When you partner with CREI, you’re tapping into a diverse team of financial experts who have successfully navigated the beverage sector’s unique challenges. We’re constantly updating our practices to stay ahead of industry shifts, ensuring your enterprise remains resilient and acquisition-ready—rather than being forced to react to market surprises.
Position your beverage brand for a high-value acquisition
At CREI, we empower CFOs with robust financial infrastructure, strategic foresight, and operational excellence—ensuring your business thrives and commands top-tier valuations.
More Than Just Numbers—Strategic Insights for Beverage Brands
From preparing for your Series A to orchestrating a seamless transition or IPO, our advisory services deliver the granular industry expertise that CFOs demand. Think of CREI as an extension of your executive team — anticipating challenges and optimizing opportunities long before your target exit window.
The Financial Blueprint: Your Framework for a High-Value Exit
Strategic Playbooks: Tactical Guidance for Beverage CFOs
Our Strategic Playbooks break down your day-to-day operations into actionable steps. From ingredient sourcing and production costs to distribution strategies, these guides keep your team aligned with long-term objectives — fueling investor confidence and ensuring your brand stands out to major beverage conglomerates.
Focus on Innovating Your Beverage Portfolio—We’ll Handle the Financial Architecture
Packages Tailored for the Beverage Industry
Save 15%
Business Growth Package
$20,000/ month
Projected Exit Timeline: 6+ years
Services Included:
-
Accounting & Bookkeeping
What’s New: We don’t just set up a system; we optimize it for the beverage sector, automating up to 90% of transaction tracking.
Immediate Impact: Reduced manual errors and increased efficiency free your internal team to focus on growth initiatives.
-
Core Financials
What’s New: In addition to standard P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow, we include monthly variance reporting specific to ingredient costs, distribution overhead, and inventory turnover.
Immediate Impact: Rapid identification of cost leaks and profit drivers, giving CFOs tangible action items within the first billing cycle.
-
Budgeting & Forecasting
What’s New: In-depth scenario modeling, factoring in commodity price trends and seasonal sales data unique to beverage brands.
Immediate Impact: CFOs can proactively address supply chain fluctuations or marketing spend changes—helping you capture savings or revenue upticks promptly.
-
Data-Driven Advisory
What’s New: Monthly mini-workshops with our beverage finance specialists to interpret key cost ratios, packaging margins, and distribution agreements.
Immediate Impact: CFOs gain immediate insights to trim excess spend or reallocate budgets for rapid ROI, potentially offsetting a portion of the service cost.
-
Tailored KPIs & Dashboards
What’s New: Real-time dashboards that track SKU-level profitability, production vs. demand pacing, and distribution channel ROI.
Immediate Impact: Early detection of underperforming products and channels, allowing for swift course corrections that often pay for themselves within months.
Exit Preparation Package
$40,000/ month
Projected Exit Timeline: 3-5 years
Services Included:
Everything in Business Growth Package, plus:
-
Financial Blueprint
What’s New: A detailed roadmap aligning capital structure, debt ratios, and governance best practices explicitly with M&A or IPO milestones.
Immediate Impact: CFOs can benchmark key metrics—like EBITDA margins or working capital turns—to drive up valuation more quickly.
-
Advanced Financial Modeling
What’s New: Robust scenario planning tailored to new product launches, multi-market expansions, and distribution partnerships.
Immediate Impact: Potential ROI or cost avoidance becomes immediately clear, empowering CFOs to mitigate risks and bolster investor confidence.
-
Cash Flow & Working Capital Optimization
What’s New: Predictive analytics that flag potential inventory shortfalls or oversupply issues well in advance, supplemented by strategies to free up locked cash.
Immediate Impact: Lower borrowing costs, tighter working capital cycles, and improved liquidity—giving CFOs visible bottom-line improvements quickly.
-
Investor & Board-Ready Documentation
What’s New: Detailed pro forma statements, valuation primers, and sector-specific pitch decks designed to resonate with institutional investors and beverage conglomerates.
Immediate Impact: CFOs can present polished materials that potentially shorten fundraising or acquisition timelines, directly influencing deal outcomes.
-
Dedicated Partner CFO
What’s New: One-on-one strategic sessions each month, deep-diving into your unique financial architecture, capital needs, and compliance checkpoints.
Immediate Impact: Faster decision-making with a seasoned partner who keeps your exit objectives on track, often uncovering hidden opportunities for quick wins.
Exit Optimization Package
$100,000/ month
Projected Exit Timeline: 12-18 months
Services Included:
Everything in Exit Preparation Package, plus:
-
Execution Playbooks
What’s New: Proprietary frameworks that break down your operational workflows (production, distribution, marketing) into step-by-step actions to maximize EBITDA.
Immediate Impact: CFOs see an immediate surge in operational efficiency, driving valuation multiples higher while minimizing last-minute deal obstacles.
-
Enhanced Tax Strategy & Compliance
What’s New: Bespoke multi-jurisdictional tax planning, R&D credit optimization, and advanced entity structuring—often underutilized areas in beverage.
Immediate Impact: Significant tax savings and reduced audit risk, improving net profitability and enhancing your brand’s attractiveness to buyers.
-
Internal Controls & Process Optimization
What’s New: Rigorous controls aligned with beverage-specific risk factors (e.g., high-volume distribution, multi-state licensing).
Immediate Impact: Lower fraud risk, greater investor confidence, and smoother audits—all of which can strengthen negotiation points in an acquisition.
-
High-Touch CFO Advisory
What’s New: Real-time involvement in critical investor or buyer discussions, offering negotiation strategies and closing tactics from seasoned dealmakers.
Immediate Impact: CFOs gain a strategic partner to finalize favorable terms quickly, helping secure higher valuations or better financing terms.
-
Strategic M&A & Transition Management
What’s New: Comprehensive deal-room setup, synergy mapping, and post-acquisition integration support—minimizing operational downtime.
Immediate Impact: A streamlined close and swift handover process preserves brand momentum and capitalizes on newly unlocked resources.
Business Growth Package
$180,000/ year
Projected Exit Timeline: 6+ years
Services Included:
-
Accounting & Bookkeeping
What’s New: We don’t just set up a system; we optimize it for the beverage sector, automating up to 90% of transaction tracking.
Immediate Impact: Reduced manual errors and increased efficiency free your internal team to focus on growth initiatives.
-
Core Financials
What’s New: In addition to standard P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow, we include monthly variance reporting specific to ingredient costs, distribution overhead, and inventory turnover.
Immediate Impact: Rapid identification of cost leaks and profit drivers, giving CFOs tangible action items within the first billing cycle.
-
Budgeting & Forecasting
What’s New: In-depth scenario modeling, factoring in commodity price trends and seasonal sales data unique to beverage brands.
Immediate Impact: CFOs can proactively address supply chain fluctuations or marketing spend changes—helping you capture savings or revenue upticks promptly.
-
Data-Driven Advisory
What’s New: Monthly mini-workshops with our beverage finance specialists to interpret key cost ratios, packaging margins, and distribution agreements.
Immediate Impact: CFOs gain immediate insights to trim excess spend or reallocate budgets for rapid ROI, potentially offsetting a portion of the service cost.
-
Tailored KPIs & Dashboards
What’s New: Real-time dashboards that track SKU-level profitability, production vs. demand pacing, and distribution channel ROI.
Immediate Impact: Early detection of underperforming products and channels, allowing for swift course corrections that often pay for themselves within months.
Exit Preparation Package
$360,000/ year
Projected Exit Timeline: 3-5 years
Services Included:
Everything in Business Growth Package, plus:
-
Financial Blueprint
What’s New: A detailed roadmap aligning capital structure, debt ratios, and governance best practices explicitly with M&A or IPO milestones.
Immediate Impact: CFOs can benchmark key metrics—like EBITDA margins or working capital turns—to drive up valuation more quickly.
-
Advanced Financial Modeling
What’s New: Robust scenario planning tailored to new product launches, multi-market expansions, and distribution partnerships.
Immediate Impact: Potential ROI or cost avoidance becomes immediately clear, empowering CFOs to mitigate risks and bolster investor confidence.
-
Cash Flow & Working Capital Optimization
What’s New: Predictive analytics that flag potential inventory shortfalls or oversupply issues well in advance, supplemented by strategies to free up locked cash.
Immediate Impact: Lower borrowing costs, tighter working capital cycles, and improved liquidity—giving CFOs visible bottom-line improvements quickly.
-
Investor & Board-Ready Documentation
What’s New: Detailed pro forma statements, valuation primers, and sector-specific pitch decks designed to resonate with institutional investors and beverage conglomerates.
Immediate Impact: CFOs can present polished materials that potentially shorten fundraising or acquisition timelines, directly influencing deal outcomes.
-
Dedicated Partner CFO
What’s New: One-on-one strategic sessions each month, deep-diving into your unique financial architecture, capital needs, and compliance checkpoints.
Immediate Impact: Faster decision-making with a seasoned partner who keeps your exit objectives on track, often uncovering hidden opportunities for quick wins.
Exit Optimization Package
$900,000/ year
Projected Exit Timeline: 12-18 months
Services Included:
Everything in Exit Preparation Package, plus:
-
Execution Playbooks
What’s New: Proprietary frameworks that break down your operational workflows (production, distribution, marketing) into step-by-step actions to maximize EBITDA.
Immediate Impact: CFOs see an immediate surge in operational efficiency, driving valuation multiples higher while minimizing last-minute deal obstacles.
-
Enhanced Tax Strategy & Compliance
What’s New: Bespoke multi-jurisdictional tax planning, R&D credit optimization, and advanced entity structuring—often underutilized areas in beverage.
Immediate Impact: Significant tax savings and reduced audit risk, improving net profitability and enhancing your brand’s attractiveness to buyers.
-
Internal Controls & Process Optimization
What’s New: Rigorous controls aligned with beverage-specific risk factors (e.g., high-volume distribution, multi-state licensing).
Immediate Impact: Lower fraud risk, greater investor confidence, and smoother audits—all of which can strengthen negotiation points in an acquisition.
-
High-Touch CFO Advisory
What’s New: Real-time involvement in critical investor or buyer discussions, offering negotiation strategies and closing tactics from seasoned dealmakers.
Immediate Impact: CFOs gain a strategic partner to finalize favorable terms quickly, helping secure higher valuations or better financing terms.
-
Strategic M&A & Transition Management
What’s New: Comprehensive deal-room setup, synergy mapping, and post-acquisition integration support—minimizing operational downtime.
Immediate Impact: A streamlined close and swift handover process preserves brand momentum and capitalizes on newly unlocked resources.
Individual Services
CFO Services
Our CFO Services give beverage companies a competitive edge by aligning financial strategy with operational imperatives. From optimizing production costs to leveraging distribution efficiencies, we help CFOs demonstrate tangible ROI and prepare for high-stakes opportunities—whether scaling for growth or positioning for an acquisition by a major beverage conglomerate.
Financial Modeling and Variance Analysis
Gain clarity in a fast-paced beverage market. Our advanced modeling pinpoints the financial impact of everything from new product lines to seasonal demand fluctuations. By surfacing critical gaps and trends, your leadership can act swiftly—maximizing profitability and maintaining investor confidence.
Financial Planning and Analysis
Transform raw data into strategic levers. We decode complex beverage industry dynamics—such as ingredient price volatility and distribution channel shifts—to guide informed decision-making. The result: sustained revenue growth, smarter market expansion, and stronger buy-in from stakeholders.
Transaction Advisory
When it’s time to consider mergers, acquisitions, or an IPO, our transaction advisory services ensure you’re fully prepared to command premium valuations. Drawing on deep industry insights, we help you navigate complex negotiations, structure deals that maximize shareholder value, and position your brand as a prime target for top-tier buyers.
Auditing and Tax Preparation
Establish unshakable financial credibility. Our auditing and tax solutions focus on compliance and strategic tax optimization specific to the beverage sector—helping you demonstrate strong governance to prospective investors and unlock potential savings that can significantly boost overall valuation.
Bookkeeping
A rock-solid financial foundation starts here. Our bookkeeping services maintain meticulous, up-to-date records, ensuring your CFO team has reliable data to drive decisions. By seamlessly integrating into your existing workflows, we help you steer growth strategies with confidence and clarity.
Frequently asked questions
Do your packages include unlimited hours?
Our packages are designed for mid-size enterprises with up to $100 million in revenue. Should you need additional support, extra hours are billed at $150/hour. This approach balances predictable costs with the flexibility to scale resources as you grow.
How fast can you respond to business changes?
We pride ourselves on rapid, data-informed responses. Our integrated systems and experienced team adapt swiftly to evolving market conditions or new strategic opportunities.
How do you integrate with our team and systems?
Our philosophy is highly collaborative. We align with your existing platforms while introducing specialized insights and tools to streamline operations and reinforce your strategic goals.
What if we need extra support beyond our package?
Simply let us know. Additional hours beyond your package can be added at $150/hour, ensuring you receive the strategic and operational support you need without overextending your budget.
Ready to Elevate Your Beverage Brand’s Potential?
Contact us today to learn how CREI’s specialized financial solutions can help you optimize value, mitigate risks, and prime your organization for a successful transition—all while you continue innovating the next big beverage breakthrough.