with sufficient working capital to absorb the consignment model, rather than those needing active sales support or account management.
What booking management software do members recommend for tour-focused businesses and hospitality venues?
Members recommend different solutions depending on venue type. For tour-focused businesses, **Fare Harbour** is highly praised for onboarding ease, intuitive interface, and flexible pricing (members have negotiated deals with no charges, just a small percentage per booking). For hospitality venues, **Stampede** is recommended as an all-in-one fee solution—priced similarly to competitors but without per-cover charges. One member noted they moved to Stampede from a per-cover model and found it better value. Note: Fare Harbour users specifically mentioned it works well for distillery tours and similar experiences, though one member cautioned they couldn't comment on its usefulness in traditional hospitality venues.
What CRM systems do drinks businesses use and recommend?
Members recommend a lightweight CRM that integrates with accounting software. **Capsule** is the main recommendation from the community—praised for ease of use and strong integration with major accounting platforms (Sage, Xero, QuickBooks). This makes it particularly useful for drinks businesses that need to sync customer data with financial records.
What payment processing systems are reliable for point-of-sale operations in drinks businesses?
Members recommend evaluating payment processors based on both functionality and uptime reliability, as system downtime directly impacts sales. **Square** — Currently in use by at least one member; supports card payments and point-of-sale functions. **Zettle** — Long-established option (used reliably by members for years) with built-in EPOS system integration, though recent reports indicate reliability issues in some cases; consider this if stability becomes a concern. **Dojo** — Emerging alternative with reportedly excellent coverage, though members note it lacks built-in EPOS functionality like Zettle, which may require separate systems integration. Key consideration: Members emphasise that payment system downtime is critical—there is nothing worse than being unable to complete a sale. If switching from an established provider like Zettle due to recent unreliability, ensure the alternative has proven uptime before committing.
Which ERP systems are recommended for beverage companies managing global sales and supply chain?
Members running beverage businesses have recommended two specific platforms: - **SAP B1** — cloud-based version of SAP used by major global drinks companies. Praised for comprehensive functionality at lower cost than the full enterprise system (avoids the £15–20k server requirement of traditional SAP). Suitable for scaling operations with global reach. - **Bevica** (bevica.com) — a beverage-specific ERP. Members use this for supply chain and sales management. The original question also mentioned **Catalyst** as a consideration, though no direct user feedback was shared in the discussion. SAP B1's cloud deployment and lower capex barrier make it accessible to growing producers, while Bevica offers industry-specific features.
What payroll and accounting software do members recommend for small drinks businesses?
Members recommend a few proven combinations for small teams. **Sage** is praised for being very good and easy to run in-house. The most commonly cited pairing is **Xero** combined with **Telleroo** for payments—members report these two integrate seamlessly and work well together for managing payroll files. This setup appears to be the preferred route among the community.
What are practical alternatives to Uber and Zipcar for managing commercial fleet transport for a drinks business?
Members exploring commercial fleet alternatives beyond ride-sharing and car-sharing services have identified contract hire as a viable route. Specific options mentioned: - **Volvo Care by Volvo** — a flexible rental scheme (https://www.volvocars.com/uk/care-by-volvo/) suggested as worth exploring alongside traditional contract hire firms. Members noted it's important to assess whether journey and event scheduling clashes would justify the cost compared to ad-hoc solutions. Members recommended evaluating contract hire firms more broadly as an alternative to consumer car-sharing platforms, though specific providers beyond Volvo were not detailed in the discussion. The key consideration raised was matching the solution to actual usage patterns—fixed costs only make sense if scheduling allows consistent utilisation.
How should I calculate storage charges for contract packing pallets?
There's no single industry standard for pallet storage pricing. Instead, members recommend a practical benchmarking approach: - **Cost-plus benchmarking** — Quote other storage providers in your area and use those rates as a reference point for what the market will bear, rather than trying to build pricing from first principles - **Rent-per-sqm method** — The theoretical approach of dividing your facility rent by square meterage and allocating to pallets is mentioned, but members found it less practical than simply reviewing competitor quotes For contract packing with storage, getting competitive quotes from established providers helps you understand the range. **MoveFresh** was mentioned as a good option (though note they were still working on bonded status as of the discussion). Members also reference **Alfil** for bonded shipments if that's relevant to your model. The key takeaway: don't overthink the calculation—survey what others charge and price accordingly.