SWOT Analysis - Qi Life

Subject: Mini Project Deliverable 1: Company Description

Important Notes:

This exercise is considered an academic writing exercise. Quality of response, grammar, and punctuation are considered in your overall grade.

This exercise does not require the use of APA format or a cover page.

Throughout this course, you will develop a series of written papers / projects that you will later combine into a complete business plan for a Non-Alcoholic Beverage company. For this exercise, you must first review the “NAB Company Portfolio”. The mentioned portfolio contains the company parameters and details you must follow when developing your company.

Provide the following information to set the foundation for your non-alcoholic beverage (NAB) business plan.

Create your NAB company name and explain its significance.

Develop your company’s Mission Statement and provide a rationale for its components.

Hints: Use the Statement of Mission template on pp. 72-73 on the course textbook: Successful Business Plan to aid your development.

Extracting appropriate information from the NAB company portfolio, where applicable. You should fill in other required items in the template using your personal preferences. Note: You will need to recreate the template. You may attach your completed template to your response as an attachment.

Cite the resources you have used to complete the exercise. Note: There is no minimum requirement for the number of resources used in the exercise.

Non-Alcoholic Beverage Company:

Qi Life - The Way to Sustainable Business and Human Health

Qi Life, Inc., is a Virginia-based company offering leading edge, life-affirming beverages in the non-alcoholic beverage (NAB) industry - both for individual and wholesale markets.

Corporate headquarters and Qi Life production facilities are located at 3 Circle Rd., Norfolk, Virginia.

The Qi Life Philosophy

Qi Life is a beverage manufacturer that uses traditional Chinese herbal medicines to create energy and health drinks that are based on this ancient wisdom and paired with innovative fruit flavors and tea benefits.

The Qi Life mission is to nourish our customers and community with organic, high-quality, ethically-sourced products that draw from ancient Eastern medicine and partner with Western modern advancements to create drinks that feed the mind, spirit, and body. Qi Life drinks are rooted in Chinese energy and herb practices, therefore bridging a variety of NAB niche markets, including energy, health, and tea sectors. Qi Life understands the human need for energy, vitality, balance, and peace. Eastern medicine has been using herbal medicine for centuries; now, this energy is infusing with innovative products to affirm life and wellbeing - with each sip. The goal is to expand Qi along the Northeast coast and steadily spread the Qi Life elixir on a global level. We are committed to the Qi Life values and prioritize human relationships as the path to empowering individual and societal health. Through excellence in human-centered business practices and products, Qi Life projects revenues exceeding $1 million by the second year of operation.

Products

Qi-Life’s handcrafted beverages have magnetized the local market and are now poised to catalyze the NAB industry. In Chinese traditions, Qi is on of the “Three Treasures” that are deemed the essential energies for sustaining human life. Qi is characterized as “vital force” energy and Chinese medicine techniques use preventive nutritional guidance to “empower individuals to take their healing in their own hands and cultivate lives of vitality and ever-evolving consciousness” (Hall, 2015). Chinese medicine is becoming increasingly utilized in Western medicine and research as this more comprehensive, natural approach to healing is an emerging trend in modern health promotion (Juan, 2013). Qi is related to all aspects of life and has particular areas of interest that can shape product development, including herbal support of optimal sexual function, ways to revitalize in combatting fatigue, and supporting healthy metabolic activity.

Cates originally launched her products at the local County Fair where she has created a product with a 72% profit margin. At this stage, Cates has secured funds and assets critical to advancing her business to the next level, capitalizing on major shifts in consumer tastes, preferences, and interests. The company anticipates a strong bi-coastal presence by the end of year three and plans for entry into emerging markets of key interest by year five.

The company has patented its Qi beverage recipe and the trademark name, Qi Life, under which it does business, as well as the slogan, “Life is energy - tap in, drink up.”

Development to Date

Founded in 2007 by Melinda Cates, Qi Life began selling its products at a local venue where it established a loyal customer base and strong sales volume.

In February of 2015, the company received investor support to catalyze startup capital raising activities and received state of the art equipment and inventory to power this vision.

In March of 2015, computer expert, Stephen Job, retired PepsiCo plant production manager, Ian Glass, and previous FTC senior executive, Mary Cates, joined the Qi Team.

In April of 2015, Patrick Frost joined Qi Life, promising to dedicate a minimum of 5 years acting as Qi Life CEO. Frost seeks to bring Qi from the Virginia farm to foreign countries in the period, having personally invested in Qi Life and the Qi Life philosophy - good business, good health, good people.

Legal Status and Ownership

Qi Life was incorporated in the state of Virginia one year ago. The company has $60,000 in startup capital in addition to nearly $125,000 in equipment and inventory.

The company was granted the trademark “Qi Life” by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Funding of the company to date has come from the personal savings of Melinda Cates. This has amounted to a $40,000 investment and $20,000 in loans from friends and family. All other funding has come from the income generated by sales over the past 7 years.

The company is now seeking $200,000 from outside investors. These funds will be used to open the Qi Life production plant and to meet operational demands during the startup period.

References

Hall, D. (2015). The healing power of Qi: Working with vital energy. Retrieved from http://vitalitymagazine.com/article/the-healing-power-of-qi-working-with-vital-energy/

Juan, S. (2013). Interest in TCM growing globally. Retrieved from http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-03/27/content_16347537.htm