Beekeeping Break-Even Analysis: $255K Monthly Revenue Target

Fixed costs $17.1K/mo Monthly base load

Contribution margin 67% After variable costs

Break-even revenue $25.5K/mo Core sales target

Break-even timing Month 2 Break-even month

Break-even calculator

Test monthly revenue, variable expenses, and fixed costs to see where beekeeping breaks even.

Lean Base Full

Monthly revenue This is the sales line that creates margin for fixed costs. $ Lower sales Higher sales Variable expenses Use costs that rise with sales, like packaging, shipping, and sales spend. $ Lower costs Higher costs

Money available to cover fixed costs $77,958 $109,800 revenue - $31,842 variable expenses

Margin ratio

71%

Covers fixed costs

Yes

Fixed monthly costs This is the monthly cost base profit must cover. $ Lean base Heavier base

Break-even chart Revenue Total costs

Which beekeeping expenses are fixed, variable, semi-variable, or semi-fixed for break-even?

Cost classification

Break-even works only if recurring monthly operating costs are separated from launch purchases. Use the $7,650 monthly overhead and staffed payroll in the model, but keep the $108,000 of equipment and vehicle purchases outside core monthly break-even.

Expense	Cost	Break-Even Treatment	Common Mistake
Apiary facility lease	Fixed	Include $2,500 per month in the fixed operating base.	Treating rent as volume-linked when hive count rises.
Processing and packaging facility rent	Fixed	Include $1,800 per month until a new facility is added.	Loading this into jar-level margin instead of overhead.
Insurance, utilities, software, admin, vehicle upkeep, and professional services	Fixed	Include $3,350 per month with the other recurring overhead.	Dropping smaller monthly bills from break-even.
Staffed payroll	Fixed	Include Year 1 payroll of $113,000 annually, or about $9,417 per month.	Counting future hires before they are staffed.
Raw materials, packaging, equipment supplies, sales and marketing, and shipping	Variable	Model at 33% of Year 1 revenue because these move with sales volume.	Using gross revenue without deducting fulfillment spend.
Hive replacement	Semi-variable	Model 15% replacement on 50 hives at $350 each, or $2,625 annually.	Ignoring colony loss until cash is needed.

How does break-even change across lean, base, and full beekeeping scenarios?

Scenario table

Lean and base cases stay below break-even because fixed overhead is too large for the revenue they generate. The full 300-hive case is the first one that turns positive, so scale is the main break-even driver.

Planning cases only; actual hive yield, losses, and sales mix can move these results.

Scenario	Monthly Revenue	Variable Costs	Fixed Costs	CM Ratio	Operating Profit	Break-Even Signal
Lean beekeeping case	$38k	$12.5k	$171k	67%	-$145k	Still well below break-even, with a large monthly loss.
Base beekeeping case	$184k	$46k	$352k	75%	-$214k	Growth helps, but fixed costs still outrun contribution.
Full beekeeping case	$578k	$101.7k	$431k	82.4%	$46k	Break-even turns positive only at this scale.

What breaks first if honey sales miss plan or costs climb?

Stress test

The model is stable at the target break-even point, but it gets fragile fast if sell-through slips or packaging, fuel, or hive-loss costs rise. A 10% revenue miss leaves about a $17k monthly gap.

Stress Case	Changed Assumption	Break-Even Revenue	Revenue Gap	Risk Signal
Current plan	No change.	$255k	$0 cushion	Cushion is zero at plan.
Revenue shortfall	Revenue lands 10% below the break-even target.	$255k	$17k gap	A small miss becomes a mid-five-figure cash hole.
Fixed-cost rise	Fixed costs rise 10% to about $188k a month.	$281k	$25k gap	Lease, rent, wages, and fleet costs raise the hurdle.
Margin pressure	Variable expenses add 5 points, cutting margin to 62%.	$276k	$21k gap	Packaging, fuel, and loss rates squeeze the margin.
Combined pressure	Revenue falls 15%, margin drops to 62%, and fixed costs rise 10%.	$303k	$54k gap	Weaker sell-through and higher overhead break the cushion.

What should you verify before you lease the apiary and scale the first hive set?

Founder checklist

This model breaks even in Month 2, but the real test is whether forage, water, sales, and workflow can support that ramp without blowing through cash. Keep the $108K launch equipment spend separate from break-even when you judge readiness.

1Forage accessPre-lease

Verify forage access, water, and hive placement rules before you lease apiary space, because weak site quality cuts honey yield and raises replacement risk.

2Sales channelsBefore stocking

Test buyers for jars and wax before you stock product, because break-even only works if your Year 1 output can move through a real channel.

3Price mix$16.53/unit

Check the Year 1 weighted average price of $16.53 per unit against demand, since that mix drives the contribution that pays fixed costs.

4Harvest flowBefore harvest

Secure packaging suppliers and map extraction, bottling, labeling, and storage before the first harvest, or you will tie up cash in unsold inventory.

5Core load$17.1K/mo

Keep the first-year crew to the head beekeeper and production and packaging specialist, and hold the assistant beekeeper until revenue can cover the roughly $17.1K monthly fixed load and $800 insurance.

6Cash cushion$827K

Treat the $108K launch equipment spend as separate from break-even and make sure you still have the $827K minimum cash cushion for the Month 2 trough.