Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BUSINESS PLAN
CAFÉ D’PALETTE
Liang Aik Kwan, Derek
Singapore
Describe briefly your organisation’s current works:
Describe briefly the current works of the partner(s) and their role in the enterprise:
MINDS is one of the oldest and largest non-governmental organisations catering to the
needs of the Intellectually Disabled in Singapore since 1962. It runs Special Schools;
3 Employment Development Centres, Training and Development Centres and Residential
Home to cater to the educational, vocational, social and welfare needs of the intellectually
disabled.
The Singapore Association for the Deaf (SADeaf) is a member of the National Council of
Social Service/Community Chest of Singapore. It is also affiliated to the World Federation
of the Deaf. Its mission is to assist the Deaf to achieve a better quality of life and to enable
them to integrate and contribute to society.
At the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD), we work towards the integration of people
with physical disabilities into mainstream society. Through programmes that encompass
rehabilitation, employment, training, education, consultation and assessment in assistive
technology, day care, and social service support, we work in partnership with people with
physical disabilities to maximise their potential and to help them to be self-reliant and
independent.
Café D’Palette will be an enterprise for a spectrum of Person with Disability (PWD).
MINDS, SADeaf and SPD (probably SAVH and APSN) play the critical role in providing
quality PWD human capital to the enterprise, and will undertake the functions of vocational
assessment, off-job and currency training, as well as on-job follow-up support. Being the
agency who best understands the PWD’s capability and limitations, their occupational
therapists, psychologists and physiotherapy will also be advising on job fit, workplace
modifications and work process.
The location is chosen in the heartland to keep rental cost at a minimal, and also to avoid
the fast pace of the town area, where demand on speed is generally higher and
customers are generally more high-strung.
Ample space in places of nature will also facilitate a generally larger floor area for
operation within the Café, which may be needed as access space for some wheelchair
bound PWD staff.
While going for menu differentiation, it is of foremost importance not to introduce too
many variables into the food production process, especially for the PID plate setters.
Pricing Power
What are the prices at which you plan to sell your product or service? Explain how you
arrived at this pricing structure, and why it should be profitable. Explain the unique
qualities or circumstances concerning your product or service that will enable you to
maintain this profitable pricing.
We adopt the pricing strategy based on 4 factors:
1. Cost recovery sets the lower bound. Pricing should at least cover production cost
and other related expenditures.
2. Competitors’ pricing sets the upper bound. For similar products, customers can
always shop around for the best prices.
3. Competitive advantage is our ability to keep production cost low (lower human
capital cost). It allows us to set competitive price yet enjoy a healthy profit margin.
4. Customers’ price sensitivity is generally high with regards to F&B. Setting high
price can translate to high service and food quality or value perception by
customers.
For the first year, pricing will be kept near the lower bound to achieve market penetration.
This is crucial especially in a highly price sensitive market to attract more customers and
win market shares. As more people know us, we will introduce bundling and captive
product pricing strategy, for e.g. sell a basic meal at higher price but offer a enhanced set
meal at reduced price, and sell first meal at normal price but next two meals within the
next seven days gets 10% and 20% cheaper.
Our strength is an understanding of the capability and limitations of the various PWD.
SECTION 3: THE BUSINESS MODEL
This is the single most important ingredient to be able to find the best job-fit for each and
every PWD in the café.
Progressive Training and Training Facilities Network. Training for PWD staff is critical to
adequately prepare them for the job in the open market. A three-step training regime
starting from sheltered training, off-the-job open training to on-the-job training has been
identified for the PWD staff to ensure quality service level at the Café. Arrangements can
be worked out to share existing facilities in Metta Welfare Association, MINDS or
Mountbatten Vocational School and by qualified training officers within the VWOs can
reduce the training cost bore by the business owner while ensuring training effectiveness.
Another social development in the making is the government pledge in the area of
progressing as an all-inclusive society. The political will to improve the employment
opportunity of the PWD in order to achieve financial independence is manifested in many
high-profile initiatives, particularly in MCYS Enabling Masterplan and the Social
Enterprise Committee led by Mr Philip Yeo.
GROWTH PLANNING
Expansion Planning
Describe your growth plans: You might include sources of financing, cash flow projection,
increase in capacity/ product range, incentive compensation plan for managers, benefits
package and policies, economics of scale etc.
Scenario Planning
Describe possible scenarios of adverse conditions that could affect your business (e.g.
SARS, manpower crunch, new competition) and how you intend to respond to them.
Prepare a cash flow projection based on lowered expectations and show how and where
you would reduce costs to maintain liquidity.
Within any F&B venture, there are two internal high-risk scenarios, i.e. hygiene bleach
and safety bleach. The safety risk is slightly higher when PWD staff are hired, as they
may lack the mobility, communication skills or cognitive capability to effect safety
precaution measures. Management of safety risks starts from the partnering VWO, and a
dedicated safety management plan will be draw together with the advice of Occupational
Therapists. Hygiene risk is contained as the staffs undergo equally strict hygiene routines
in their respective training environment.
External to the business, a manpower crunch has limited impact as Café D’Palette draws
from a unique labour pool. The large catchment of employable PWDs from several VWOs
also assure the required PWD staff for the business.
In the improbable event of an avian flu outbreak, poultry will be taken out of the menu,
and stricter hygiene checks will be imposed. If it’s SARS, staff who are assessed unable
to cope with the complexity of the situation should be substituted with person without
disability. At the extreme, the operation may have to be suspended as it is not easy for
PWD to re-learn or the workplace to re-adapt to SARS-ready in a short notice time.
Targeted Beneficiaries
Describe: Your beneficiary profile, why they need help, and how they will benefit from
your social enterprise.
Innovation
How is your social enterprise different from existing service providers or social service
Most of today’s SE projects in the F&B industry (Metta’s Happy Arts Deli, IMH’s Barista
Express Café) or similar VWO functions (MINDS Canteen, MVS’s Café Appetit) are not
geared towards permanent employment for the PWD, but rather training-oriented facilities
to prepare beneficiaries for open employment. Results of such open employment are
mixed, both in terms of placement rate and employment duration. Café D’Palette aims to
be the enterprise on the higher-up level (not same level) of this human capital value
chain, to hire graduates from such training facilities. By becoming Singapore’s first truly
commercial F&B SE, Café D’Palette offers a synergistic and complementary solution to
enhance the viability of these training facilities. Operating an entirely PWD-run enterprise
that spans across disability cannot be undertake by any single VWO or organisation,
which are rather stove-piped today.
The vision: To promote a truly all-inclusive Singapore society where PWDs contribute
actively and gainfully in the socio-economics scene.
The mission: To be able to offer uncompromised service and product quality to the
customers, and the best experience to our customers and to our PWD employee.
THE PEOPLE
Work Experience Related to My Intended Social Enterprise
Describe your work experience in the business you plan to start including a list of your skills
and knowledge, which will be required in your social enterprise.
Business Owner
…
Volunteers
1. Mr Liang Aik Kwan, Derek……. Naval Engineering Officer, Volunteer with MINDS (>13
years) and SADeaf (10 years), Vice-Chairperson of volunteer group Deafinitely Boleh!
SECTION 5: THE VISION AND THE PEOPLE
What is the vision and mission of your social enterprise?
The vision: To promote a truly all-inclusive Singapore society where PWDs contribute
actively and gainfully in the socio-economics scene.
The mission: To be able to offer uncompromised service and product quality to the
customers, and the best experience to our customers and to our PWD employee.
THE PEOPLE
VWO
PERSONNEL
Details of: Number of employees, type of labour (skilled/ unskilled/ professional), where and how you
will find the right employee, pay structure and training etc.
SECTION 5: THE VISION AND THE PEOPLE
What is the vision and mission of your social enterprise?
The vision: To promote a truly all-inclusive Singapore society where PWDs contribute
actively and gainfully in the socio-economics scene.
The mission: To be able to offer uncompromised service and product quality to the
customers, and the best experience to our customers and to our PWD employee.
THE PEOPLE
Suitable
Position No Type Source Training Facility Average Wage
PWD
Kitchen
SPD,
Fryer 1 PPD, PHI Skilled To be established $600
SADeaf
SPD,
Griller 1 PPD, PHI Skilled To be established $600
SADeaf
We rely primarily on our partnering VWOs for hiring of staffs, though we do not rule out walk
SECTION 5: THE VISION AND THE PEOPLE
What is the vision and mission of your social enterprise?
The vision: To promote a truly all-inclusive Singapore society where PWDs contribute
actively and gainfully in the socio-economics scene.
The mission: To be able to offer uncompromised service and product quality to the
customers, and the best experience to our customers and to our PWD employee.
THE PEOPLE
in applicants, which we would refer them for vocational assessments with the VWOs.
During employment, there is the critical phase of adjustment to the working environment.
PWDs, their colleagues and employers will also have to be provided with adequate support
at the workplace. Additional training, job coaching, expectation management, briefing to
colleagues and consultancy with supervisors and employers should be provided. Working
with VWOs and gaining their support in these areas is therefore key to the success of the
project.
Progressive Training. Training for PWD staff is critical to adequately prepare them for the
job in the open market.
The vision: To promote a truly all-inclusive Singapore society where PWDs contribute
actively and gainfully in the socio-economics scene.
The mission: To be able to offer uncompromised service and product quality to the
customers, and the best experience to our customers and to our PWD employee.
THE PEOPLE
Appetit, MINDS Canteen). Mock-up training facilities should be set-up as closely as
possible to the actual workplace environment. Primary objective is to teach trainees
with the know-how under a sheltered and closely guided environment.
Off-the-Job Open Training. Students who passed out from sheltered training
progress to training in an open market, such as those offered by IMH’s Barista’s
Express and Metta Association’s Happy Arts Deli. These are social enterprises that
look at providing training opportunities for PWD trainees to work in the open
employment. Primary objective is to expose trainees to customer demands and
work tempo, while being monitored or supervised by experienced staff/social
workers from the VWOs. This period of training again takes from 3 months to up to a
year, before trainees pass out to Café D’Palatte.
On-the-job Initiation. Students will undergo a week long initiation to learn about café
environment, work process, introduce of colleagues, support structure, before they are
put to the job proper.
Social Benefits
Describe the direct benefits your enterprise brings to the needy and disadvantaged. What is
the potential income of the employees?
Working in the service industry not only allows PWDs to gain financial independence (See
projected income in Section 5) but also enhance their social acceptance by shifting public
sentiment.
The vision: To promote a truly all-inclusive Singapore society where PWDs contribute
actively and gainfully in the socio-economics scene.
The mission: To be able to offer uncompromised service and product quality to the
customers, and the best experience to our customers and to our PWD employee.
THE PEOPLE
Distribution Channels
Describe the channels you will use to distribute your products or services.
The Competition
Describe your strongest competitors and how you intend to compete.
Compare your enterprise with your two most important competitors, and state your
competitive advantages and disadvantages.
E-Commerce Budgeting
Provide a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in creating, operating and maintaining
your e-commerce activities.
E-Commerce Competition
Do you have any competitors for your business? Describe how your best competitors
utilize e-commerce and your strategy to improve on their practices.
SECTION 8: PRODUCTION PLAN
Production
How and where are your products or services produced? Briefly explain your quality
control, customer service and product development.
SECTION 7: E-COMMERCE (OPTIONAL)
E-Commerce Plans
Describe in detail how you plan to use the Internet in marketing your product or service.
E-Commerce Budgeting
Provide a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in creating, operating and maintaining
your e-commerce activities.
Depending on the business owner, pre-cook food preparation such as slicing, marinating
and packing may or may not be a separate workflow performed in the Café.
In terms of floor operation, the Café will function like most fast-food restaurants, whereby
customers place and self-collect orders at the counter. Suitable counter staff are PPD or
person with visual handicap (PVH) manning Braille registers. For orders that require long
prep time, a number tag is given to the customers to bring along his/her table (similar to
MOS Burger workflow). The task of serving and clearing tables can be left to PID or PHI
equipped with assistive tools (tags with matching colours and shapes, flashcards, memo
pads) or even PPD if access space between tables are catered for.
Suppliers
Identify key suppliers. Should you have more than one supplier for critical items (as
backup)? Are supply costs steady or fluctuating? If fluctuating, how will you deal with
changing costs?
E-Commerce Budgeting
Provide a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in creating, operating and maintaining
your e-commerce activities.
Inventory
What kind of inventory will you keep (raw materials, supplies, finished goods)? What is
the average value in stock and the rate of turnover?
SECTION 9: COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
Business Organization
Explain the form of business organization you intend to use and why it is best for your
business. List the name you intend to do business as and the legal entity of the social
enterprise (e.g. pte ltd, co ltd by guarantee, co-operative etc).
The business structure will be a private limited with shares co-owned by the business
owner and the partnering VWOs. This is to tie VWO’s interest in the effective
management of human capital in the Café, and as well as to secure fair representation of
the PWD’s interest in the management of the Café.
Licences
List what licenses you will require to go into business.
- NEA to clear and approve layout plan
- Fire & Safety Bill (FSB)
- F&B licence?
- Alcohol licence (maybe)
- Signage Permit
Insurance
List the type of insurance you will require (e.g. workmen's compensation, group
insurance, liability insurance etc).
- workmen’s compensation
- liability insurance
-
SECTION 10: ACCOUNTING AND CASH FLOW
Accounting
Furnish, in a separate sheet, your starting balance sheet and projected income
statements for the first 3 years.
See Spreadsheet
Cash Flow Planning
Provide a separate exhibit of your one year cash flow analysis including estimated sales,
SECTION 7: E-COMMERCE (OPTIONAL)
E-Commerce Plans
Describe in detail how you plan to use the Internet in marketing your product or service.
E-Commerce Budgeting
Provide a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in creating, operating and maintaining
your e-commerce activities.
Provide a checklist of all expense items for input into your cash flow projection.
Analysis of Costs
What are all of the costs: fixed, variable, product, delivery, etc.
Internal Controls
Explain your: Intended internal controls and cash controls, check signing policy, strategy
for controlling shrinkage and dishonesty and control of incoming merchandise (where
applicable).
Credit Policies
Do you plan to sell on credit? What terms will you offer your customers (i.e. how much
credit and for how long)? Do you know what it will cost you to extend credit?
No. Selling on credit is not a common practice for F&B business.
If your business is for use with potential lenders, include a cash flow projection and
projected income statements to show sources of repayment of loans. Be conservative in
your forecasts.
Business Owner and partnering VWOs shall come up with the 20% working capital.
ComCare Enterprise Fund (CEF) shall co-fund up to 80% of the start-up and operating
cost
Funding Request
SECTION 11: FINANCING
♦ Project the total funding required for Year 1 and the breakdown of its use.
♦ Indicate the amount required from CEF and contributions by applicant and/or
partner(s). Contributions in kind should also be listed.
Applicants are expected to fulfill and be accountable for the various deliverables and
milestones they have laid out.
2008
2009
2010
Social Benefits
What are the expected social deliverables for the next 3 years? Please provide year-by-
year projections.
(E.g. quantifiable social benefits such as number of beneficiaries employed, average
income of the beneficiaries, number of beneficiaries that have undergone training, number
of beneficiaries moved to open employment, etc.)
SECTION 12: DELIVERABLES
Applicants are expected to fulfill and be accountable for the various deliverables and
milestones they have laid out.
Appendices
Include details and studies used in your business plan; for example
• Industry studies
• Market research studies
• Floor plans
• Maps and photos of location
• Detailed list of equipment to be purchased
• Detailed description of product or service (e.g. menu, technical specifications etc)
• Any other materials needed to support the assumptions in this plan