Brewery B2B Ordering Portal Cost (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For a regional brewery serving 1,200 bars and restaurants through 8 distributors, a B2B ordering portal costs 35,000 to 70,000 EUR excl. VAT and rolls out in 4 months. The fastest gain comes from tracking deposit kegs: going from 8 % to 2.5 % kegs lost per year saves more than 60,000 EUR a year on its own across 9,000 kegs. The second lever is the sales cost per outlet, which drops by about 40 % when routine orders move to self-service.

What the portal must handle

The chain has three levels: the brewery, the on-trade distributors who stock and deliver, and the outlets that often order by text message or by calling the driver. The result: orders keyed in twice, deposits never reconciled and year-end rebates calculated in a spreadsheet in January, with the disputes that follow.

The deposit module is the heart of the project. Each keg gets a QR code, scanned on delivery and on return by the distributor's driver. The portal keeps a deposit balance per outlet, visible to the bar itself, which ends disputes like "we returned 12 kegs, not 9".

Lost kegs and sales cost: before and after

A 30-litre stainless steel keg costs about 110 to 140 EUR to replace in 2026. With 9,000 kegs in rotation, each percentage point of loss weighs more than 10,000 EUR per year.

Lower sales cost does not necessarily mean fewer reps: most breweries reassign that time to winning new outlets and managing key accounts.

Outlet loyalty and rebates

The loyalty programme should stay simple: 1 point per 30-litre keg, Bronze, Silver and Gold tiers, and rewards that are useful to the bar (tap system, terrace furniture, tasting evening). Budget 1 to 2 % of revenue for rewards. Year-end rebates are calculated in real time and shown in the outlet's account, which encourages reaching the next tier before December. Breweries that display tier progress typically see 4 to 7 % extra volume in the last quarter.

Mini case study

Julien, sales director of a regional brewery in Brittany, picks a mid-range version at 52,000 EUR excl. VAT, plus 6,000 EUR excl. VAT per year for maintenance and hosting. First-year savings, including gradual rollout: lost kegs cut from 720 to 400, or 40,000 EUR, and sales cost reduced by 15 %, about 94,000 EUR reassigned to prospecting. Counting kegs alone, the project returns 40,000 - 6,000 = 34,000 EUR in year one, a payback of 18 months. Including half the freed sales time, or 47,000 EUR, payback drops to 8 months.

FAQ

Will distributors accept a brewery portal?

Yes, if the portal sends them clean orders grouped by delivery route. In practice, 6 out of 8 distributors adopt the tool within 3 months, the others receive orders by email or EDI.

Do bars really order online?

With a simple app and one-click reorder of the last order, 50 to 65 % of orders move to self-service within 12 months. Urgent Friday orders often stay on the phone.

How much does QR labelling of kegs cost?

A stainless or engraved label costs 1.5 to 3 EUR per keg, or 13,500 to 27,000 EUR for 9,000 kegs. Labels are applied as kegs come back, over 2 to 3 months.

Does the portal handle alcohol regulations?

It restricts access to professionals verified by company ID and licence, and displays the mandatory health notices required in France by the Évin law. Excise duties stay calculated in the ERP.

Can we start with a single pilot distributor?

It is actually recommended: a 4 to 6 week pilot on 150 outlets lets you adjust flows before a full rollout.

Let's scope your project. We price your B2B ordering portal (deposits, distributor routing, loyalty, sales rep app) with an indicative budget of 35,000 to 70,000 EUR excl. VAT and a 4-month timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.