The Company
Candlelight Cichlid Breeders, (CCB), will provide rare tropical fish for aquarists that cannot get them at their local pet stores. CCB will ship live fish to its customers’ doors anywhere in the continental United States within one to two days. CCB will also provide fish to tropical fish retailers within the local area. CCB will provide convenience and variety not found in the traditional tropical fish selling industry.
Candlelight Cichlid Breeders will own livestock watering tubes and aquariums. The tanks and troughs will be enclosed within an insulated steel building.
Shawn Halsey will own CCB as a sole proprietorship. Mr. Halsey plans on operating the business completely himself during the first two-years. As sales rise, he will employ a general manager to assist with all operations.
The Product
Candlelight Cichlid Breeders can provide rare tropical fish in the Cichlidae family. These fish are known for their colorful appearance and interesting and agressive behavior. CCB plans to breed as many as 30 cichlid species. CCB may also import fish that don’t readily reproduce in captivity.
As CCB develops, we hope to offer more live plants, unusual cichlids as well, new South American catfish species and some of the more commonly-used cichlid species. We do not intend to sell outside of the U.S.
The Market
Research has shown that fish keeping is the second most popular hobby (behind photography) in the U.S. We conservatively estimate that by the end of this year there will be approximately seven million Internet users who live in the continental U.S. and own an aquarium. We expect that 5% (350,000), and 2.5% (8.750), of these potential customers, will view our website in one year.
CCB has a unique opportunity because most people don’t have access to fish shops that stock a wide variety of cichlid species. Some of the most beautiful and interesting cichlids cannot be found in these shops at all. Additionally, most online sellers don’t provide information on background and care requirements of the fishes they sell. CCB offers both information on the species and the option to order the researched fish online. CCB will be active in a niche where customer loyalty is a key competitive advantage. CCB hopes to provide a single-stop site that encourages customer loyalty.
Two segments of the fish enthusiast market will be targeted by this company. These are direct online sales for tropical fish collectors and fish retail stores in the company’s local area. CCB’s largest market segment will be Internet users who live in the continental U.S. and own an aquarium.
Financial Projections
Our start-up costs will include equipment and building expenses. A bank loan, an investor and a small owner investment in the initial inventory or equipment will all finance the start up costs.
Once our breeding stock has reached maximum maturity, we will be able to meet our final sales goal in the first few month of 2005. Due to the industry’s high margins and high inventory turnover, we expect this venture to be very profitable.
1.1 Objectives
The most important objectives for the CCB’’s are:
- You can trust us to deliver your parcels on time.
- Sales of $10,000 per month.
- Keep inventory turnover at six
1.2 Mission
Candlelight Cichlid Breeders (CCB), which will provide rare tropical fish from Cichlidae, to aquarists who are unable to obtain them at their local pet shops, will be available. CCB will breed more than 30 species of cichlid species. CCB may also import fish that can’t be kept in captivity. CCB will ship live salmon to customers’ homes within one to three days. CCB will also provide fish to tropical fish retailers located within 100 miles of the breeding center. CCB will offer convenience, variety and a level of service that is unmatched in the traditional tropical fish industry.
1.3 Keys to Success
- It is possible to successfully breed many species of tropical fish.
