U-PICK BERRY FARM BUSINESS PLAN

I. Executive Summary

Company Description

RedGate Farm (name chosen to evoke the farm gate where families enter to harvest) is a U.S.-based agritourism operation launching in 2026 in the premium pick-your-own berry sector. Operating initially on 5 acres, the farm grows five distinct berry varieties and pairs high-yield horticulture with a curated visitor experience anchored by a $120,000 welcome center. Core offerings are on‑farm pick-your-own sessions, retail sales of freshly harvested berries, seasonal value-added goods, and ticketed family events that emphasize freshness, transparency, and direct farmer-consumer connection. One-line: A premium, family-first pick-your-own berry farm that sells fresh fruit and memories directly to visitors.

Primary activities include crop production, daily visitor operations, ticketed admissions, retail checkout, food-safety handling, and seasonal event programming. Competitive edges are high-quality berry varieties, a dedicated welcome center, structured visitor flow, and an emphasis on repeat family experiences and transparency about growing practices. Target customers are families and food-focused consumers within a 60-minute drive, willing to pay premium prices for fresh-picked fruit and weekend experiences. Short-term goal: open in 2026 and reach steady seasonal occupancy on 5 acres. Long-term goal: expand operations to 25 acres by 2035 and become a regional leader in agritourism. One-line: Scale from a 5-acre flagship to a 25-acre regional leader by 2035.

Problem

Many U.S. consumers feel disconnected from where their food comes from and distrust centralized supply chains; supermarket berries are often harvested early, yielding underripe, less flavorful fruit and little information about growing practices. Families lack hands-on, affordable outdoor options that compete with screen time, and health-conscious buyers face opaque pesticide and soil-management information that creates real uncertainty about food safety and quality.

Few local agritourism operators combine reliable freshness, clear growing transparency, and family-focused educational experiences at scale, leaving a gap for direct grower relationships and true pick-your-own freshness. Addressing this gap supports consumer trust, restores flavor expectations, and targets a Year 1 EBITDA of $297,000.

Solution

We close the gap between consumers and growers by operating a five-acre, pick-your-own berry destination that combines hands-on harvest, on-site retail, seasonal education, and experience-driven revenue (admission, per‑pound pricing, events). This gives health-conscious shoppers transparent, fresher produce, adds family-friendly outdoor learning, and restores farm-to-table trust.

Outcome: the farm targets cashflow neutrality (break-even) by May 2026.

Mission Statement

We connect families to the land through memorable, educational U-pick experiences that deliver the freshest, most flavorful berries in the region. We commit to sustainable farming, transparent operations, and community health while creating a beautiful natural escape where every visitor leaves with fruit and memories. We aim to operate profitably with a target 8% IRR, balancing social responsibility and long-term financial sustainability.

Key Success Factors

Success depends on hitting early breakeven, controlling yields, ensuring visitor access, disciplined marketing, and acreage expansion.

• Breakeven by May 2026 — reach operating breakeven five months after launch.
• Yield loss control — manage the initial 15% yield loss through the $55,000 Lead Horticulturist.
• Visitor accessibility — secure the $30,000 investment in parking and access roads for customer flow.
• Marketing discipline — maintain 5% of revenue on marketing to achieve Year 2 EBITDA of $1,164,000.
• Scale expansion — expand from 5 to 25 acres to reach sustainable volume and margins.

Financial Summary

Brief financial snapshot for the Executive Summary.

Financial requirements: initial capital $375,000 for infrastructure and equipment; payback 18 months; breakeven May‑2026 (5 months). Modeled 10‑year IRR is 8% and opening ROE is -0.07 during expansion; land ownership targeted at 90% by 2035.

Overall outlook: positive cash recovery early, steady IRR over 10 years, and long‑term asset build via land acquisition.

Funding Requirements

We require capital to build operations, start the first season, and carry a working capital reserve to manage seasonality.

Financial snapshot: Year 1 EBITDA USD 297,000; Year 2 EBITDA USD 1,164,000; 18-month payback; 5-month path to breakeven; 8% IRR over 10 years; ROE -0.07 during initial expansion; transition to 90% land ownership by 2035.