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Wormswork Business Plan

Page history last edited by unityfire888@... 13 years, 7 months ago

 

 

 
WormsWork
A Kaua'i Forest Compost Collective

 

 
"Business Plan"

Vermicycle Compost and Educational Community Project



Living Human Beings:
*
 
 
*
   




Table of Contents


1. Executive Summary

2. Description of the Business

3. Description of Market/Opportunity

4. Competitor Analysis

5. Competitor Advantage

6. Marketing strategy

7. Distribution

8. Pricing Strategy

9. Advertising and Promotion

10. Financial Data

11. Risk Analysis

13. Appendices

13. Personal financial statements and tax return

14. Links



WormsWork

Business Plan




1. Executive Summary:

WormsWork descibes a cooperative vermicomposting project for Kauai. Vermicomposting has the ability to significantly reduce landfill problems while producing nature's finest soil treatment simultaneously. Therefore, to promote it with wisdom, the first phase involves mobilizing support for local mid-scale growers and developing educational materials for both small and mid-scale growers, as well as establishing a network to link growers to local sources of usable waste.

 

Vermicomposting (as we're using it) describes an innovative use of one of nature's finest designs, a forest floor...however, instead of leaves and branches and dead critters, we divert part of the Kauai waste stream, mix it together and...let the worms do the work (of course there's many more companion organisms involved). The outcome is a miracle of Earth, black gold...by any name, anyone who has ever used worm castings/live compost in their garden joins us singing the praises of our lowly friends.

 

Is there a need for this project? We only need to ask anyone who tends plants and aina here, or anyone who (attempts to) manage waste on Kauai. In addition, this provides a sustainable replacement for packaged soil amendments and live cultures of Microrhyzal fungi.

 

 

 

WormsWork includes research, design, and educational aspects as well as development of a new paradigm for  organizational and management styles. WormsWork is a voluntary coalition of living beings cooperating as equals for the good of all. Therefore our foundation is cooperation, communication, and self-determination. Our values rise above profit incentive. We believe this model will produce benefits far beyond what any of us could name now, compared to utilizing a traditional business model.  Therefore, our focus remains on process, value, and benefits rather than profit.

 

A significant aspect of this project is its ability to help jumpstart a local exchange/economic system and the renewal of our island's soil, two of many great reasons to collaborate with Malama Kauai.

 

 

 




This business plan is presenting the first phase  of a community-scale vermicycle project which we call WormsWork.
WormsWork has 3 aspects:
    1) WonderWormsWork: Vermicompost Research, Design and Program Development
    2) WormsWork WormWorks: Community-scale Vermicycle Vermicenter, including production and sales of worms and worm castings, and related products. 
    3)  WormsWorkWonders   Community education and celebration

 

WormsWork describes a new concept in business management, one appropriate for a sustainable society and the coming new era of peace and cooperation. Our enthusiasm for this process is supported by our experience as well as many solid examples in business, education and community organization (see links).

 

In this process, we focus our attention on living our intention, aligning and harmonizing with each other, experiencing connection, love and synchronicity--efficiency is a result. It allows us to move forward without need of tedious hours of planning and strategizing. Instead we voluntarily cooperate, create, and actively synchronize. Our lives become like a divine musical. The results of prioritizing process over outcome are produced through synergy and is greater than the sum total.

The 3 aspects of this project are clearly intertwined and are necessary to support each other. We are simultaneously 1) designing and creating a prototype large-scale system where even large drop-offs such as county greenwaste are possible, 2) offering demonstration/observation/education of the processes to an interested public and educational systems, and 3) actively researching viable ways for vermicomposting and related projects to improve our lives and environment.




2. Description of the Business

a. History:


    Cristal is a permaculture designer and land steward on Kauai for 14 years. Her deep love and close connection with the 'aina stimulates her constant research to discover ways of bringing the soil of this deforested and demineralized "garden island" back to life. She has a passion for erosion control, reforestation and soil restoration. She managed and help design systems for a 3-acre permaculture farm in Anahola Uka for 2 ½ years.
This is where the successful vermi-research and educational project (see links) happened that lit a fire in her to grow this project community-scale .  
   

As a group, we have positive experience vermicomposting on Kauai and wish to promote it as a solution to many of our island's problems including soil health, land-fill, human waste, erosion and dying reefs.  We've been vermicomposting on Kauai for several years and have experience designing, implementing and maintaining healthy vermicomposting systems. We've attended conferences, studied, experimented, designed and operated several vermi-systems, and observed plants and trees responding with profound vitality . We've taken on young people to mentor in the fine art of vermicomposting and we continue to mentor interested young people, assisting as science fair consultants, home garden support, etc.

    In the summer of 2007, we organized under a non-profit (INCF) in order to train local youth. Our six young interns were taught the basics of vermicomposting. Their training resulted in their ability to run each of the systems themselves; These included the creation of worm beds, feeding and watering,  knowledge and handling of materials, harvesting worms and castings, making "tea" and foliar application. One obvious outcome of the three-month summer program was the dynamic health of the trees.  In three months, they transformed from a suffering, depleted, bug -covered state to one of vitality and freedom from insects and disease.  The interns also harvested five hundred extra pounds of castings and “graduated from worm schoool” upon making a successful community presentation at the Healing Garden event at KCC. They offered information, castings, worms, worm tea and handmade worm bins to an interested public.



b. Product:


This venture will generate funds by: selling worms and arthropods, castings, compost tea, site-specific vermi-designs, education, consultation, and products related to the vermiculture/agriculture industry, such as vermicompost tea, worm bins, worm composting toilets, potting soil, nursery starts, and start-up kits.

Other offerings will be to assist other locations in starting up, design services, equipment, chipping, shredding, selling chips and shredded cardboard, and providing retail outlet for independent and small-scale vermicomposters.

We encourage autonomous vermi-groups to start and run related small businesses. These businesses, rather than competing, will support each other by encouraging more understanding in the community, customer demand, and innovation in the field. The community service branch of this cooperative will provide assistance and encouragement for local vermicompost projects, especially for schools, churches, businesses, and community gardens.

Our research shows that vermicomposting is succeeding worldwide; it benefits communties in many ways, spearheading local organic garden movements and creating profitable businesses, in some cases very large ones. We feel confident that with teamwork, focus and the kind of resources available at the Resource Center, a successful organization will be a benefit to our island and its people.

Cristal received her original red compost worms from Alison Frailey at the County Recycling Center.


1.Current and Prospective Customers:
 Retail customers, such as commercial growers, landscapers, nurseries, home gardeners, specialty growers, farmers, people with related businesses such as Jimmy Piretti (compost tea), planting and restoration projects such as Regenerations, schools, hospitals, churches, restaurants, community gardens, community centers, etc.

 

Wholesale customers such as coop members.

    Farmers
    Gardeners
    Nurseries
    Landscapers

    Permaculture Businesses    
    People with related businesses (who need worms, compost or castings)
    Businesses who need systems designed
    Schools- private, public and charter

    Churches
   
Legal Form of Business, Ownership and Location:
Living human beings having fun, being creative, being in heart alignment, benefitting self, environment, and community, functioning cooperatively, moving into a new paradigm of doing business. As a spiritual/scientific exploration, we work with UDBOSS, a  mission-based legal structure, and INCF, a tax-deductible donor-directed 501c3.

Management and organizational structure: The cooperative structure of this business allows for autonomous groups of vermi-members( vermiclan) to interact and support each other's efforts to generate funds while regenerating the soil. This particular vermiclan will be working with the sustainable community/educational project known as Rainbow Tree.  We would also like to cooperate with Heart and Soul Organics to design a large-scale vermicompost system which will supply the needs of sustainable businesses as well as supply a large retail operation. This cooperative will also design and kick-start the community-wide vermi-cooperative, initiate the non-profit educational and service-providing branch of the effort, build bridges with related projects and groups, add team members as needed, also oversee installation of the commercial system, do initial management and research and development work, establish mentors, do fundraising, education and outreach.



e. Mission Statement: WormWorks describes more than just a community recycling/vermicompost project, although it is that too. It's a step into a new paradigm of being/doing business. The souls involved participate voluntarily, cooperatively, creatively, respectfully and enthusiastically. (link
www.chaordic.org/)   Our mission is to benefit community AND environment by promoting a sustainable way to recycle waste that feeds the soil and brings it to life and do it in such a way that is good for everyone involved. Therefore feeling our connection and raising our vibration of love is paramount to any work we do.  We also will join with any other aligned spirits to promote a cultural atmosphere of celebration and fun surrounding care of the aina. 


f. Objectives:


To introduce the miracle of vermicomposting to Kauai in such a way that it benefits both environment and community

 

To design functional vermicompost systems that can be translated to other locations thereby encouraging local sustainability

 

To encourage localized composting in order to connect sources of waste with nearby composters in order to save time and fuel costs. Decentralized operations saves limited resources and maximizes output.

 

Systems templates will include small, medium and large scale designs,  modifiable for needs and available resources of each site.

 

 

To do the project 100% in such a way that we experience wholehearted, respectful interactions, creativity, joy in collaboration, fun and a sense of celebration as we work.


3. Description of Market/Opportunity

a. Why is there an opportunity in the market?

The landfill on Kauai is full and overflowing everyday. Yet if you look at what's going in there, you realize most of it is perfectly good worm food.
At the same time, everyday on Kauai, farmers, gardeners and land stewards drive to the store and buy imported (i.e. sterilized) fertilizer to try to remedy their sad soil situation.
Vermicomposting is an opportunity to use resources that are here in abundance (otherwise known as “waste”) and transform it into a much-needed resource (living fertilizer). It uses a process that is clean, efficient, easy, powerfully effective and mimics nature.
It keeps local resources local. It creates local prosperity and opportunity.
It heals the soil and people love it. People on Kauai are begging for live worm castings. We have a list of potential customers a half mile long just from the little vermi-project we did.
 
Our supply sources include: tree chippers, cardboard from businesses, shredded paper, newspaper, leaves, horse and chicken manure, vegetable scraps from restaurants, kitchen scraps, fruit trees, garden trimmings, etc.

EXCERPT FROM A WEBSITE: (link will be here soon) "...This 32 square foot wormery can produce an eventual steady supply of 32 to 64 pounds of surplus worms every three months, plus also yield a ton of high-value plant fertilizer (worm "castings") quarterly. (Pure worm castings, sold in 1 cubic foot plastic bags, retail for $9.27 at Harmony Farm Supply catalog in Sebastopol, California. The wormery example described above produces 32 cubic feet of these castings every 90 days.) This 32 square foot wormery can produce an eventual steady supply of 32 to 64 pounds of surplus worms every three months, plus also yield a ton of high-value plant fertilizer (worm "castings") quarterly. (Pure worm castings, sold in 1 cubic foot plastic bags, retail for $9.27 at Harmony Farm Supply catalog in Sebastopol, California. The wormery example described above produces 32 cubic feet of these castings every 90 days.)..."



b. Potential market size and anticipated growth of the market:

As long as there's waste and gardens, there will be a need for vermicomposting. The growth of this market is guaranteed as it is one thing that will help people grow healthy vital food easily, something everyone needs to do.

There is an opportunity for people to have convenient access to vermicompost in every school, church, restaurant, and community garden, thus allowing people to take responsibility for their own waste as well as health. Healthy vital food grows easily in healthy vital soil and makes strong healthy people. Through the outreach programs of WormsWorkWonders this series will reach a broad variety of population. The current health and organic food industry, one of the fastest rising interests in the American population, is constantly looking for ways to broaden its possibilities to educate the public on nutritional well-being. It offers a multitude of programs in which vermicompost will become a vital ingredient.

Vermicycle Organics, which harvests worm droppings in high-tech greenhouses, produces 7.5 million pounds of a natural fertilizer a year. The company expects sales of the fertilizer to grow by 500 percent this year. Vermi-technology Unlimited has doubled its business every year since 1991, despite prices that can run twice as high as those of synthetic fertilizers. Vermi-technology founder Larry Martin predicts that "In 5 to 10 years, every commercial fertilizer company will be selling worm castings." With many local and state governments trying to divert waste from clogged landfills, forward-thinking cities are promoting "backyard vermin-composting." Traditional compost piles can take weeks to produce low-quality humus; a pound of worms, on the other hand, needs only 48 hours to convert a pound of waste into nutrient-rich castings. In San Jose, California, where state law has mandated that the amount of garbage going to landfills be cut in half by the year 2000, about 1,200 residents used city-distributed discount vouchers to purchase garbage-eating worms from Chambers's Worm Farms. This small operation sells 4,000 pounds of worms a year--about 4 million of the critters--at around $20 per pound [2]. http://www.wormdigest.org/content/view/135/2/


d. Target Markets:

Community Gardens/neighborhoods
Organic Farmers and Gardeners
Chicken and Pig Farmers/Ranchers/Horse Stables
Landscapers
Specialty Growers
Restaurants/Food Industry
Schools/college
Hospitals
Elderly and Assisted Care Homes
Health Spas
Churches
Community Centers
Correctional Facility
Nurseries
Ag and food-related businesses
All food service providers, hospitals, schools
Human Waste Treatment Facility
Recycle Centers



4. Competitor Analysis


We're encouraging cooperation rather than competition between the community and all worm growers, for profits as well as the ultimate benefit of the aina.
 

6.Marketing strategy
Fun, celebration, comedy, education:
community radio, public events, local magazines, school presentations, literature, CDs, ecogatherings, videos, YouTube, handouts, theatre, art, music, dancing worm puppets..

7. Distribution:

We have yet to decide the current distribution avenues, aside from having a retail outlet at the Resource Center--a huge first step, both for WormsWork AND independent/affiliated growers.


8. Pricing Strategy:

Market Standards for worms and castings
Design Work priced by independent designers according to complexity of job


9.Advertising and promotion:


Internet advertising
Local magazines

Newspapers

Community bulletin boards
Coloring/Activity Books and Educational Information
Radio and TV
Website and services
KKCR
Sustainability events 

Garden and Farm FairSeed exchanges
Referrals within the farming/landscaping industry

Booths and tables at community festivals and fairs

School, church, and community activities


10. Financial Data:

The full budget and start-up cost data has yet to be completed so the final cost indexes will be furnished separately. It has been determined that the initial budget will be ($100,000.00)
The use of funds includes.


11.Risk Analysis:
Worms are prolifc breeders and, when raised by a knowledgable person, produce an abundant offspring. 

 

Worms and worm castings are our only crop to start; therefore worms drowning from too much rain, beds ruined by hogs put us at risk economically. To offset this risk, we plan to design the beds in such a way that they are protected from these possibilities.



12. Appendices

Resumes (to be provided)

http://webgreenwiki.pbwiki.com/MissionsAndBios


13.Personal financial statements and tax returns (perhaps the financial statement of last summer's worm internship can appear here?)

14.Links
http://vermiculturekauai.pbwiki.com/

    http://www.wormdigest.org/content/view/135/2/

   

All documentation, studies and graphic analysis will be provided in a separate documentation.(let's create links for these)

 

Resources Needed: lots of piles of tree chips, lots of cardboard, lots of paper, kitchen and restaurant scraps (veggie) coffee and any green grenwaste (husks, hulls, green leaves, etc.)

Facilities Needed: Area sheltered from too much rain and sun for worm beds/bins. Structure to house tools and equipment, and harvested worm castings. Source of water to spray worm beds and to wash equipment. Fencing to protect operations from hogs and chickens.


Equipment on hand:(?) Plenty worms and composting critters. One dump truck in need of repair. An willing team. Hopefully a diesel pickup truck soon (We're shopping)

 

Equipment needed: loader, bobcat, truck

More worm casting tea makers and large sprayer, fabric for covering worm beds, pickup truck, containers for storing castings and for sold worms and castings.

Labor: Feeding, harvesting and maintenence of systems, even with automation and equipment, will require regular on-going attention. Retail: selling of worms and castings. Administration. Accounting. Systems design. Computer assistance to create networks and Local Economic Trading Systems (in-progress see kisslets.pbwiki.com,) education, grant-writing, business planning, marketing and advertising, non-profit support services, public outreach, events organizing, PR, art, theatre and other cultural practices to uplift the cause of the lowly worm and celebrate its greatness (good PR and community education format)...

Financial Requirements:  Startup funding for equipment, salaries, marketing, accounting and business planning, systems research and design, ordering components, installation of systems, gathering resources, community outreach, building worm and arthropod populations
 

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