Prairie Pulse Processing Executive Summary Introduction Prairie Pulse Processing (PPP) plans to process raw pulses into edible human products and livestock feed. Shareholders and debt financing will finance the formation of PPP. A board of directors will be appointed by the shareholders, which will include three foreign members and four Canadian members. The potential members will be selected for their expertise in related fields to the operation of PPP. A maximum 48% of the equity will be supplied by foreign shareholders and the remaining 52% will be provided by the Canadian shareholders. Our dividend policy states that 75% of any ending cash balance over $500,000 will be paid out to shareholders. PPP will purchase unprocessed peas and lentils from local producers. These unprocessed pulses will be cleaned, dehulled, polished and then split to potential customer specifications. All human edible finished product will be exported to India, and the byproduct will be sold to local livestock producers. The production of lentils and peas has been increasing over the past ten years (Sask. Ag and Food, 2001). This leads to an increase in supply of these products. Providing an alternative market for producers to sell their pulses would be very beneficial to the local economies. This will lead to more value added production in Saskatchewan, therefore leading to a stronger Saskatchewan agricultural economy. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 1 Prairie Pulse Processing Operations Plan PPP is located five miles west of Humboldt, which is adjacent to AgriCore United’s existing facility. Humboldt is located in the RM of Humboldt #370. The C.N. Rail Yard is located in Saskatoon, which is approximately an hour away from PPP. PPP has good access to all highways for sourcing product in and out of the facility. When raw product is purchased from local producers it will be put through the splitting and polishing process. The split and polished peas and lentils are then bagged and stored in the warehouse awaiting shipment. The finished product will be placed onto flatbed trailers and transported to the C.N. yards in Saskatoon. From there, the containers will be lifted onto rail cars and shipped to Vancouver Port. From that point, foreign investors will take over the ownership of the finished product. Screenings will be stored in bins on PPP property until purchased by local livestock producers. Table 1.0: Annual Operating Expense Telephone Salaries Benefits Marketing Administration Transportation Trucking Premiums Insurance Miscellaneous Interest LT Debt Total 7,200 165,000 20,048 32,500 37,741 1,984,283 591,000 12,000 3,000 284,700 3,137,472 Sasktel Financial Projections Financial Projections Marketing Plan Financial Projections CN Railway Kooistra Trucking Hycerenko Insurance Agencies Estimate Advantage CU Human Resources Plan Prairie Pulse Processing will employ a total of 13 employees. The following table outlines in detail the different positions and salaries at PPP. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 2 Prairie Pulse Processing Table 1.1: Employment at Prairie Pulse Processing Staff Position General Marketing Secretary/ Foreman Shipper/ Millwright Forklift Baggers Cleanup Manager Manager Accountant Receiver Operators Number Annual Salary E.I. (3.08%) CPP (4.07%) Comp. (5.0%) Total Cost 1 65,000 2,002 2,646 3,250 72,898 1 55,000 1,694 2,239 2,750 61,683 1 45,000 1,386 1,832 2,250 50,468 2 80,000 2,464 3,256 4,000 89,720 1 35,000 1,078 1,425 1,750 39,253 2 100,000 3,080 4,070 5,000 112,150 2 50,000 1,540 2,035 2,500 56,075 2 50,000 1,540 2,035 2,500 56,075 Figure 1.0: Line of Authority General Manager Secretary Marketing Manager (Grain Buyer) (2)Foreman Clean Up Staff (1) Processing Plant Staff Maintenance Millwright (2) (1)Shipper/Receiver (2) Baggers (2) Forklift Operators At PPP the general manager is responsible for all of the day-to-day operations. The marketing manager is in charge of ensuring adequate supplies of raw product and that the purchasers of the finished product are satisfied. The secretary/accountant is responsible Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 3 1 25,000 770 1,018 1,250 28,038 Prairie Pulse Processing for all the accounting procedures along with regular secretarial duties. The foreman is responsible for the production line and is the voice of the general laborers to management. The millwrights are in charge of maintenance of the equipment. Shipper/receiver is responsible for all incoming and outgoing product. Forklift operators duties are to move finished product from the bag machine to the warehouse. Bagger duties are to oversee and prevent problems from occurring at the bagging machine. Cleanup crew is responsible for keeping the entire facility sparkling clean. Marketing Plan PPP plans on purchasing raw product from local producers. These products will then be processed and sold to the foreign customer. The by-product screenings will be sold to local livestock producers. Minimal marketing will be required for the sale of the final product due to having only one customer. The supply of raw products will be the focus of the marketing plan because PPP will be new to the pulse processing market. The supply of peas and lentils required for production is very small compared to the production in Saskatchewan. The required supply of lentils is about 1% of the average total production, which is primarily produced in southern Sask. Pea production required is less than 1% of the total pea production in Saskatchewan, and will primarily be sourced from crop districts 8A, 8B, 6B and 5A. PPP is a price taker. PPP is entering into a competitive market, with few competitors in close proximity to PPP, which makes Humboldt an ideal location. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 4 Prairie Pulse Processing Table 1.2: SWOT Analysis Strengths 48% of foreign funding Large supply of raw product Guaranteed purchase of finished product State of the art facility Opportunities Other potential customers (Europe, Middle East) Ability to process other products Potential to expand Weaknesses High cash conversion cycle High start up costs No control over finished product pricing Dependency on foreign customers Threats Weather may influence raw product supply Competition for direct materials purchase Variation of commodity prices Substitutes for Production Finance Plan PPP will receive the required capital from shareholders and from long-term debt financing. Foreign investors will provide 48% of the required equity while the remaining 52% will be provided by the Canadian shareholders. Required equity for the project will total 48% of the project cost. The remaining 52% will be financed through Canadian and East Indian financial institutions. Table 1.3 The Base Case Results Net Present Value Internal Rate of Return Cash Flows Net Income Split Lentils Sold (t) Split Peas Sold (t) Screenings Sold (t) Export lentil price Export pea price Screenings price Transportation cost Pea purchase price Lentil purchase price Trucking premiums 3,317,618 37.3% 2004 315,430 1,512,435 20,018 5,100 4,433 690 458 120 1,984,283 239 408 591,000 2005 1,364,567 1,197,786 23220 5304 5034 711 472 124 2,452,573 246 420 730,476 Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 2006 872,664 1,304,335 23220 5304 5034 732 486 127 2,526,150 254 433 752,390 2007 229,979 1,507,775 23220 5304 5034 754 500 131 2,601,935 261 446 774,962 2008 70,064 1,680,662 23220 5304 5034 777 515 135 2,679,993 269 459 798,211 5 Prairie Pulse Processing The most critical variables for PPP are the purchase prices of peas and lentils. This is due to the fact that export prices are directly related to raw pulse prices and that raw prices and supply are inversely related. Table 1.4 Break Even Analysis Cash Flow Break-even Varying Selling Prices Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Net Income 1,127,352 (463,750) (479,328) (273,673) (115,797) 19,813 135,950 237,365 327,555 409,408 Cash Flow After Tax $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ - $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Peas 442 429 439 452 465 479 493 507 522 537 Selling Prices Lentils $ 667 $ 646 $ 661 $ 681 $ 701 $ 721 $ 742 $ 764 $ 786 $ 809 Screenings $ 116 $ 112 $ 115 $ 118 $ 122 $ 125 $ 129 $ 133 $ 137 $ 141 The purchase prices of peas and lentils are the critical variables because a slight variation can turn a profit to a loss. These results indicate the lowest price that can be received to remain in operation. This financial model demonstrates that PPP is a feasible venture. The critical factors influencing risk are changes in the weather and price fluctuation in the global economy. The margins in this venture are stable because finished export product prices fluctuate with raw product prices. Poor weather can reduce supplies, however the increase in purchasing price will be compensated in the direct increase in export prices. PPP will negotiate a cost plus sales contract that ensures that PPP will have a guaranteed profit margin. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 6 Prairie Pulse Processing Conclusion PPP business plan shows that this operation is a feasible project. The internal rate of return in the base case is 37.3%. The external rates of return are 23.3% and 26.4%, showing that not only does the corporation make money, but also the investors receive a significant return on their investment. Main Report Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 7 Prairie Pulse Processing Introduction 1.1 Organization of the Company Prairie Pulse Processing (PPP) is a pulse-processing corporation that will be located in central Saskatchewan. The nature of this facility is to buy unprocessed lentils and peas from local producers. These products will then be processed into edible human products such as spilt lentils and split peas. The by-product of the process will be screenings that will be sold into the livestock feed market. All of the edible finished product will be sold to foreign markets in India. The corporation will consist of foreign shareholders from India as well as, in the future, Canadian shareholders. There will be a board of directors appointed, consisting of 3 foreign and 4 Canadian industry experts such as lawyers, accountants, bank managers and pulse processing experts. All board members will be appointed for 5-year terms and every 5 years re-appointments will occur at the annual general meeting. The board of directors will be responsible for hiring a general manager. This general manager is responsible for all day to day operations including hiring and firing of personnel and factors affecting production. The general manager will be expected to follow the guidelines and expectations set out by the board of directors. 1.2 Mission Statement To provide a consistent high quality product for East Indian human consumption markets and to develop a competitive alternative market for Saskatchewan pulse producers. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 8 Prairie Pulse Processing 1.3 History of Prairie Pulse Processing PPP decided to locate in Humboldt, SK, for the following reasons: Good highway connections Growing community Good supply of raw products Limited competition Close to Saskatoon for transport on CN rail 1.4 Long-term Goals To maintain and expand PPP’s export market. To have an economic profit in all years of operation. To develop domestic markets for the finished product. To develop prosperous relationships with PPP’s local producers. To maintain a loyal and productive work force. 1.5 Short-term Objectives To be operating at full capacity within 2 years of starting production. To market 24,021 tonnes of processed lentils, 6,120 tonnes of split peas and 5,319 tonnes of screenings. To achieve and maintain an internal rate of return of 20% or greater. To employ a knowledgeable and dedicated workforce, to help increase productivity. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 9 Prairie Pulse Processing 2.0 Industry Overview 2.1 Lentil Production in Saskatchewan The production of lentils in Saskatchewan has been on the rise for the past 10 years (Sask. Ag and Food, 2001). This increase in acreage may have been a result of lower alternative commodity prices and drought conditions. The larger supply of lentils in Saskatchewan increases the demand for value added production in the province, so that Saskatchewan resident’s can capitalize on the economic profits produced. 2.2 Pea Production in Saskatchewan The acreage of pea production has been on the rise for the past 10 years (Sask. Ag and Food, 2001), due to farmers trying to diversify into alternative products to fit into their crop rotations. Peas are able to fix their own nitrogen reducing the application of nitrogen in the spring. The two main types of peas grown are yellow and green. 2.3 Supply Required for Production PPP requires a very small percentage of annual production in Saskatchewan. This will allow PPP to operate even if there is a drastic decrease in lentil and pea production. PPP requires 0.7% of the annual pea production, and about 1.0% of the annual lentil production in Western Canada. This abundance of supply offers an exceptional opportunity for expansion in the value-added sector. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 10 Prairie Pulse Processing 3.0 Operations Plan 3.1 Location of Prairie Pulse Processing When considering a suitable location for a pulse splitting operation, the availability of raw product must be considered. Accessibility to a good highway with connections to a CN rail yard in Saskatoon is also important. Access to an educated work force is a requirement to improve efficiency of the operation. Pea and lentil acres have increased drastically within the last twenty years. Lentil varieties that can adapt to cooler shorter seasons are being developed. This would move lentil production into NE Saskatchewan. Lentil production in Saskatchewan has increased from 588,000 acres in 1991 to 1.8 million acres in 2001 (Sask. Ag and Food, 2001). Pea acres have increased from 490,000 in 1991 to 3.5 million in 2001(Sask. Ag and Food, 2001). Total lentil supply in Western Canada was 798,000 metric tonnes in 2001 and total pea supply in 2001 was 2.4 million metric tonnes (Sask. Ag and Food, 2001). The majority of pea production is located in NE Saskatchewan. and the majority of lentil production is from SW Saskatchewan. PPP will be located in crop district 8b, approximately five miles West of Humboldt Saskatchewan in R.M. 370. This location provides access to a consistent supply of field peas and lentils. PPP will be supplied with pulses from crop districts 8a, 8b, 6a and 5b. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 11 Prairie Pulse Processing Humboldt is a strategic location due to its good highway and its connection to other main roadways, main rail line, abundant workforce and its closeness to the CN rail yard in Saskatoon. The CN rail yard is where PPP’s finished product will be transferred from truck to railcar. Humboldt is a growing community with a vibrant economic center that makes it attractive for management. With Agricore United being located directly North of the proposed site for PPP, all essential utilities, such as natural gas, telephone, power, water and sewer are already within the vacinity. In summary, Humboldt is a central location surrounded by pulse. It has access to all major infrastructures and presents a good opportunity for development. 3.2 Business Operations PPP will have the raw product storage of approximately 1800 tonnes, and splitting storage of 1000 tonnes. The finished product will be bagged in 25kg plastic bags and then 40 of these bags will be stacked and wrapped on pallets. These pallets will be loaded into 20 tonne ocean liner containers. The containers are then transferred by truck via Intermodal Trucking provided by CN rail. In Saskatoon, the container will be transferred from truck to flat bed rail cars and transported to the Port of Vancouver. CN rail will store the containers at the port until an ocean liner is loaded for shipment to Mumbai, India. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 12 Prairie Pulse Processing The excess screenings resulting from processing of peas and lentils will be stored in 500 tonne storage bins. PPP’s marketing manager will sell these screenings to livestock producers on a first come first serve basis. It will be the responsibility of the producer to transport the screenings from PPP to his/her facility. 3.3 Organizational Structure PPP is a private corporation and the official name of the corporation will be Prairie Pulse Processing Limited. Class A common shares will be issued to investors. A board of directors will be formed consisting of 7 directors. Of these, 3 will be foreign and 4 will be Canadian. The board members will be elected by the Class A shareholders. Figure 3.1 Organizational Structure Board of Directors General Manager Marketing Manager Secretary Foreman (2) Clean up Staff (1) Maintenance Millwright (2) Processing Plant Staff Shipper/Receiver (1) Baggers (2) Forklift Operators (2) Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 13 Prairie Pulse Processing Figure 3.2 Site Plan Unloading Scale Raw Storage Office Building Feed Loading Loading Dock 3.4 Average Business Day An average business day consists of receiving peas and lentils from producers, operating the cleaning, polishing and splitting equipment and bagging split product. Product will be received and shipped during the business day, while cleaning, polishing and splitting will be carried out over 16 hours by two shifts of operators. The marketing manager will be buying product from producers and selling product to PPP’s foreign customer. PPP’s daily cleaning target is initially 250 tonnes, with a splitting capacity of 100 tonnes. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 14 Prairie Pulse Processing 3.5 Average Business Week An average business week consists of a five-day workweek. Every day, production will begin at 6:00am and operate until 12am. Office staff will operate between the hours 8am to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The two shifts combined must produce 120 tonnes per day. If the target is not achieved within these hours, the nightshift will be required to stay until production target is reached. Finished and raw product inventories will be recorded weekly. 3.6 Average Business Month An average business month consists of buying and selling 2400 tonnes of peas and lentils. Inventory will be accounted for on a monthly basis. Internal financial statements will be developed monthly to track financial fluctuations. 3.7 Average Business Year Turn out year-end financial statements on May 31 to inform PPP’s shareholders of PPP’s financial situation. A yearly review of the plant productivity will be taken to determine where PPP weaknesses are in production. PPP will be processing 25 000 tonnes in PPP’s first year and 30 000 tonnes every year after. 3.8 Cleaning Process Product will be unloaded on a 100-foot scale into a pit, which will be conveyed into storage bins. Unprocessed raw product will be conveyed to the cleaning and sizing Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 15 Prairie Pulse Processing facility. Screenings will be sent to screening storage, clean product will be moved to clean storage. From this point, clean product will be moved to the splitting and polishing phase and then on to split storage. Split storage will be bagged and stacked on the pallets. Screenings will be located in screening storage bins, which will be augured into grain trailers. Figure 3.3 Physical Product Flow Stone storage Raw storage Cleaner Destoner Gravity Table Sizer Dehusker Polisher Screenings Storage (Bulk) Finished Storage Splitter Bagger Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 16 Prairie Pulse Processing 3.9 Capacity Limit PPP will have the following capacity limits: Raw storage for 1800 tonnes. Storage consists of ten bins with capacity of 180 tonnes each. Clean product storage for 1000 tonnes. Storage consists of 6 bins with a capacity of 165 tonnes. Screening storage for 500 tonnes. Processing capacity of 30 000 tonnes per year. 3.10 Cost of Goods Manufactured Table 3.1 Cost of Goods Manufactured Direct Materials Used Direct Labour Used Manufacturing Overhead Cost of Goods Manufactured 2004 11,091,158 381,310 780,054 12,252,521 2005 13,708,671 392,749 1,284,137 15,385,557 2006 14,119,931 404,532 1,085,090 15,609,552 2007 14,543,529 416,668 927,330 15,887,527 3.11 Service Providers Table 3.2 – Prairie Pulse Processing Business Contacts Accountant Deloitte & Touche Banker Advantage Credit Union Insurance Company Hycerenko Insurance Agencies Lawyer Cuelenaere, Kendall, Katzman & Richards 3.12 Gross Profit Margin Table 3.3 Gross Profit Margin Year 2004 Total Revenue 16,679,775 Cost of Goods Sold 11,366,549 Gross Margin 5,313,226 GPM% 31.9% 2005 20,616,202 15,169,776 5,448,061 26.4% Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 2006 21,234,688 15,583,083 5,687,355 26.8% 2007 21,871,729 15,858,954 6,070,341 27.8% 17 Prairie Pulse Processing 3.13 Operating Expenses Table 3.4 Operating Expenses for 2004 Description Cost / $ Year Telephone 7,200 Salaries 165,000 Benefits 20,048 Marketing 32,500 Administration 37,741 Transportation 1,984,283 Trucking Premiums 591,000 Insurance 12,000 Miscellaneous 3,000 Interest LT Debt 284,700 Source Sasktel Financial Projections Financial Projections Marketing Plan Financial Projections CN Railway Kooistra Trucking Hycerenko Insurance Agencies Estimate Advantage CU 3.14 Capital Expenses Table 3.5 Capital Expenses Description Asx115 OC GFG aspirator NS-FB24 FR Feed Box Camas SV4-1 Density Separator Forsberg Model G3 Destoner Oliver Model 160 gravity table NS-HC56 OC FR Aspirator NS-22x120-P22 Rotary Cleaner NS-HC56 CC GFG Aspirator NS-22x120-P22 Rotary Cleaner NS 4 multi cylinder length separators Total Equipment Costs Site Construction Land Building Bobcat Utilities Installation Storage Bins 100' Scale Office Expense Total Value Cost Breakdown Not Available Dimensions/Quantity/Source Northland Superior Northland Superior Northland Superior Northland Superior Northland Superior Northland Superior Northland Superior Northland Superior Northland Superior Northland Superior 5,440,000 120,000 20,000 280,000 30,000 100,000 200,000 100,000 10,000 Hadiken Concrete & Supply R.M Humboldt Boychuk Builders Kelsey Farm Equipment Crown Corp's Federated Coop Northland Superior Staples 6,300,000 Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 18 Prairie Pulse Processing 4.0 Marketing Plan 4.1 Introduction PPP is a new business venturing into an already established market. All of the product is designed for export to foreign consumers. Initiation of plant setup will begin in the spring of 2003 and product will be flowing through the plant by early fall. Management will be hired in mid-summer to establish a raw product market from local producers. 4.2 The Market There are four key markets for PPP: 1. Edible peas from domestic markets 2. Edible lentils from domestic markets 3. Screenings in domestic markets 4. Split peas and lentils in export markets Western Canada produces 2.4 million tonnes of peas and 800,000 tonnes of lentils annually (Sask. Ag and Food, 2001). Field peas are produced mostly in NE Saskatchewan and lentils are produced mainly in SW Saskatchewan. Acreage of each crop has been consistently expanding each year due to the need for producers to diversify. Initially PPP will be purchasing 1400 tonnes of lentils and 400 tonnes of peas to fill available raw storage. Annually, PPP will put through 24,021 tonnes of lentils and 6,120 Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 19 Prairie Pulse Processing tonnes of peas. These numbers represent only 1% of the lentil market and 0.7% of the pea market in Western Canada. The process will produce approximately 15% screenings, which amounts to 5319 tonnes per year. These screenings will be sold to local livestock producers as a high quality feed ration. Members from an East Indian delegation will be purchasing common shares in PPP. These members are affiliated with a trade broker in India. Their interest in investing in Western Canada comes from the opportunity in processing, to their standards, at a lower cost of production. Through this partnership, the East Indians have a guaranteed source for product and PPP has a guaranteed market for sale. 4.3 Competition for Purchase of Peas and Lentils The competitors to PPP include all other companies that purchase peas and lentils. After analyzing the existing markets, there were 128 companies that purchase the same raw products that PPP requires. Out of these 128 companies, six companies were identified as having similar product lines: Belle Pulse (Bellevue), Best Cooking Pulses (Rowatt), Canadian Select Grains (Eston), Darlaine Natural Foods (Radisson), Parkland Pulse Grain (North Battleford), Walker Seeds (Tisdale) (Sask. Ag and Food, 2000). These companies have established a working relationship with the producers of the raw pulses and PPP will have to develop a client base. This is going to impact the other pulse processing facilities to a slight degree due to PPP only needing 1 percent of lentil production and 0.7 percent of the pea production. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 20 Prairie Pulse Processing For PPP there is really no direct competition in their final product market. This is due to the fact that PPP has one buyer that guarantees purchase of all finished product. Therefore, the only real market development that is needed is the purchasing of raw products. The by-product of PPP is screenings that are going to be sold to local livestock producers. Since these producers require low cost feed to be profitable, these producers need to buy screenings locally to cut down trucking costs. This means that other processing facilities are not going to be direct competition due to their geographical location. With PPP’s strategic location and unique market, the direct competition is very limited. The result of low competition is that PPP has a competitive advantage over all other pulse processing facilities. 4.4 Competitive Advantage PPP has a considerable advantage over all other pulse processing facilities. The guaranteed buyer of all finished human products takes the investment risk out of the situation. The location of the facility allows PPP to compete with existing buyers for pulses in the Humboldt area. The high equity financing enables PPP to operate at lower cost of goods sold. This means that PPP can pay more for raw products, shipping, trucking premiums, management, and labor. The reason for this is that PPP has a low debt payment, which Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 21 Prairie Pulse Processing results in more profits in good years and sustainability in bad years. With 48% foreign equity this allows PPP to secure financing for long term debt. Other pulse processing operations have to start with a high long-term debt, which is difficult to service, and to obtain. 4.5 Customers Screenings will be sold on a weekly basis to local livestock producers with credit terms stating payment within 30 days from date of purchase. Export product will be sold throughout the whole year. Product will be shipped to the Vancouver port via CN Rail and will wait to be loaded onto ocean freighters. From this point the East Indian trade broker will assume responsibility for the freight until it reaches the port of Mumbai in India. A twenty- percent down payment will be placed on the shipment before it leaves the port of Vancouver. Forty-five days later, the shipment will arrive in India and the difference payment will be issued to PPP. Letters of credit will be in place to guarantee payment and the marketing manager will work very closely with international trade brokers who will be responsible for ensuring that shipping procedures work according to plan. 4.6 Product Features Split lentils and split peas will be tailored to the foreign customer specifications. These products will meet the strict HACCP control standards, guaranteeing a safe and healthy product for the human consumption market. The finished product will be shipped in 25 - Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 22 Prairie Pulse Processing kg plastic bags to improve handling and to add value to the product. The screenings are of a superior quality because of their high protein content. They will be shipped in bulk to reduce handling costs. 4.7.1 Channels of Distribution for Supply of Domestic Product Lentils will be sourced from Southern Saskatchewan and therefore will need to be hauled to PPP via highway transport. A trucking premium will be offered to producers who are distanced from PPP in order for PPP to obtain supply. Peas will be sourced from NorthCentral Saskatchewan and will be hauled in via highway transport. Premiums will be issued based on the marketing manager’s discretion. 4.7.2 Channels of Distribution for Export Product Once the product has been split and bagged, the bags are stacked 40 to a pallet. The pallet will be shrink-wrapped to prevent damage during transport. From this point, the pallets are loaded into 20 tonne ocean containers, which are secured on flatbed semi trailers. The containers are sealed and transported by Intermodal Trucking to the CN Rail yard in Saskatoon. These containers are transferred onto flatbed rail cars. CN Rail will transport them to the port of Vancouver where they will wait to be loaded onto an ocean freighter. An agreement will be arranged with the foreign customers stating that the product will be shipped free on board, which means that transfer of ownership occurs at the port of Vancouver. When the ocean freighter is loaded, it travels to the port of Mumbai, India where the product will be offloaded and distributed. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 23 Prairie Pulse Processing Figure 4.1 Distribution Channels for Export Markets Prairie Pulse Processing Warehouse Truck Intermodal CN Rail Yard Saskatoon, SK CN Rail Cars Port of Mumbai, India Port of Vancouver Ocean Liner 4.8 Pricing Policy PPP is a price taker in both the supply market and the export market. Prices are dictated by world market demand for peas and lentils. Screenings prices are also market driven and as such are dictated by the local livestock feed market. 4.9 Advertising and Promotion PPP is a new competitor in the pulse processing industry and will have to get its name into the marketplace. PPP will accomplish this through the use of advertising in producer magazines and newspapers. The articles will be used to increase awareness in the farming community that PPP will be actively buying pulses and to inform producers that screenings will be for sale. Farm production shows such as Farm Progress Show in Regina, and Crop Production Show in Saskatoon will give PPP an opportunity to meet Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 24 Prairie Pulse Processing some producers in the pulse industry. A web page will also be created to allow producers access to information about the company and current prices with delivery options. The promotion of finished products to foreign customers will only be done through personal contact at conference meetings. 4.10 Marketing Budget The marketing budget has been set aside to allocate funds for promotion, advertising and foreign customer contact. The marketing manager will be responsible for relations between PPP and the foreign customers. A yearly visit to India will be required to ensure satisfaction of finished product, and to improve export opportunities. The allocation of $20,000 has been put into travel expenses. 4.11 Sales and Profit Objectives Initially PPP will begin production by processing 24,000 tonnes of lentils and 6000 tonnes of peas. The reason for this level of production is so that the employees learn how to operate the plant and produce product specifically for the East Indian market. At the beginning of the second year PPP will increase production by 20%. Maximum capacity of the facility will be reached at this point. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 25 Prairie Pulse Processing 4.12 SWOT Analysis Table 4.1 SWOT Analysis Strengths 48% of foreign funding Large supply of raw product Guaranteed purchase of finished product State of the art facility Opportunities Other potential customers (Europe, Middle East) Ability to process other products Potential to expand Weaknesses High cash conversion cycle High start up costs No control over finished product pricing Dependency on foreign customers Threats Weather may influence raw product supply Competition for direct materials purchase Variation of commodity prices Substitutes for Production 5.0 Human Resources Plan 5.1 Employee Qualifications PPP requires an educated, hardworking, knowledgeable workforce. Successful applicants will meet strict employment criteria. PPP’s recruiting policy will be based on education level completed, skills, past work experiences, and expected wage and benefits. PPP will be advertising the available positions through government job postings and through advertising in the local newspapers. This will include the Star Phoenix in Saskatoon, the Leader Post in Regina, as well as the Western Producer. The Board of Directors will appoint the general manager, while he/she will hire all other staff. 5.2 Job Descriptions 5.2.1 General Manager The General Manager (GM) position will be filled before completion of the facility, which will allow the GM to look for potential employees to fill available job positions. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 26 Prairie Pulse Processing The GM will report directly to the Board of Directors, which ensures that the Board of Directors is aware of the position of the company. Duties of the GM will be to oversee the entire operation at PPP including management of personnel and looking after the financial well being of the company and the hiring and firing of personnel. 5.2.2 Marketing Manager There will be one full-time Marketing Manager on staff. He/she will be responsible for both the buying of raw product and selling of finished product. The Marketing Manager will maintain contact with the foreign customer to ensure a stable business relationship is maintained. The overall goal of the Marketing manager is to maintain a steady supply of raw product for production. This can be done through delivery contracts to ensure that seasonal demand does not influence the supply of product. He/she will also be responsible for selling screenings to local farmers. 5.2.3 Secretary/Accountant The secretary/accountant will be responsible for a variety of duties, including cheque issuing to local farmers for the purchase of pulses and all other day to day expenses. The secretary is also responsible for directing the phone lines, typing memos for the GM, and day to day accounting procedures that occur at PPP. The secretary/accountant is also in charge of monthly payroll and the monthly/year end financial statements. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 27 Prairie Pulse Processing 5.2.4 Foreman There will be 2 foremen on staff at PPP. There are two shifts of workers operating on a 16-hour schedule. This means one foreman would be on each shift. This foreman is in charge of overseeing all aspects of the processing facility from unloading trucks of raw product to loading trucks of finished product. In-depth knowledge of how the processing equipment operates is a necessity. The foreman is the general laborers’ representative to management. He/she may have to fill in other positions during busy times and sick days. 5.2.5 Millwright There will be two millwrights, one for each shift. Both of these employees will be on call in case of emergencies. Otherwise they will handle day-to-day maintenance and repair of all equipment at the facility. It is the practice of the industry for the millwright to provide their own tools, however PPP will supply the more expensive specialized tools needed to repair the equipment. 5.2.6 Forklift Two forklift operators will be required, one for each shift. The duties include moving of pallets from the bagging area to the warehouse and bringing empty pallets from the warehouse to bagging area. The operators will also be required to perform daily maintenance to their units, which includes checking oil levels and greasing machines. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 28 Prairie Pulse Processing 5.2.7 Shipper/Receiver There will be only one shipper/receiver due to unloading of raw products and loading finished product during business hours. This employee will have to be flexible in that he or she may be required to come in early and/or stay late to load and unload all necessary products. The monitoring of incoming and exiting product from the facility will be part of his/her duties. This is a key job since this employee has many responsibilities all over the facility and yard. At times where there is shipping and receiving to be done at the same time, the foreman will be required to either ship or receive. 5.2.8 Bagger The facility requires two baggers, one for each shift. The duties include monitoring the bagging machine and wrapping the loaded pallets. The placement of empty pallets into the bagging machine is also their responsibility. 5.2.9 Cleanup One cleanup person will be required to clean the plant and office area after plant hours. All general laborers such as foreman, millwright, forklift operators, shipper/receiver, bagger and cleanup will be required to take the following training at the expense of PPP: 1) Forklift operator license 2) WHMIS, TDG 3) First Aid, CPR 4) HACCP Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 29 Prairie Pulse Processing It is expected that all employees will work in a safe, friendly manner. They will do their best to keep the plant clean and sanitary to reduce the work of the cleanup employee. 5.3 Human Resource Strategy PPP plans to offer above average salaries in order to find loyal employees. The salaries paid ensure a lower turnover ratio of skilled employees resulting in lower training costs. PPP plans on putting on employee functions such as Christmas parties and staff BBQ’s to ensure high company morale. The cost of these activities will be come out of miscellaneous expenses. 5.4 Future Needs Updating of training of the labor force will be done as required and paid for by PPP. The salaries of all employees will increase with inflation and the possibility of bonuses due to exceptional production. Table 5.1 – Employment at Prairie Pulse Processing Staff Position General Marketing Secretary/ Foreman Shipper/ Millwright Forklift Baggers Cleanup Manager Manager Accountant Receiver Operators Number Annual Salary E.I. (3.08%) CPP (4.07%) Comp. (5.0%) Total Cost 1 65,000 2,002 2,646 3,250 72,898 1 55,000 1,694 2,239 2,750 61,683 1 45,000 1,386 1,832 2,250 50,468 2 80,000 2,464 3,256 4,000 89,720 Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 1 35,000 1,078 1,425 1,750 39,253 2 100,000 3,080 4,070 5,000 112,150 2 50,000 1,540 2,035 2,500 56,075 2 50,000 1,540 2,035 2,500 56,075 30 1 25,000 770 1,018 1,250 28,038 Prairie Pulse Processing 6.0 Financial Plan 6.1 Sources of Funding PPP will have two primary sources of funding. Equity financing will comprise 48% of the total funding, provided 48% by the East Indian investors and 52% by Canadian investors. This financing will total $3.5 million through the issuance of Class A common shares. 6.2 Five Year Projected Balance Sheet Balance Sheet 31-May 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Assets Current Assets: Cash Accounts Receivable Inventories Total Current Assets 315,430 2,056,411 885,973 3,257,813 1,679,997 2,541,724 1,101,753 5,323,474 2,552,661 2,617,975 1,128,222 6,298,858 2,782,640 2,696,514 1,156,795 6,635,949 2,852,704 2,777,410 1,187,273 6,817,387 Plant and Equipment Accumulated C.C.A. Net Plant and Equipment 6,300,000 (581,600) 5,718,400 6,300,000 (1,630,336) 4,669,664 6,300,000 (2,472,963) 3,827,037 6,300,000 (3,150,556) 3,149,444 6,300,000 (3,695,983) 2,604,017 Total Assets 8,976,213 9,993,138 10,125,896 9,785,393 9,421,403 425,414 525,812 541,586 557,834 574,569 3,534,364 3,959,778 3,253,105 3,778,917 2,950,751 3,492,338 2,625,722 3,183,556 2,276,314 2,850,883 Share Capital Retained Earnings Total Shareholder's Equity 3,504,000 1,512,435 5,016,435 3,504,000 2,710,221 6,214,221 3,504,000 3,129,558 6,633,558 3,504,000 3,097,838 6,601,838 3,504,000 3,066,520 6,570,520 Total Liabilities and Shareholder's Equity 8,976,213 9,993,138 10,125,896 9,785,393 9,421,403 Liabilities Current Liabilities: Accounts Payable Long Term Debt Total Liabilities Shareholders' Equity Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 31 Prairie Pulse Processing 6.3 Summary Tables Table 6.3.1 The Base Case Results Net Present Value Internal Rate of Return Cash Flows Net Income Split Lentils Sold (t) Split Peas Sold (t) Screenings Sold (t) Export lentil price Export pea price Screenings price Transportation cost Pea purchase price Lentil purchase price Trucking premiums 3,317,618 37.3% 2004 315,430 1,512,435 20,018 5,100 4,433 690 458 120 1,984,283 239 408 591,000 2005 1,364,567 1,197,786 23220 5304 5034 711 472 124 2,452,573 246 420 730,476 2006 872,664 1,304,335 23220 5304 5034 732 486 127 2,526,150 254 433 752,390 2007 229,979 1,507,775 23220 5304 5034 754 500 131 2,601,935 261 446 774,962 2008 70,064 1,680,662 23220 5304 5034 777 515 135 2,679,993 269 459 798,211 Prairie Pulse Processing is a good investment since the internal rate of return is higher than the required rate of return of 20%. Cash flows and net income are positive each year. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 32 Prairie Pulse Processing Table 6.3.2 The Best Case Results The variables changed in this case are the purchase price of raw materials and trucking premiums. Net Present Value Internal Rate of Return Cash Flows Net Income Split Lentils Sold (t) Split Peas Sold (t) Screenings Sold (t) Export lentil price Export pea price Screenings price Transportation cost Pea purchase price Lentil purchase price Trucking premiums GPM % 13,787,566 91.1% 2004 2,210,229 3,300,420 20,018 5,100 4,433 690 458 120 1,984,283 179 306 517,125 47.1% 2005 2,494,356 3,585,038 23220 5304 5034 711 472 124 2,452,573 184 315 639,167 43.0% 2006 1,115,210 3,811,361 23220 5304 5034 732 486 127 2,526,150 190 325 658,341 43.7% 2007 368,532 4,092,599 23220 5304 5034 754 500 131 2,601,935 196 334 678,092 44.7% 2008 183,060 4,343,721 23220 5304 5034 777 515 135 2,679,993 201 344 698,434 45.4% By examining the summary results it is possible to see that PPP is a good investment because the internal rate of return is much higher than the required rate of 20%. This is the best case due to widened gross profit margin that is a result of lower raw product prices and lower trucking premiums. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 33 Prairie Pulse Processing Table 6.3.3 The Worst Case Results The variables changed in this case are the purchase price of raw materials and trucking premiums. Net Present Value Internal Rate of Return Cash Flows Net Income Split Lentils Sold (t) Split Peas Sold (t) Screenings Sold (t) Export lentil price Export pea price Screenings price Transportation cost Pea purchase price Lentil purchase price Trucking premiums GPM % (8,141,505) #DIV/0! 2004 (1,603,531) (299,712) 20,018 5,100 4,433 690 458 120 1,984,283 299 510 664,875 16.6% 2005 (1,418,376) (1,559,949) 23,220 5,304 5,034 711 472 124 2,452,573 308 525 821,786 10.1% 2006 (1,130,376) (1,579,742) 23,220 5,304 5,034 732 486 127 2,526,150 317 541 846,439 10.1% 2007 (1,147,897) (1,405,517) 23,220 5,304 5,034 754 500 131 2,601,935 327 557 871,832 11.0% 2008 (1,165,944) (1,263,124) 23,220 5,304 5,034 777 515 135 2,679,993 337 574 897,987 11.7% In this scenario, purchase prices were increased by 25% and trucking premiums were increased by 12.5%. The reason for increasing purchase price and trucking premiums is that these factors are the most critical to achieving profitability. PPP is not meeting the required rate of return and has negative net income and negative cash flows. This indicates to investors that this is not a feasible proposition. 6.4 Contingency Plan The contingency plan for the worst case scenario is to explore domestic markets and other foreign markets for PPP’s finished goods. This may develop opportunities for niche markets which could increase revenue through higher finished product prices.. Another prospect would be to source raw product from other areas that sell at a lesser Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 34 Prairie Pulse Processing price. Another contingency plan would be to diversify into other crop processing such as chickpeas. 6.5 Critical Variables Purchase and selling prices of lentils and peas are critical because slight fluctuations in these values cause a large impact to the gross margin. Export prices are based upon the raw pulse price. Raw pulse prices and raw pulse supply are inversely related. Table 6.4 Critical Factors Variable Level of Importance (1,2,3) Split Lentils Sold (t) 2 Split Peas Sold (t) 3 Screenings Sold (t) 3 Export lentil price 2 Export pea price 2 Screenings price 2 Transportation cost 2 Pea purchase price 2 Lentil purchase price 2 Trucking premiums 3 Level of importance: 1=critical for feasibility 2=important for financial performance 3=minor importance PPP will negotiate a cost plus sales contract, negating the two critical factors. Thus, sensitivity analysis for PPP will not be required. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 35 Prairie Pulse Processing 6.6 Operating Line of Credit Due to the large cash conversion cycle, PPP will need a line of credit in the approximate value of $300,000. This will help cover cash shortfalls in the first two years of operation. 6.7 Net Income Break-even Analysis The net income break-even analysis is provided for quantity of sales and selling prices. PPP assumes that the purchase price is fixed for both lentils and peas, so we are actually changing the gross margin. Table 6.5 Net Income Break-even Analysis Net Income Break-even Varying Quantity Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Net Income $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ - $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ CFAT 258,408 318,230 489,741 (13,185) (171,661) (189,341) (171,383) (149,552) (227,593) (311,398) Quantity (tonnes) Net Income Break Even Peas Lentils 2,118 8,312 2,661 11,647 2,580 11,296 2,411 10,557 2,268 9,931 2,154 9,428 2,060 9,018 1,982 8,676 1,916 8,386 1,859 8,136 Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan Quantity (tonnes) Base Case Peas Lentils 5,100 20,017 6,120 24,021 6,120 24,021 6,120 24,021 6,120 24,021 6,120 24,021 6,120 24,021 6,120 24,021 6,120 24,021 6,120 24,021 36 Prairie Pulse Processing Net Income Break-even Varying Prices Year Net Income Selling Prices Net Income Break Even Peas Lentils Screenings CFAT (928,762) $ Selling Prices Base Case Peas Lentils Screenings 2004 $ - $ 398 $ 600 $ 104 $ 458 $ 690 $ 120 2005 $ - $ 207,985 $ 440 $ 663 $ 115 $ 472 $ 711 $ 124 2006 $ - $ 477,407 $ 450 $ 678 $ 118 $ 486 $ 732 $ 127 2007 $ - $ 299,028 $ 459 $ 691 $ 120 $ 500 $ 754 $ 131 2008 $ - $ 135,261 $ 468 $ 705 $ 123 $ 515 $ 777 $ 135 2009 $ - $ (3,094) $ 478 $ 720 $ 125 $ 531 $ 800 $ 139 2010 $ - $ (121,632) $ 489 $ 737 $ 128 $ 547 $ 824 $ 143 2011 $ - $ (224,862) $ 501 $ 755 $ 131 $ 563 $ 849 $ 148 2012 $ - $ (316,435) $ 514 $ 774 $ 135 $ 580 $ 874 $ 152 2013 $ - $ (399,317) $ 527 $ 794 $ 138 $ 598 $ 900 $ 157 These results indicate that in the first three years, quantity of sales can decrease while still returning a positive cash flow. However, continuance of low quantity of sales will compound cash losses. When selling prices are altered, cash flows are positive for four years and negative for the other six. Prices can fall by approximately 13% to give a zero net income. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 37 Prairie Pulse Processing 6.8 Cash Flow After Tax Break-even Analysis The net income break-even analysis is provided for quantity of sales and selling prices. PPP assumes that the purchase price is fixed for both lentils and peas, so we are actually changing the gross margin. Table 6.6 Cash Flow After Tax Break-even Analysis Cash Flow Break-even Varying Quantity Quantity (tonnes) Cash Flow Break Even Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Net Income $ (780,505.00) $ (218,933.00) $ (748,465.00) $ (241,443.00) $ (220,002.00) $ (27,807.00) $ 61,130.00 $ 171,398.00 $ 254,833.00 $ 336,560.00 CFAT $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ - Peas 1,233 2,229 1,745 1,926 1,829 1,849 1,821 1,814 1,798 1,746 Quantity (tonnes) Base Case Lentils 4,839 9,760 7,640 8,431 8,008 8,095 7,972 7,940 7,872 7,821 Peas 5,100 6,120 6,120 6,120 6,120 6,120 6,120 6,120 6,120 6,120 Lentils 20,017 24,021 24,021 24,021 24,021 24,021 24,021 24,021 24,021 24,021 Cash Flow Break-even Varying Selling Prices Selling Price Cash Flow Break Even Year Net Income 1,127,352 CFAT Peas Lentils Selling Prices Base Case Peas Lentils Screenings Screenings 2004 $ $ - $ 442 $ 667 $ 116 $ 458 $ 690 $ 120 2005 $ (463,750) $ - $ 429 $ 646 $ 112 $ 472 $ 711 $ 124 2006 $ (479,328) $ - $ 439 $ 661 $ 115 $ 486 $ 732 $ 127 2007 $ (273,673) $ - $ 452 $ 681 $ 118 $ 500 $ 754 $ 131 2008 $ (115,797) $ - $ 465 $ 701 $ 122 $ 515 $ 777 $ 135 2009 $ 19,813 $ - $ 479 $ 721 $ 125 $ 531 $ 800 $ 139 2010 $ 135,950 $ - $ 493 $ 742 $ 129 $ 547 $ 824 $ 143 2011 $ 237,365 $ - $ 507 $ 764 $ 133 $ 563 $ 849 $ 148 2012 $ 327,555 $ - $ 522 $ 786 $ 137 $ 580 $ 874 $ 152 2013 $ 409,408 $ - $ 537 $ 809 $ 141 $ 598 $ 900 $ 157 These results indicate the lowest price and quantity required for PPP to operate. Net income is severely reduced without adequate cash flow. Quantities of peas and lentils are Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 38 Prairie Pulse Processing much less than projected output. However, selling prices cannot fall very far before reaching a zero cash flow. 6.9 Economic Break-even Analysis This analysis indicates the lowest quantity of sales and the lowest selling prices Prairie Pulse Processing can withstand before an economic loss. A positive economic profit indicates to investors that they should invest their money in the company. Table 6.7 Economic Break-even Analysis Cash Flow Break-even Varying Quantity Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Net Income $ 748,446 $ 242,215 $ 368,300 $ 537,410 $ 679,517 $ 804,245 $ 916,623 $ 1,019,984 $ 1,116,839 $ 1,209,180 CFAT $ 301,220 $ 688,507 $ 485,210 $ 99,711 $ 7,672 $ (8,122) $ (5,255) $ 1,230 $ 7,581 $ 13,011 Quantity (tonnes) Quantity (tonnes) Base Economic Break Case Peas Lentils Peas Lentils 3,564 13,987 5,100 20,017 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 3,706 16,225 6,120 24,021 NPV = 0 IRR = 20% Cash Flow Break-even Varying Selling Prices Year Net Income Selling Prices Economic Break Even Peas Lentils Screenings CFAT Selling Prices Base Case Peas Lentils Screenings 2004 $ 1,019,287 $ (88,518) $ 438 $ 660 $ 115 $ 458 $ 690 $ 120 2005 $ 348,485 $ 677,804 $ 451 $ 680 $ 118 $ 472 $ 711 $ 124 2006 $ 445,643 $ 839,557 $ 465 $ 700 $ 122 $ 486 $ 732 $ 127 2007 $ 623,316 $ 196,161 $ 479 $ 721 $ 125 $ 500 $ 754 $ 131 2008 $ 769,667 $ 35,308 $ 493 $ 743 $ 129 $ 515 $ 777 $ 135 2009 $ 897,545 $ 1,194 $ 508 $ 765 $ 133 $ 531 $ 800 $ 139 2010 $ 1,012,840 $ (772) $ 523 $ 788 $ 137 $ 547 $ 824 $ 143 2011 $ 1,119,120 $ 4,481 $ 539 $ 812 $ 141 $ 563 $ 849 $ 148 2012 $ 1,218,957 $ 10,565 $ 555 $ 836 $ 145 $ 580 $ 874 $ 152 2013 $ 1,314,364 $ 15,987 $ 572 $ 861 $ 150 $ 598 $ 900 $ 157 NPV = 0 IRR = 20% Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 39 Prairie Pulse Processing This analysis indicates that PPP can return an economic profit because the prices can fall below projected selling prices, all else remaining the same, and quantities can fall below projected sales levels, provided all else remains the same. 6.10 Risk Analysis Provided that the gross profit margin remains constant, cash flow levels and net income will remain positive. The minimum gross profit margin for the cash flow break-even level averages 10%. This means that Prairie Pulse Processing can operate at a lower level of deliveries than projected. 7.0 Conclusion and Recommendation PPP business venture is a feasible investment. This is revealed by the high internal rate of return. There are many risks associated with this business venture, such as slight fluctuations in purchase and selling prices that could result in losses. The use of a cost plus sales contract alleviates these risks making PPP a sound investment. However, without the cost plus contract, even with the high internal rate of return, the risks outweigh the potential benefit. Risks such as the weather and market driving forces (such as what producers decide to produce) are beyond PPP’s control and could lead to a negative return. We as the business planning team believe that with a cost plus sales contract PPP is a feasible investment but with it there are to many risks. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 40 Prairie Pulse Processing 8.0 References Day, R., McConaghy, T., Spratt, L. and Wasylyniuk, C. 1998. Peaco Pea Processing Company Business Plan. College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food A. “2001 Specialty Crop Report.”2001. Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food B. “Crop Districts Map.” http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/reports/crop_report/Crdist.asp?firstPick=Statistics&secondpick=Cr ops&thirdpick=Production. 2002. STAT Publishing. “Specialty crops markets.” http://www.statpub.com/stat/cash-mkt.html. 2002. Comm 492 College of Commerce, University of Saskatchewan 41