aquaponics business plan pdf

Aquaponics Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Aquaponics Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Aquaponics business plan.

We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Aquaponics businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Aquaponics business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Growing Green Aquaponics is a startup aquaponics farm located in Salem, Oregon. The company is founded by Bob Hall, an experienced horticulturist who has gained valuable knowledge on how to grow food using aquaponics during the past ten years while working at Healthy Grown Aquaponics. Now that Bob has experienced managing an aquaponics farm, he is ready to start his own company, Growing Green Aquaponics. Bob is confident that his aquaponics skills, combined with his understanding of business management, will enable him to run a profitable aquaponics company of his own. Bob is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of commercial aquaponics farming – sales and marketing, crop production, greenhouse management, fish farm management, budgeting, purchasing, financial reporting, system maintenance, and customer relations.

Growing Green Aquaponics will provide a wide selection of produce for grocery stores, restaurants, and individual consumers. Growing Green will be the go-to aquaponics farm in Salem for fresh produce available all year round. The company will be the ultimate choice for customer service while offering the best produce prices in the area.

Product Offering

The following are the products that Growing Green Aquaponics will grow and sell:

Customer Focus

Growing Green Aquaponics will target B2B customers in Salem such as local grocers, specialty food stores, and restaurants. The company will also target D2C customers including farmers market shoppers and customers who come directly to the farm to purchase produce. No matter the customer, Growing Green Aquaponics will deliver the best communication, service, and the freshest produce.

Management Team

Growing Green Aquaponics will be owned and operated by Bob Hall. Bob is a graduate of Oregon University with a degree in Horticulture. He has over ten years of experience working as an aquaponics technician for another local farm. Bob will be the company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Head Aquaponics Technician. He will oversee the production process, aquaponics system, and technician staff’s activities.

Bob has recruited a business management expert, Linda Flores, to be the company’s chief operating officer and help oversee aquaponics’s business operations. Linda will handle the day-to-day operations, including budgeting, vendor relationships, and logistics.

Bob and Linda have recruited an experienced marketing director, William Rivera, to become a member of the Growing Green Aquaponics management team. William is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Master’s degree in Marketing. Bob and Linda rely on William’s expertise to execute the company’s marketing plan and advertising strategies.

Success Factors

Growing Green Aquaponics will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Skilled team of aquaponics technicians and horticulture experts who will oversee the growing process and conduct inspections regularly to ensure all produce is of the highest quality.
• Growing Green Aquaponics makes it easy for customers to obtain the company’s products with multiple ways to shop. Businesses and consumers can purchase produce online, onsite, or at various local farmers markets. They can choose to have the produce shipped on a regular schedule, delivered on-demand, or picked up onsite. Additionally, customers can come to the farm and hand-pick their produce themselves.
• The company offers competitive pricing and discounts for regular customers.

Financial Highlights

Growing Green Aquaponics is seeking $800,000 in debt financing to launch its aquaponics business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the facility and purchasing aquaponics farm equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff and marketing expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Facility build-out: $340,000
• Aquaponics equipment, supplies, and materials: $280,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, utilities): $160,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Growing Green Aquaponics.

Company Overview

Who is growing green aquaponics.

Growing Green Aquaponics is a newly established aquaponics company in Salem, Oregon. Growing Green will be the first choice for local grocers, restaurants, and consumers in Salem and the surrounding communities for its fresh produce available all year round. The company will sell its crops to local B2B customers and D2C consumers on-site and at farmers markets.

Growing Green Aquaponics will be able to guarantee the freshness, quality, and availability of its produce all year round thanks to the latest and most innovative aquaponics technology and a stringent quality control process. The company’s team of highly qualified professionals experienced in aquaponics, horticulture, and agriculture will manage the completely vertically integrated indoor farm. Customers can get a first-hand look at how aquaponics works by taking an aquaponics tour, participating in the company’s farm-to-table events, and picking out fresh produce straight from the facility.

Growing Green Aquaponics History

Growing Green Aquaponics is owned and operated by Bob Hall, an experienced horticulturist who has gained valuable knowledge during his ten year tenure working as an aquaponics technician at another local aquaponics farm. Now that Bob has gained the experience and knowledge of how to manage an aquaponics farm, he is ready to start one of his own. Bob has begun recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day to day complexities of commercial aquaponics farming – sales and marketing, crop production, greenhouse management, fish farm management, budgeting, purchasing, financial reporting, system maintenance, and customer relations.

Since incorporation, Growing Green Aquaponics has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Growing Green Aquaponics, LLC to transact business in the state of Oregon.
• Has begun negotiations to purchase the property.
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include local restaurants, grocers, and farmers markets to start getting vendor contracts.
• Began recruiting a staff of accountants, aquaponics technicians, maintenance workers, and sales personnel to work at Growing Green Aquaponics.

Growing Green Aquaponics Services

The following will be the crops Growing Green Aquaponics will grow and sell:

Industry Analysis

The global aquaponics industry was valued at an estimated $872.7M and is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% to reach $1,807.29M by the year 2028. North America is the leading region in market share due to its focus on advancements in aquaponics technology and a growing demand for organic food, followed by Asia and Europe. The Organic Trade Association reports an increase of 5.6% in organic fruit and vegetables sales in a single year in the United States. Aquaponics is an attractive option for health and environmentally-conscious consumers who are looking for sustainable organic foods free from pesticides and chemicals.

The aquaponics market is highly fragmented with a handful of major players and an expanding global market for emerging companies making up the rest of the market share. Industry operators can achieve a competitive advantage by selling high quality, in-demand produce, effective marketing campaigns, and keeping up with local food trends.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Growing Green Aquaponics will target B2B customers in Salem such as local grocers, specialty food stores, and restaurants. The company will also target D2C customers including farmers market shoppers and customers who come directly to the farm to purchase produce. No matter the customer, Growing Green Aquaponics will deliver the best communication, service, and freshest produce.

The precise demographics for Salem, Oregon are:

Customer Segmentation

Growing Green will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Grocery stores
• Specialty food stores
• Restaurants
• Farmers market shoppers
• Individuals looking for fresh, clean, organic produce

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Growing Green Aquaponics will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Healthy Grown Aquaponics

Healthy Grown Aquaponics is one of the largest commercial aquaponics farms in Salem, Oregon. The company grows a variety of crops including tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, herbs, leafy greens, and eggplant. Healthy Grown Aquaponics sells its produce to local restaurants and grocery stores. Healthy Grown Aquaponics aims to deliver high quality organic produce grown through its innovative aquaponics process. The company uses a  stringent inspection process to ensure all of its products are the best quality. Healthy Grown Aquaponics’s team of experienced aquaponics professionals inspect each crop weekly to ensure optimum quality.

Salem Aquaponics

Salem Aquaponics is a small aquaponics farm catering to local restaurants, grocers, and farmers markets in Salem, Oregon and surrounding areas. Salem Aquaponics provides fresh produce including tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and squash all year round. The company provides tours of the facility to local schools for a nominal fee. The owners of Salem Aquaponics are former restaurant managers and farm-to-table supporters so they understand how important it is to the community for restaurants to have fresh produce that is locally grown.

Sustain-Able Aquaponics

Sustain-Able Aquaponics is a trusted Salem, Oregon-based aquaponics farm that provides superior produce to consumers in Salem and the surrounding areas. The company is able to provide a wide variety of fruits and vegetables using its state-of-the-art aquaponics equipment. Sustain-Able Aquaponics serves local grocers, specialty stores, and individual consumers with guaranteed fresh produce all year round. The company prides itself on being the number one choice for sustainable produce and its contribution to the growing farm-to-table movement.

Competitive Advantage

Growing Green Aquaponics will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Skilled team of aquaponics technicians and horticulture experts who will oversee the growing process and conduct inspections daily to ensure all produce is of the highest quality.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Growing Green Aquaponics will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Growing Green Aquaponics provides flexibility in how customers can shop. Customers have the option to purchase produce online, onsite, or at various local farmers markets.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Growing Green Aquaponics is as follows:

Social Media Marketing

The company’s marketing director will create accounts on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. He will ensure Growing Green maintains an active social media presence with regular daily updates and fun content to get customers excited about aquaponics.

Professional Associations and Networking

Growing Green Aquaponics will become a member of professional associations such as the Aquaponics Association, American Fisheries Society, and the Oregon Aquaculture Association. The leadership team will focus their networking efforts on expanding the company’s vendor network.

Print Advertising

Growing Green Aquaponics will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events. The company will also send direct mailers to local restaurants and grocery stores.

Website/SEO Marketing

Growing Green Aquaponics will utilize the in-house marketing director that designed the print ads to also design the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the produce that Growing Green is able to provide. The website will also list information on the company’s events and guided tours.

The marketing director will also manage Growing Green’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in a search engine “Salem aquaponics farm” or “aquaponics farm near me”, Growing Green Aquaponics will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of Growing Green Aquaponics will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing the company’s produce.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Growing Green Aquaponics.

Operation Functions:

• Bob Hall will be the CEO and Lead Aquaponics Technician. He will oversee the aquaponics technicians, production process, and the aquaponics system maintenance. Bob has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Linda Flores – Chief Operating Officer who will manage the budgeting, vendor relationships, and logistics.
• Susan Smith – Staff Accountant/Bookkeeper will provide all accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
• William Rivera – Marketing Director who will oversee all marketing strategies for the company and manage the website, social media, and outreach.
• Jessica Mitchell – Quality Control Manager who will oversee all inspections of products, equipment, and processes.

Milestones:

Growing Green Aquaponics will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

9/1/2022 – Finalize contract to purchase property.

9/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the Growing Green Aquaponics management team.

10/1/2022 – Begin build-out of the facility, purchase equipment, and start production.

10/15/2022 – Begin networking at industry events and implement the marketing plan.

11/15/2022 – Finalize contracts for initial grocery, farmers market, and restaurant vendors.

1/15/2022 – Growing Green Aquaponics officially opens its facility up to customers and starts shipping out online orders.

Bob has recruited a business management expert, Linda Flores, to be the company’s Chief Operating Officer and help oversee aquaponics’s business operations. Linda will handle the day-to-day operations, including budgeting, vendor relationships, and logistics.

Bob and Linda have recruited an experienced marketing director, William Rivera, to become a member of the Growing Green Aquaponics management team. William is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Master’s degree in Marketing. Bob and Linda rely on William’s expertise in the company’s marketing plan and advertising strategies.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Growing Green Aquaponics are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the company’s products. When it comes to pricing, the farm will monitor production costs, average prices charged by competitors, and product availability in the market to ensure its prices will generate a healthy profit margin.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff an aquaponics farm. The expenses will be the payroll cost, utilities, greenhouse equipment and supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Average pounds of produce sold per month: 9,000
• Average fees per month: $15,000
• Overhead costs per year: $640,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Aquaponics Business Plan FAQs

What is an aquaponics business plan.

An aquaponics business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your aquaponics business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your aquaponics business plan using our Aquaponics Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Aquaponics Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of aquaponics businesses, some examples include: Retail and Farm.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Aquaponics Farm Business Plan?

Aquaponics businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding. This is true for an aquaponics farming business plan and a commercial aquaponics business plan.

What are the Steps To Start an Aquaponics Business?

Starting an aquaponics business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop An Aquaponics Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed aquaponics farm business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your aquaponics business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your aquaponics business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Aquaponics Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your aquaponics business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your aquaponics business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Aquaponics Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your aquaponics business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your aquaponics business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.

EPA Aquaponics Business Plan User Guide (PDF)

Here is the United States Environmental Protection Agency Aquaponics Business Plan User Guide. This will be a great added resource as you work through planning your farm. It has some of the following topics:

• Organization and Management
• Marketing Strategy
• Operating Strategy
• Financial Strategy

aquaponics-business-plan.pdf (2.0 MB)

Thanks. That is a great resource.

Thank you. Great plan.

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Thank you. It will be my next read.

Aquaponics Business Plan Template

If you want to start an aquaponics business or expand your current one, you need a business plan.

Since 1999, we have helped millions of entrepreneurs create business plans to start and grow their businesses.

Below are links to each section of your aquaponics business plan template:

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Aquaponics Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my aquaponics business plan, what is an aquaponics business plan, why do you need a business plan for an aquaponics business, what are the sources of funding for aquaponics businesses.

The main sources of funding for an aquaponics business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

The second most common form of funding for an aquaponics business is angel investors.  Angel investors  are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan.  VC funding  is not appropriate for aquaponics businesses as VC seek quick and massive returns from high tech ventures.

AQUAPONICS BUSINESS PLAN OUTLINE

• Aquaponics Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan
• 10. Appendix
• Aquaponics Business Plan Summary

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Aquaponics Business Plan User Guide

Because of the differences in production systems between cultivated agriculture and aquaponics, the Aquaponics Business Plan User Guide has been developed to provide guidance for developing an operating strategy specific to an aquaponic farm. This User Guide is modeled after the original Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook and provides an outline and guidance for the development of a business plan for an aquaponic farm. Some sections of the original Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook were modified to address aquaponic differences, while other sections keep the original text of the Handbook.

As with a cultivated agriculture urban farm, an urban aquaponic farm can be established as non-profit, community or neighborhood-based urban farm or for profit urban farm business. In either case it is important for those establishing an urban aquaponic farm to develop a plan for the start-up and operation of the farm regardless of whether it is intended to be for-profit or non-profit. A business plan serves as an internal planning tool that maps out the strategies for the startup and operation of a business, tracks progress of the business against its goals, and provides information to external stakeholders important to the successful startup and operation of the business (e.g., investors and funding sources).

Download a copy of the Aquaponics Business Plan User Guide .

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Aquaponics Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Aquaponics Business Plan Template

If you want to start an Aquaponics business or expand your current Aquaponics business, you need a business plan.

The following Aquaponics business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning Aquaponics business plan. It can be used for an aquaponics farming business plan or a commercial aquaponics business plan.

You can download our Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Below are links to each of the key sections of a successful Aquaponics business plan. Once you create your plan, download it to PDF to show banks and investors.

Aquaponics Business Plan Home I. Executive Summary II. Company Overview III. Industry Analysis IV. Customer Analysis V. Competitive Analysis VI. Marketing Plan VII. Operations Plan VIII. Management Team IX. Financial Plan

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• July 14, 2022

Aquaponics is a form of agriculture that has been around for many years but resurfaces in today's modern world and attracts many people because of its benefits and profitability. Recent studies have shown the increasing demand for the aquaponics market globally because of the rising population, lack of farming land, and high demand for organic food worldwide.

Today, many people have turned to aquaponics farming to grow food because of its sustainability and organic way of producing food. Aquaponics has grown and developed not just for hobbyists or backyard gardening but, most importantly, for commercial purposes. 

We developed this aquaponics business plan because of the growing interest in commercial aquaponics. We also aim to provide an outline and guidance for developing an operating strategy for those interested in starting their own commercial aquaponics system. 

What is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is a recirculating method of farming that combines aquaculture and  hydroponics. It is  the raising of fish and  the growing of plants together in a symbiotic environment with the help of  beneficial bacteria . The bacteria convert fish waste into nitrates, which become food for the plant, and in return, the plant roots filter and clean the water for the fish to live.

Benefits of Aquaponics 

• Organic Produce - Food grown in an aquaponics system is not exposed to chemicals, including fertilizers and weed killers, because they are grown naturally with the help of fish waste. 
• Year-round farming - Aquaponic growers do not depend on weather conditions to farm because of their ability to regulate temperatures. So they can cultivate organic food all year round.
• Faster Plant Growth - Plants grown in aquaponics naturally grow faster because they can access the nutrients 24 hours a day. A constantly regulated source of water also helps enhance plant growth.
• Two Sources of income - Commercial aquaponics operations can enjoy two sources of income: plants and fish. 
• Reduces the Planet's Carbon Footprint - Large farmland is not needed to grow aquaponics crops. A sustainable aquaponics system is viable in places where the land is rocky, or prone to drought.

Things to Consider In Starting A Commercial Aquaponics System

Before developing and starting your commercial aquaponics business, consider the main reasons you want this kind of business. This will help you focus on the business plan and identify the issues, resources, and expertise needed to develop your business plan.

Consider asking yourself these questions;

• Do you have a farm or crop growing experience to help your farm operations, or do you need to seek that expertise elsewhere?
• Do you have a property, or are you still choosing a location?
• Are you developing an aquaponic farm for-profit and source of income?
• Who will be part of your planning team?
• Do you have the knowledge or expertise to develop marketing, operating, and financial strategies necessary for the business plan or help start the business?
• Do you need expertise in addressing environmental and cleanup issues that may be associated with the public property you intend to use?

This aquaponics business plan is divided into five sections:

1. Overview: This section provides the vision statement, mission, and goals of your commercial aquaponics farm.

2. Management and Organization: This section describes the business ownership structure and its management and organization.

3. Marketing Strategy: This section identifies the products to be produced, how they will be marketed, and the potential competitors. This section will also describe the product's packaging, distributing, and promoting approaches.

4. Operating Strategy: This section describes the approach to product management, farm size, physical and human resources, and regulatory requirements.

5. Financial Strategy: This section provides income and expense estimates, expected profit and loss, sources of funds, and potential business risks to its success.

1. Overview

Your business plan overview provides your vision and mission statement. It also summarizes your goals for your commercial aquaponics farm. The overview is divided into the following:

• Introduction

Describe the purpose and key issues to be addressed by the business plan. It provides an understanding of what information is contained in the business plan.

• Vision Statement

 Your vision statement describes your vision of your commercial aquaponics farm's future and how you incorporate your values into your farm. It provides clear decision-making criteria and answers what economic, environmental, or community values are essential to the farm. What products or services do you intend to offer, and how the community will benefit from these products or services.

• Mission Statement

The mission statement is a set of guiding principles that describe your commercial aquaponics farm's overall goals. A mission statement tells the fundamental purpose and expectations for the farm to its customers. It also provides an understanding of the goals of the farm.

The goals describe what is to be achieved by the farm. Goals can be short-term goals or long-term goals. Short-term goals may be focused on the farm's startup and achieving a certain level of production income. Long-term goals can be the plans for farm growth. Goals reflect what you want to achieve and when you like to achieve them. 

2. Management and Organization

Management and organization describe the commercial aquaponics farm's ownership status and how it will be managed and organized. How you register your farm will depend on your business structure (corporation, sole proprietorship, non-profit). In making the management and organization structure of your farm.

Consider answering these questions:

• What will the legal structure of your business be? Will it be a sole proprietorship, partnership, non-profit, or corporation?
• How will the farm be organized and managed? 
• Who will be the key managers who will run the farm?
• What skills do these managers bring to the farm, and what will be their duties and responsibilities?
• Will there be a board of directors?
• How will these managers or board members be compensated?

3. Marketing Strategy

Before starting your commercial aquaponics farm, defining the strategy for marketing and sales is very important. These are also the essential part of your business plan. Developing your marketing strategy requires understanding the market, demands of your product, potential customers, as well as potential competitors. In this section, you must convince your reader that your commercial aquaponics farm is a viable market. 

The marketing strategy is divided into these sections:

1. Introduction: The introduction section of the marketing strategy shows the following:

• The market or potential customers of your commercial aquaponics farm.
• The products that the farm will produce and sell.
• The distribution process or how and where the products will be made available to the customers. 

 In discussing the market section, know the answer to these questions:

• Who are your potential customers, and where are they located?
• How likely are they to buy your product?
• Are you growing a crop that is not easily accessible to consumers?  

3. Product: Use the information you gathered from the market analysis about customer values, needs, and preferences, and describe the product you're planning to offer and how they will compete in the market. Describe why your product is unique and how they differ from its competitors.

4. Distribution: Getting your product to the market will be critical to your marketing strategy, as the quality of crops and customer perception will depend on the freshness and quality of your product. This section discusses the handling of products from harvest to sell, including options for storing the product before selling. 

Discuss these questions: 

• How will you sell your product?
• Will they distribute your product directly from the harvest to the customer?
• How will you maintain your product quality during storage and distribution?
• What will you do with the product that is not sold or delivered?
• What is your method of distribution?
• How will you price your product?

Discuss these questions:

• Who are your competitors?
• How does your product differ from your competitor's product?
• Are your competitors established in the market?
• Do they offer a greater variety of products?
• Will your pricing be competitive?

4. Operating Strategy

Before developing your operating strategy, it is essential that you have completed your market analysis and identified the type and volume of plants to grow and fish to raise. It divides the operating strategy into these sections:

1. Crop Management (Your approach to cultivating and harvesting plants and fish)

Crop management involves managing the volume of fish and plant crops needed to meet your marketing strategy's objectives. This involved understanding the approach used to raise the fish and plant the crops and the planting and harvesting schedule. Discuss the specific method to be used, such as a raft system , media-based system , nutrient film technique (NFT) , or a combination of the three main systems of aquaponics. 

This section discusses the following questions:

• Since the relationship between the fish and the plants is interdependent, will the volume of your plant crops meet the market demand drive of the fish's volume needed to provide the necessary nutrients for the plant?
• Will the volume of the fish from the water support the demand of the plants?
• Will the fish be marketed as a farm product or managed only to support crop production?
• Will plant crops start from seeds or seedlings purchased from suppliers?
• How will you manage water pH, ammonia, temperature, nitrates, nitrites dissolved oxygen ?
• How will you cycle the system ?
• How will planting be made to meet the required crop harvest of the marketing strategy?
• Are you going to plant and harvest year-round?

In discussing physical resources, you need to consider these questions:

• What type of buildings and structures are required within five years?
• Will your commercial aquaponics farm be located within the building?
• How much building area and land area are required? Within five years?
• Will you lease or acquire the land area?
• Has an environmental assessment been conducted on the property, and are there any known or potential environmental issues that will require cleanup or specific action?
• What resources will be needed for the farm (water, electricity, and waste disposal)?
• What equipment will be needed (vehicles, monitoring equipment, lighting, tanks, etc.) within five years?
• What tools will be needed initially and within five years?
• What supplies will be needed?
• How will these resources be acquired?

The key issues needed to be considered in identifying physical resources are:

• To determine the development needs of an aquaponics farm.
• In determining the square footage needs, it should include sufficient space to access and work around the fish and tanks, space for offices, packaging, shipping, cold storage, material and equipment storage, and a growing area for the seedlings. 
• Consideration should also be given to monitoring the system, such as water quality and temperature, pH, ammonia, humidity, water pump, light, and other parameters that are important to the healthy growth of the fish and plants.
• Internet, telephone, and other communication requirements for remote monitoring.

Consider these questions in discussing human resources:

• What is the workforce needed for the first five years?
• What positions will be created for the farm, and how many workers will be required for each position? 
• Will you provide training for each position?
• How many workers will be compensated, and will there be full-time, part-time, or volunteer workers?
• What are the ranges of salaries for each position?
• What are the employee benefits? (vacation, medical coverage, etc.)

The key issues needed to be considered in discussing human resources are:

• Using monitoring systems with remote notification capabilities can reduce labor and provide notification of system problems even when the aquaponics farm is unattended.
• There may be a need for an additional workforce during harvest days.

Financial Strategy

This section should describe your approach to developing a financial strategy. The financial strategy is divided into these sections.

1. Expenses (the expenses estimated for the startup and operation of the commercial aquaponics farm)

Develop a five-year projection on the annual expenses for the commercial aquaponics farm. The costs should include marketing, operating, and human resource expenses discussed in the marketing, managing, and human resources strategy section. Expenses should also cover administrative costs like the initial operating expenses, startup expenses, site preparations, and other expenses.

2. Income (projected income of the commercial aquaponics farm)

Develop your five-year annual income projection for the farm. Payment should include receipts from sales of products and less any loss associated with spoilage or products that cannot be sold. Income should also include other sources anticipated to cover the farm's operating expenses.

3. Fixed Assets (anticipated fixed assets)

Develop your five-year projection of fixed assets. Fixed assets include land, buildings, vehicles, furniture, office equipment, computers, fixtures and fittings, plants, and machinery. These items are depreciated over time for tax purposes.

4. Funding (a potential source of funds)

Describe the source and amount of funds needed to purchase, install the fixed assets to startup the farm, and achieve the business plan's goals.

Discuss the following questions:

• How will you get these funds, and what are the sources or potential funding sources?
• How much funding is needed?
• How will the funds impact the achievement of the business plan?
• Are there required expenses in obtaining financing or funding, like insurance, filing fees, and others?

How to Start A Commercial Aquaponics Business

Commercial aquaponics is a business. Getting excited and carried away by aquaponics' coolness and possible profitability does not guarantee success; knowledge, experience, and proper business decisions do

Here are our tips on starting a commercial aquaponics farm.

• The first step is to gather enough information on how aquaponics works and how to manage an aquaponics business. You can reach out to your local aquaponics farmers to get ideas for the day-to-day tasks of running an aquaponics farm.
• You can consult professionals with experience designing, building, and operating aquaponics facilities. The money you invest in professional consulting will be an essential factor in the success of your farm.
• Choose the location where you will establish your aquaponics farm. Choose an area where the temperature is not too high or low and has sufficient light for the plant to get enough light.
• Gather all the necessary materials required for setting up an aquaponics system. This will depend on your aquaponics design. These include a fish tank, grow bed, water pump, grow media, and pipes for plumbing.
• Register your business to get the necessary licenses and permits from your local authority. 
• Set up your aquaponics business according to your plan and design. Continue consulting with aquaponics experts to get their guidance on effectively managing your aquaponics business. 

Thank you for reading our article. Starting can be challenging, but it is an ideal investment because aquaponics is a low-maintenance and cost-efficient system that provides fresh organic yield much faster than any other farming method. Commercial Aquaponics can be profitable when done on a specific scale. If you are a beginner in aquaponics and want to start your own system, read our article, " Ultimate Aquaponics Beginner's Guide ."

Interested in getting a system designed that fits your exact needs? Whether it be a small back yard system, a mid-size system for your restaurant or school, or a large-scale commercial system, Go Green Aquaponics can design you a custom aquaponics system to fit your needs!

Just reach out to us on the comment section below or let us know about the system you’d like via the contact form to get started!

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3 Responses

Johnny Webb

January 29, 2023

This article is absolutely awesome and informative! I’m new to the BC province, and have been SUPER intrigued about stepping up, stepping out and beginning a venture into commercial aquaponics after years of building multiple small to medium scale systems and more importantly completely believing in the fact that being able to grow organically and responsibly for ourselves and the community is something that really is the thing of the near and ongoing future.

Angelita Castillo

January 13, 2023

I want to know more about aquaponics specifically how to start in the backyard. Thank you.

Mauricio Briceño

August 05, 2020

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Aquaponics Farm Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Agriculture Industry » Crop Cultivation » Greenhouse Farming

Are you about starting a commercial aquaponic farm? If YES, here is a complete sample aquaponics business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.

If you have been looking to start a business that is agriculture related, then you may want to consider starting an aquaponics business. This is one area of trade that sure can guarantee good returns on your investment. However, just before you begin to build this business, it becomes expedient that you garner all the knowledge and skills that you are required to, so that you do not start out on the wrong footing.

One of the foremost steps that you will need to take is the business plan step. This is a very expedient path that you should be willing to walk so that you can get things write. Here below is a sample aquaponics business plan;

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A Sample Commercial Aquaponics Farm Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

There are several business opportunities available in the agricultural industry and one good thing about the industry is that there is market for all the produce from the industry.

Over the years, researchers and scientist have been researching on ways to improve crop cultivation especially in areas where the soil composition and climatic condition does not support the growth of certain crops (cash crops, food crops et al).

So also engineers have been improving on their invention as regards mechanized (commercial) farming et al. The agricultural industry, of which Aquaponics business is a subset of agriculture; and is no doubt among the leading industries in most countries of the world. It is the industry that produces food for the populace and raw materials for industries.

Because of the significant roles the agriculture sector plays, the government of most countries ensures that they go all the way to subsidize seedlings, fertilizers, and farming implements and machinery for farmers and also encourage entrepreneurs to go into Aquaponics business.

Aquaponics business essentially talks about any system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.

In standard aquaculture, excretions from the animals being raised can accumulate in the water, increasing toxicity, while in an aquaponic system, water from an aquaculture system is fed to a hydroponic system where the by-products are broken down by nitrification bacteria into nitrates and nitrites, which are utilized by the plants as nutrients, and the water is then re-circulated back to the aquaculture system.

Basically, aquaponics comprises of two key parts, with the aquaculture part for raising aquatic animals and the hydroponics part responsible for growing plants; Hydroponics is simply a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water, without soil. Players in this industry generally cultivate food crops under glass or any form of protective cover.

The Aquaponics Farming industry is indeed a fast growing industry and pretty much active in countries such as united states of America, Japan, China, Germany, and Singapore et al. The companies that has dominate market share in the industry are Nature – sweet, Village Farm and Houweling’s.

Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 2,307 registered and licensed Aquaponics farming – companies responsible for employing about 7,939 and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $848 million annually. The industry is projected to enjoy 5.3 percent annual growth.

One thing is certain about aquaponics farming, if you are able to conduct your market research and feasibility studies; you are more likely not going to struggle to sell your farm produce because there are always food processing companies and consumers out there who are ready to buy from you.

Lastly, with aquaponics farming, you can afford to combine both crop cultivation and animal husbandry or you can decide to only specialize in the cultivation of crops or rearing of animals i.e. aquatic animals and the hydroponics. The bottom line is that if you do not have enough land (space) and you are interested in maximizing aquaponics farming, you are sure going to make huge profits from the business.

2. Executive Summary

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is a licensed agro – allied company that will be based in the outskirt of Smethport Pennsylvania – United States. We have done our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure a 25 hectares of land to start our aquaponics farming.

Our aquaponics business is a going to be standard aquaponics farming business hence will be involved in both aquatic animals farming and hydroponics farming.

At Jade and Julius Aquaponics Farms we will be involved in the cultivation of crops such as; cucumbers, shallots, tomatoes, lettuce, chides, capsicum, red salad onions and snow peas, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, basil, roses, tomatoes, okra, cantaloupe and bell peppers, watercress, basil, coriander, parsley, lemongrass, sage, beans, peas, kohlrabi, taro, radishes, strawberries, melons, onions, turnips, parsnips, sweet potato, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant as well as the choys that are used for stir fries.

We also will be involved in farming freshwater fish, crayfish and prawns, saltwater fish, called saltwater aquaponics. Tilapia, Barramundi, silver perch, eel-tailed catfish or tandanus catfish, jade perch and Murray cod, Koi and goldfish, channel catfish, rainbow trout, perch, common carp, Arctic char, largemouth bass and striped bass et al.

In the nearest future, hopefully within the first seven years of officially running Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC, we will start our food processing and packaging plant and also start exporting our agriculture produce to other parts of the world.

This is why aside from the fact that we’ve secured the required farming land and most of the farming equipment and machines; we have also hired some key employees who are currently undergoing training so as to be able to fit into the ideal picture of the 21st century aquaponics business workforce that we want to build.

We are in the aquaponics farming business because we want to leverage on the vast opportunities available in the Agriculture industry, to contribute our quota in growing the U.S. economy, in national food production, raw materials production for industries, to export agriculture produce from the United States to other countries and over and above to make profit.

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is well positioned to become one of the leading aquaponics farms in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source for the best hands and machines to run the business with.

We have put process and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to aquaponics farming processes and food processing and packaging as required by the regulating bodies in the United States of America.

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is a private registered agro – allied company that is owned by Dr. Julius Corey and family. The company will be fully and single handedly managed by the owner – Dr. Julius Corey and his immediate family members at least for a period of time.

Before starting Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC , Dr. Julius Corey was the Head of a renowned Agriculture Research Institute in The U.S. he worked in the industry for well over 15 years before resigning to start his own aquaponics business. Dr. Julius Corey is a known agriculture scientists.

3. Our Products and Services

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is an agro – allied company that will be involved in both aquatic animals farming and hydroponics farming for both the United States’ market and the global market. We are in business to produce both vegetable, fruits and fish in commercial quantities.

We will also ensure that we operate a standard food processing and packaging plant as part of our complimentary business. These are the areas we will concentrate on in our aquaponics farms. If need arises we will definitely add more agriculture produce to our list;

• Cultivation of freshwater fish and saltwater fish (Tilapia, Barramundi, silver perch, eel-tailed catfish or tandanus catfish, jade perch and Murray cod, Koi and goldfish, channel catfish, rainbow trout, perch, common carp, Arctic char, largemouth bass, triped bass crayfish and prawns, et al.)
• Hydroponic greenhouse tomato farming
• Hydroponic greenhouse cucumber farming
• Hydroponic greenhouse bell pepper farming
• Other hydroponic greenhouse vegetable farming
• Hydroponic greenhouse fruit production

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our Vision is to become one of the leading aquaponics farm brand not just in the United States of America but also on the global stage.
• Our mission statement as an aquaponics farm is to go into full – time cultivation of vegetables, fruits and fishes that will not only be consumed in the United States of America, but also exported to other parts of the world.
• We want our processed food to flood the nooks and crannies of the United States and other countries of the world.

Our Business Structure

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is family owned and managed aquaponics farms that is into the cultivation of vegetables and fishes.

At Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Operating Officer

General Farm Manager

Administrator / Accountant

• Crop (Vegetable) Cultivation Manager / Supervisor

Fish Farming Manager / Supervisor

• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Responsible for the planning, management and coordinating all farm activities across the various sections on behalf of the organization
• Supervises other section manager
• Ensures compliance during project executions
• Providing advice on the management of farming activities across all section
• Responsible for carrying out risk assessment
• Using IT systems and software to keep track of people and progress of the growth of crops, fishes, birds and animals
• Responsible for overseeing the accounting, costing and sale of farm produce after harvest
• Represent the organization’s interest at various stakeholders meetings
• Ensures that farming goals desired result are achieved, the most efficient resources (manpower, equipment, tools and chemicals et al) are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied. Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Oversee the smooth running of the daily farming activities across the various farming sections
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Serves as internal auditor for the company

Crop (Vegetable and fruits) Cultivation Manager / Supervisor

• Responsible for managing the crop cultivation section of the aquaponics farm
• Handles hydroponic greenhouse tomato farming
• Handles hydroponic greenhouse cucumber farming
• Handles hydroponic greenhouse bell pepper farming
• Handles other hydroponic greenhouse vegetable farming
• Handles hydroponic greenhouse fruit production
• Supervises other workers within the department
• Works closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives
• Responsible for managing the fish farming section of the aquaponics farm

Sales and Marketing Officer

• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new markets for our agriculture produce, processed food, new partners, and business opportunities within the agro – allied industry
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales of all our agriculture produce and processed foods
• Documents all customer contact and information.
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for the company

Front Desk / Customer’s Service Officer

• Welcomes clients and visitors by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s farm produce
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the HR manager in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to potential clients when they make enquiries

6. SWOT Analysis

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC do not intend to launch out with trial and error hence the need to conduct a proper SWOT analysis. We know that if we get it right from the onset, we would have succeeded in creating the foundation that will help us build a standard aquaponics farm that will favorably compete with leading commercial farms in the United States of America and in the rest part of the world.

As a world – class aquaponics farms, we look forward to maximizing our strength and opportunities and also to work around our weaknesses and threats. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC;

Our strength as an aquaponics farm company is hinged on the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players (agriculture merchants) in the agriculture industry; both suppliers and buyers within and outside of the United States.

We have some of the latest aquaponics farming machines; tools and equipment that will help us cultivate crops and fishes in commercial quantities with less stress. Aside from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in the Aquaponics line of business in Des Moines, Iowa in our payroll.

Our weakness could be that we are a new aquaponics business in the United States, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from international markets in the already saturated and highly competitive agriculture industry; that is perhaps our major weakness. Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to promote our business the way we would want to.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities that are available to us cannot be quantified, we know that everybody on planet earth eat farm produce. We are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that is available in the industry.

Just like any other business, one of the major threats that we are likely going to face is economic downturn. It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing / spending power. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new aquaponics farm in same location where our target market exist and who may want to adopt same Business model like us.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

As aquaponic growing operations are less vulnerable to weather conditions, the industry’s business locations vary considerably from the broader Vegetable Farming industry. On the other hand, large- scale commercial aquaponic production still tends to be concentrated in temperate climates with all year- round sunshine, giving room for the best quality and highest profit margins.

In view of that, large aquaponic farms are predominately located in Pennsylvania, California, New York, Vermont and Wisconsin which make up about one half of this industry’s revenue, while comprising about a third of the farms.

It is on records that revenue for the Aquaponics Farming industry has maintained positive growth. This is so because in recent time, a growing number of individuals shifted to healthy eating and consuming organic produce, resulting in high demand. In addition, extreme weather conditions spoiled many crops for fresh field farmers, so grocery stores and farmers markets quickly turned to hydroponic farmers to meet their demand.

One of the common trends in the aquaponics farming line of business is that most players in the industry are no longer concentrating only on non – organic farming. They now find it easier to run both organic crop cultivation and non – organic crop cultivation. It is fact that despite that organic food are expensive, the sale for organic food is on the increase and it is indeed profitable.

8. Our Target Market

Naturally, the target market of those who are the end consumer of aquaponics farm produce and also those who benefits from the business value chain of the agriculture industry is all encompassing; it is far – reaching.

Every household consumes produce from aquaponics farms be it vegetables, fruits, fish, crayfish and prawn et al. So also a large chunk of manufacturing companies depends on aquaponics farms for some of their raw materials. In essence a commercial farmer should be able to sell his or her farm produce to as many people as possible.

We will ensure that we position our business to attract consumers of agriculture produce not just in the United States of America alone but also other parts of the world which is why we will be exporting some of our farm produce either in raw form or processed form to other countries of the world.

Our Competitive Advantage

It is easier to find entrepreneur flocking towards an industry that is known to generate consistent income which is why there are more commercial farmers in the United States of America and of course in most parts of the world.

For example, Statistics has it that there were 2.2 million farms in the United States of America, covering an area of 922 million acres. These goes to show that there are appreciable numbers of farmers in the United States of America but that does not mean that there is stiffer competition in the industry.

As a matter of fact, entrepreneurs are encouraged by the government to embrace commercial farming. This is so because part of the success of any nation is her ability to cultivate her own food and also export foods to other nations of the world.

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is fully aware that there are competitions when it comes to selling aquaponics cum commercial farm produce all over the globe, which is why we decided to carry out thorough research so as to know how to take advantage of the available market in the United States and in other parts of the world.

We have done our homework and we have been able to highlight some factors that will give us competitive advantage in the marketplace; some of the factors are effective and reliable farming processes that can help us sell our produce at competitive prices, good network and excellent relationship management.

Our competitive advantage lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team of hardworking and highly proficient farmers, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in various niche areas in the agriculture industry. Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected team members, we have some of the latest and efficient aquaponics farm machines and equipment and we will be guided by best practices in the industry.

Another competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the fact that we have designed our business in such a way that we will operate an all – round standard aquaponics farms that will be involved in diverse areas such as crop cultivation, fish farming, and food processing and packaging plant. With this, we will be able to take advantage of all the available opportunities within the industry.

Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (start – ups aquaponics farms in the United States) in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is in the aquaponics commercial farming business for the purpose of maximizing profits hence we have decided to explore all the available opportunities within the industry to achieve our corporate goals and objectives.

In essence we are not going to rely only on the sale of our farm produce to generate income for the business. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC;

• Sale of freshwater fish and saltwater fish (Tilapia, Barramundi, silver perch, eel-tailed catfish or tandanus catfish, jade perch and Murray cod, Koi and goldfish, channel catfish, rainbow trout, perch, common carp, Arctic char, largemouth bass, tripped bass crayfish and prawns, et al.)
• Sale of varieties of Fruits
• Sale of varieties of Vegetable
• Sale of processed foods / can – food (Tomatoes Paste, Fruit Juice, and can foods et al)
• Agricultural Related Consultancy and Advisory Services

10. Sales Forecast

From the survey conducted, we were are able to discover that the sales generated by an aquaponics commercial farm depends on the size of the farm, and the nature of the aquaponics commercial farm

We have perfected our sales and marketing strategies and we are set to hit the ground running and we are quite optimistic that we will meet or even surpass our set sales target of generating enough income / profits from the year of operations and build the business from survival to sustainability.

We have been able to critically examine the agriculture industry cum aquaponics commercial farm business and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some workable assumptions as well with respect to the nature of aquaponics commercial farm that we run.

Below are the projections that we were able to come up with for the first three years of running Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC;

• First Year-: $200,000
• Second Year-: $500,000
• Third Year-: $800,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters (draughts, epidemics), and unfavorable government policies

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are quite aware that the reason why some aquaponics commercial farms hardly make good profits is their inability to sell off their farm produce especially perishable crops as at when due. In view of that, we decided to set up a standard food processing plant to help us maximize profits.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the aquaponics commercial farms industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their set targets and the overall business goal of Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC.

Our goal is to grow Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC to become one of the leading aquaponics commercial farms in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in Smethport – Pennsylvania but also in other cities in the United States of America and the world at large.

Over and above, we have perfected our sale and marketing strategies first by networking with agriculture merchants and companies that rely on raw materials from the agriculture industry who are likely to become our customers. In summary, Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC will adopt the following strategies in marketing our commercial farm produce;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to stake holders in the agriculture industry, companies that rely on the agriculture industry for their raw materials, hotels and restaurants and agriculture produce merchants et al.
• Advertise our business and agriculture produce in agro – allied and food related magazines and websites
• List our commercial farms on yellow pages ads
• Attend related agriculture and food expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage in direct marketing
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Any business that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street or the city they are operating from must be ready and willing to utilize every available means (both conventional and non – conventional means) to advertise and promote the business. We intend growing our business which is why we have perfected plans to build our brand via every available means.

We know that it is important to create strategies that will help us boost our brand awareness and to create a corporate identity for our aquaponics commercial farm business. Below are the platforms you can leverage on to boost our aquaponics commercial farm brand and to promote and advertise our business;

• Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook , twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our business
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations all around Smethport – Pennsylvania
• Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact corporate organizations and residence in our target areas by calling them up and informing them of Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC and the farm produce we sell
• List our aquaponics farms in local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise our aquaponics farms in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles and trucks are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Some of the factors that will help you sell your farm produce at the right price that will guarantee that you make profits is dependent on your strategy while some of the factors are beyond your control. For example, if the climatic condition is unfavorable and if there are natural disasters in the location where you have your commercial farm, then it will directly affect the prices of your farm produce.

Over and above, if you want to get the right pricing for your farm produce, then you should ensure that you choose a good location for aquaponics commercial farm, choose a good breed / seeds that will guarantee bountiful harvest, cut the cost of running your farm to the barest minimum and of course try as much as possible to attract buyers to your farm as against taking your farm produce to the market to source for buyers; with this, you would have successfully eliminate the cost of transporting the goods to the market and other logistics.

We are quite aware that one of the easiest means of penetrating the market and acquiring loads of customers for all our agriculture produce is to sell them at competitive prices hence we will do all we can to ensure that the prices of our farm produces are going to be what other commercial farmers would look towards beating.

One thing is certain; the nature of aquaponics commercial farming makes it possible for farmers to place prices for their farm products based on their discretion without following the benchmark in the industry. The truth is that it is one of the means of avoiding running into loss. The easier you sell off your harvest the better for your business.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for farm produces purchase without any stress on their part.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to calculating the cost of starting an aquaponics commercial farm, there are some key factors that should serve as a guide. The different niche of commercial farms determines the total cost of setting up the business. For example, the start – up cost for a fish farm is different from the start – up cost for mechanized crop farming, so also the start – up cost for poultry farming is different from the start – up cost of cattle ranch (dairy farm) et al.

As a matter of fact, if you choose to start a mechanized crop farming, then you should be willing to raise huge capital base to start the business. This is so because some cultivation machines / equipment can be pretty expensive. Below are some of the basic areas we will spend our start – up capital in setting up our aquaponics commercial farm;

• The amount required for preparing the farm land (for crop cultivation, fish ponds, and fencing et al – $30,000
• The amount needed to acquire / lease a farm land – $50,000
• The budget for key insurance policies, permits and business license – $2,500
• The Total Fee for incorporating the Business (aquaponics commercial farm) in United States of America – $750.
• The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment / machines / glass casing et al– $200,000
• The amount required for purchase of seedlings and fingerlings – $20,000
• The Cost of Launching an official Website – $600
• The amount required for payment of workers for a period of 3 months – $100,000
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,000

Going by the report from detailed research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need an average of $500,000 to start a standard aquaponics commercial farm business in the United States of America.

Basically, the nature of aquaponics commercial farms does not require an office space, most people that run aquaponics commercial farms operate directly from their farms. But if we have decide to open a small liaison office; a place where administrative jobs will be carried out.

Generating Funding / Startup for Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC

No matter how fantastic your business idea might be, if you don’t have the required money to finance the business, the business might not become a reality. Finance is a very important factor when it comes to starting a business such as aquaponics commercial farming. No doubt raising start – up capital for a business might not come cheap, but it is a task that an entrepreneur must go through.

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is a family owned business and it will be financed by the owners of the company – Dr. Julius Corey and family. These are the areas where we intend sourcing for fund for Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $200,000 (Personal savings $150,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $300,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to sell our farm produce a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Jade and Julius Aquaponics – Farms, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more as determined by the board of the organization. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of farm land in Smethport – Pennsylvania: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Start – up Capital Generation: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Building /construction of fish ponds, cattle ranch, and poultry: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed working tools, machines and equipment: Completed
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Farm land Treatment, Health and Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry (agriculture farm produce merchants, transporter / haulage and suppliers of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides): Completed

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Aquaponics Farm Business Plan Template

Published May.16, 2018

Updated Apr.19, 2024

By: Cynthia Turner

Average rating 3.3 / 5. Vote count: 6

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Table of Content

Do you want to start aquaponics business?

Do you wish to start a aquaponics business ? Aquaponics business has tremendously grown in the last few years. With agriculture becoming a main source of livelihood, you definitely make a lot of money in this business. One of the strongholds about this business is using creativity to produce food for different group of people from nonprofit, urban people and communities among others. Everyone needs to eat to function properly, and as long as you are growing healthy foods in your aquaponics farm, you will make cash. There are so many niche categories to choose from and with a well-laid out commercial cultivation business plan, you’re guaranteed to make good profits.

Executive Summary

2.1 the business.

The aquaponics business will be registered as Mary’s Shed and will be located in Baltimore, Maryland. The business will be owned by Ann Marie who’s an experienced agriculturist by profession.

2.2 Management Team

Ann Marie who’s the owner and manager of Mary’s Shed is an experienced agriculturist with a wide experience in the aquaponics industry that spans over 15 years. During her career, Ann has worked with various aquaponics farms and industry such as Ouroboros Farms gathering essential experience associated with aquaponics industry.

2.3 Customer Focus

In this aquaponics business model , focus will be on targeting customers who love eating healthy grown vegetables and animals. All food grown in Mary’s Shed will use a chemical-free method of growing.

2.4 Business Target

Mary’s Shed plans to offer healthy, chemical free and high quality products to a wide range of customers. After watching the local trends, Mary’s Shed is planning to target both local and regional customers.

Aquaponics Company Summary

3.1 company owner.

Ann Marie is an experienced agriculturist who has had the opportunity to work in various reputable aquaponics farms across the United States. Given her past experience, she knows how to start aquaponic farming business plan . Ann understands the various aspects involved in the niche selection, business marketing and the right strategy to use.

3.2 Aim of Starting the Aquaponics Business

Aquaponic businesses have become popular in recent times thus making the need to have farmers who can creatively cater for customer needs without affecting the environment negatively. People love eating healthy chemical free vegetables and animals because they don’t expose one to diseases but instead boost their health. Mary has the perfect approach to make sure customers get what they are looking for.

3.3 How the Business will be Started

Having worked in the aquaponic industry for over fifteen years, Ann Marie is a pro in aquaponics businesses as she has helped other businesses succeed. Given her agriculture experience, Ann clearly understands what needs to be done to come up with an all-inclusive financial plan for Mary’s Shed. She also plans to make use of free aquaponics business plans available on the internet.

Services for Customers

Having a well-thought-out aquaponic farm business plan will come in handy for the business development and service delivery. Mary’s Shed plans to offer its customers a wide range of awesome products. One of the best parts about starting an aquaponics business is it contributes positively to people health and wellbeing. Mary’s Shed hopes to conduct a comprehensive research to understand better what kind of vegetables, fruits and animals people prefer to eat. In order to successfully create an aquaponic business, it is essential to identify the products you wish to see and try to diversify where necessary. In this case, Mary’s Shed is planning to offer customers the following products:

• Grow fresh water fish including tilapia, silver perch, eel-tailed catfish, jade perch and Murray cod.
• Green leafy vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, lettuce, spinach, watercress, among others
• Fruits such as bananas, oranges, pineapple, strawberries and melons etc
• Healthy herbs to help people boost their immune systems which include basil, coriander, parsley, lemongrass, sage and mint among others.

In order to successfully create an aquaponic business, it is essential to identify the products you wish to see and try to diversify where necessary.

Marketing Analysis of Aquaponics Business

Operational and strategic planning.

Ever since the growing trend of healthy eating, the market of organically grown vegetables, fruits and animals has greatly increased. The market has changed and customers want to eat chemical free grown food. With the rate of lifestyle diseases people are suffering from everyday such as cancer and diabetes, there is a need for healthy and nutritious vegetables and herbs.  Starting an aquaponics farm business  is a dream come true for Ann Marie. The  aquaponics farm business plan  at hand will use the aquaponic cycle technology which is water efficient, chemical free and sustainable method of growing.

According to recent research, the aquaponics business field had a mind blowing potential market size of €180m in 2013 and this is expected to go past €1 billion in sales by year 2020. Mary’s Shed plans to tap into the increasing market and thanks to a comprehensive  aquaponics business plan , the business will be successful.

5.1 Market Segment

For Mary’s Shed to properly meet the needs of its customers, the professional business planning to offer various healthy products whose demand is high. Thus way, the business can effectively reach out to customers. In the aquaponics business plan sample , Mary’s Shed has carried out an in-depth market analysis to target the right customers with the right product in order to make them long term customers.

5.1.1 Households

Baltimore has a high population of households that are in need of healthy vegetables and meat. Research has shown an increase over the years in healthy food consumption in many households in Baltimore. People have become healthier conscious and want their children and loved ones to consume health food options. Given the demand for local healthy foods, Mary Shed plans to target these households to constantly supply them with chemical free grown fish, vegetables and herbs. According to Mary’s Shed aquaponics business plan template , this will be amojor revenue source for the business.

5.1.2 Retail Shops & Supermarkets

Baltimore has a many supermarkets and retail shops that sell vegetables and herbs. Most working class people pass by the supermarket frequently. Mary’s Shed plans to approach various supermarkets and retail shop to supply them with healthy leafy vegetables and fish. Since vegetables and fish are commonly loved by people, the supermarkets will use Mary’s Shed as one of their main vegetable supplier.

5.1.3 Hotels

Baltimore is a home to many prestigious and beautiful hotels in the United State. Most of these hotels require herbs, vegetables and fish to cook various recipes for their customers. Mary’s Shed plans to supply most of these hotels with the products they require making the customers happy. The fact that Mary’s Shed plans to grow chemical free products, it will be one of the selling point to the hotel owners.

5.1.4 Organic Markets

Over the years, the growth of organic markets in Baltimore has grown immensely. People flock to these markets looking for organically grown vegetables and herbs. Since Mary’s Shed plans to grown organic and non-gmo vegetables and plants, the products will definitely be loved by many. The business plans to supply sellers in the market with leafy vegetables and herbs.

5.2 Business Target

With the demand for aquaponic products increasing, Mary’s Shed has come up with a unique aquaponics business plan after going through various aquaponics business plan templates . This plan will cater for both local and external customers. Baltimore is a large city and business expects to make awesome sales by putting in place systems that will leave the customers asking for more. This aquaponic business models hopes to achieve an annual growth of between 30 -40%.

5.3 Product Pricing

In order for Mary’s Shed to achieve its targets, a detailed pricing survey was done in order to come up with affordable yet competitive pricing structure after observing the market patterns. Mary’s Shed also hopes to offer the best prices without hurting the business for the first month.

Aquaponics Farming Strategy

The aquaponics farm business has witnessed immense growth and it is expected more people will be joining. The need for healthy and well grown food products has grown and trends indicate an increase of chemical free products. When planning how on starting an aquaponics farm business, focus should be how to attract long term customers to keep a steady flow income.

High Quality Business Plan and Professional Support

It was amazing to work with OGS Capital for our business plan. They promptly responded our enquires and delivered document on time.The document was well organized high quality and content.We succeded with Alex and his team support. We thank you guys again for professional approach and easy communication.

6.1 Competitive Analysis

When you start an aquaponics business, it is important to analyze the market and come up with the best strategies to grow the business. Despite the growing number of aquaponics businesses in Baltimore, Mary’s Shed has come up with the best strategies to stay on top of the game.

6.2 Sales Strategy

For Mary’s Shed to advertise its aquaponics products, the following sales strategies will be adopted for marketing the business.

• Find a creative and customer-friendly approach of handling any complains to keep a positive image of the business
• Advertise the aquaponics business on local media channels such as television, radio and newspapers
• Offer new clients low prices for the first month in order to entice and allow them to see the quality of products
• Always aim to provide high quality chemically free vegetables.
• Advertise the business using digital marketing strategies such as Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

6.3 Sales Forecast

To achieve its sales targets, Mary’s Shed has formulated a detailed sales forecast to show how the subscription box business will perform when it begins operations.

Personnel Plan for Commercial Aquaponics

Mary’s Shed plans to employ an experienced small team of staff to run the business. How to start an aquaponic business expects you to identify your personnel team and what each role the member will play. It’s essential to come up with a staff budget to help the business know how much it will spend on staff salaries to keep them motivated.

7.1 Personnel Plan for Commercial Aquaponics

Mary’s Shed is owned by Ann Marie who will also become the manager of the aquaponic business. As preparations take shape to open the business, the following staff members will be hired to help on making the dream of the commercial aquaponics business plan come true. The team is expected to work closely together to facilitate a smooth flow of business activities.

Manager/Owner 1 Marketing Executive 1 Operations Manager 1 Accountant 2 Agriculturists 2 Aquaponic Experts

The staff will be trained in order to familiarize themselves with how an aquaponic business is managed on a day to day basis.

7.2 Average Salaries

Mary’s Shed plans to remunerate staff members the following salaries in the first three years of operation.

Financial Plan for Aquaponics Farm

Mary’s Shed has come up with an in-depth financial plan that will act as a guide on how the business will be run and managed. In this aquaponic farm business model, key financial parameters have been noted down. Ann Marie will raise capital from her personal savings and will collaborate with two investors. This requires make up business plan for investors . Prior planning how to start an aquaponic farm business, you need to know how about the expenses and costs involved to launch operations. A loan will also be secured to finance any budget shortage. Given the aquaponics profit margin , this is a business with high prospects if executed well.

8.1 Important Assumptions

The financial forecast for Mary’s Shed will be based on the assumptions below.

8.2 Brake-even Analysis

The Brake-even Analysis for Mary’s Shed is shown in the graph below.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

Below is the Profit and Loss information for the subscription box business calculated on a monthly and annual basis.

8.3.1 Monthly Profit

8.3.2 Yearly Profit

8.3.3 Monthly Gross Margin

8.3.4 Yearly Gross Margin

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

Below is a summary of pro forma cash flow, subtotal cash received, subtotal cash spent, subtotal cash from operations and subtotal cash spent on operations.

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

Below is a Projected Balance Sheet for Mary’s Shed that shows assets, capital, liabilities, long term assets and current liabilities.

8.6 Business Ratios

The following is the Ratio Analysis, Business Net Worth and Business Ratios for Mary’s Shed.

Download Aquaponics Business Plan Sample in pdf

Professional writers OGS capital specialized also on theme such as lawn care business plan , mushroom farm business plan , nursery business plan , organic farm business plan , agriculture fruit farm business plan , benefits of business continuity planning and etc.

OGSCapital’s team has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs with top-rate business plan development, consultancy and analysis. They’ve helped thousands of SME owners secure more than $1.5 billion in funding, and they can do the same for you.

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