coffee roastery business plan

Coffee Roaster Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Coffee Roaster Business Plan

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

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Coffee Roasting businesses.

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

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Cosmopolitan Coffee is a premium coffee house that serves the finest organic coffee sourced from sustainable growers around the world. Our name, Cosmopolitan Coffee, represents our global search for coffee beans that not only satisfy every coffee aficionado, but also allow us to serve our world by being mindful in our sourcing of those coffee beans.

From sweet and smooth-bodied Brazilian coffee beans to the fruity, berry notes of African coffee beans, we select and roast only those beans that will offer the highest degree of rich coffee results. Our coffee roasters produce small batches of freshly-roasted coffee beans on a regular basis and we produce holiday coffee flavors during special seasons of the year.

We will primarily sell our coffee blends through our website or wholesale retailers (i.e. grocery stores). However, we will also operate a small café where we will sell several coffee drinks so customers can try out our premium blends before buying our beans in bulk.

Cosmopolitan Coffee is led by José Fernandes who immigrated to America as a teen. Throughout his whole life, he has had a passion to create the perfect coffee, a passion that was started and fueled by family tradition. He moved to America several decades ago, bringing with him the coffee bean roasting methods created by his grandfather in Brazil. Now he is finally starting his own business where he can share his family recipes and his love for premium coffee.

Product Offering

The following freshly-roasted coffees are served at Cosmopolitan Coffee:

• Light, floral coffee flavors – African or Costa Rican coffee beans
• Medium, nutty coffee flavors – South American coffee beans
• Dark, fragrant and rich coffee flavors – Vietnamese coffee beans

Holiday/seasonal coffees include:

• Light, cinnamon coffee notes – South African coffee beans
• Medium, chocolate coffee notes – Papua New Guinea coffee beans
• Dark, spicy coffee notes – Southeast Asian coffee beans

We will sell these blends on our website, in our café, and in local grocery stores. We will also operate a café that sells several coffee drinks that use our blends and recipes including:

• Iced coffee

Customer Focus

Cosmopolitan Coffee primarily serves the residents living and working in the Chicago, Illinois area. However, we will also serve anyone who comes across our website after hearing about us or coming across our marketing efforts. Our café serves the immediate community within a two mile radius of our location.

Management Team

José began working in a Chicago coffee roasting company ten years ago, where he acquired operations, marketing and management skills during the years of his employment. José also graduated from North Central College, where he majored in culinary services.

Success Factors

Cosmopolitan Coffee will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Ingredients and menu: Our coffee beans are freshly-roasted for optimal flavor, resulting in premium coffees. Traditional coffee flavors are always on the menu, including light, medium and dark coffees. In addition, unique holiday flavors, such as spicy, chocolate, or fruity coffee bean flavors are offered as seasonal specials. No other coffee roaster company offers the wide variety and flavors as does our company.
• Management: The unique family coffee-roasting heritage of José Fernandes guarantees that each batch of coffee beans are roasted to perfection. José is also highly-experienced in the operations and management of a coffee roasting company and brings a warm and welcoming atmosphere to the neighborhood.
• Certified organic and sustainable: Only certified organic coffee beans are roasted at Cosmopolitan Coffee. All coffee beans are grown on sustainable farms to avoid damaging the crops or harming the farmland on which the beans are grown. No direct competitor offers organic or sustainable products.
• Location: Our location is perfectly suited to neighborhood residents who walk or drive to our coffee house. Additionally, professionals and executives who work nearby can easily locate our company. Drivers who commute can also find our location with ease, as we are located directly off the speedway. Each of the customer segments create advantageous opportunities for strong company growth within the next three to five years.
• Relationships: José welcomes the community by using our location as a gathering place for customers, friends and families to relax, converse and enjoy one another’s company.

Financial Highlights

Cosmopolitan Coffee is currently seeking $500,000 to launch. The funding will be dedicated for overhead, build out and design, working capital, marketing expenses, and inventory. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Café/Roastery Build Out: $200,000
• Marketing and Advertising: $50,000
• Inventory and Supplies: $50,000
• Three Months Of Overhead Expenses (Rent, Salaries, Utilities): $100,000
• Working Capital: $100,000

The following graph outlines the pro forma financial projections for Cosmopolitan Coffee.

Company Overview

Who is cosmopolitan coffee.

  From sweet and smooth-bodied Brazilian coffee beans to the fruity, berry notes of African coffee beans, we select and roast only those beans that will offer the highest degree of rich coffee results. Our coffee roasters produce small batches of freshly-roasted coffee beans on a regular basis and we produce holiday coffee flavors during special seasons of the year.

Cosmopolitan Coffee History

Cosmopolitan Coffee is led by José Fernandes, who immigrated to America as a teen, bringing with him the coffee bean roasting methods created by his grandfather in Brazil. José learned how to roast beans to the perfect point of flavor perfection. After immigrating, he worked in a coffee roasting company, where he learned how to manage, market and successfully operate a coffee roasting business before he started Cosmopolitan Coffee.

José incorporated Cosmopolitan Coffee as an S-Corporation on May 1st, 2023. The company is currently being run out of José’s home office but will move to a commercial location once the lease has been finalized.

Since incorporation, Cosmopolitan Coffee has achieved the following milestones:

• Found a location for the roastery and signed a letter of intent to lease it.
• Developed the company’s branding image, social media, and website.
• Began recruiting key staff.

Cosmopolitan Coffee Services

Industry analysis.

The coffee roaster industry has been rapidly growing due to increasing consumer demand for fresh and fully flavorful coffee. Consumers crave more than packaged coffee beans, packaged ground coffee, or individual coffee pods; they are seeking coffee that is the savory result of freshly-roasted coffee beans. Coffee made from freshly-roasted coffee beans carries a distinctive aroma, smooth and full-bodied flavor, and, surprisingly, offers nutritional value, as well. Antioxidants and nutritional compounds within the beans are carried into coffee, adding healthful benefits that contribute to the increasing consumer demand for coffee made from freshly-roasted coffee beans.

According to Grand View Research, the market trends for coffee roasting companies is predicted to grow at a strong CAGR rate of 6.3% from now until 2030. Freshly roasted coffee beans, when brewed soon after roasting, produce premium coffees that are especially appealing to those consumers who have a discretionary income level. The higher price of premium coffee has led to a new demographic of coffee consumers: those who don’t view price as the primary factor of their purchases, but view flavor as the primary driver for coffee selection. As prices rise in the future, the premium coffee prices will maintain their hold on coffee aficionados who insist on their daily coffee pleasure.

As consumers look for organic foods in the next five years, certified organic coffee will be sought and the purchase of organic coffees is expected to continue to grow. Consumers will also continue to seek coffee beans that have been hand-picked in sustainable coffee farms to ensure the land will be safe from overuse or damage as the coffee beans are harvested.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The demographics of the area are as follows:

Customer Segmentation

Cosmopolitan Coffee will primarily target the following customer profile:

• Pedestrians
• Coffee aficionados

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Cosmopolitan Coffee will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Whole Bean Roasting Company

Whole Bean Roasting Company is a direct competitor, however it is seven miles away from our location. The coffee roasting company has only one coffee bean roaster and serves mild to dark freshly-roasted coffees. The company has no stated emphasis on serving certified organic coffee or using coffee beans from sustainable farm sources. Whole Bean Roasting Company sells breakfast and lunch items in addition to coffee, such as breakfast rolls, donuts, muffins, sandwiches and wraps.

Go Coffee Go

As part of a family-owned, city-wide chain of ten coffee shops, Go Coffee Go is located three miles from Cosmopolitan Coffee. The coffee shop offers no indoor seating, with a focus on serving walk-up customers only. Go Coffee Go sells blended brands of coffee at low prices for light, medium and dark coffees. Coffee is sold in medium, large and extra-large coffee cups with plastic coffee cup lids. Although this coffee outlet is nearby, the competitor sells generic coffee bean blends that do not compare to the coffee flavors of our company. There is no emphasis on organic coffee or sustainable growing methods.

Le Entourage Bistro

This small, French-themed restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is located four miles from Cosmopolitan Coffee. An extensive menu features French and American foods in a romantic atmosphere. Premium coffees and espresso drinks are offered on the menu; however, no coffee beans are roasted on-site. Prices for coffees and espresso drinks are priced at higher levels and served in china cups or espresso shot glasses. Although this indirect competitor serves primarily as a restaurant, customers are within the demographics of Cosmopolitan Coffee.

Competitive Advantage

Cosmopolitan Coffee offers several advantages over its competition. Those advantages are:

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Cosmopolitan Coffee will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Offering premium coffees made from coffee beans freshly roasted in-house.
• Located in an optimal community for residents, commuters and workers.
• Offering certified organic coffee beans harvested on sustainable farms.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Cosmopolitan Coffee are as follows:

Social Media

José Fernandes will create the company’s social media accounts and invest in ads on all social media platforms. The company will use targeted marketing to appeal to our target demographics.

Cosmopolitan Coffee will create a website that includes a splash page, directing customers to interactive pages. One page will demonstrate the process of coffee bean roasting, and one will contain a video from José discussing his background and family history. Seasonal coffee flavors and specials will also be introduced.

Partnerships with Local Businesses

Cosmopolitan Coffee will align with businesses in the area to introduce the coffee experience at our company. This marketing strategy will include free coffee tastings for employees during breaks, “Coffee Talks” by José, and free-coffee vouchers for employees who visit our company for the first time.

Pre-Opening Events

During the month prior to our launch, names of commuters will be collected for a drawing to be held on our opening day. Seven winning names will be drawn by José to receive free coffee at Cosmopolitan Coffee for one full year.

Cosmopolitan Coffee’s pricing will be appropriate for the high-quality coffee and level of service associated with a premium coffee bean roasting experience. Customers will feel they have received great value and a superior product.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Cosmopolitan Coffee. Operation Functions:

• José Fernandes will be the Owner of Cosmopolitan Coffee. He will oversee the general operations of the roastery and café and help roast the premium blends until he has a full team of baristas and roasters on staff.
• Max Smith will be the Café Manager and will focus on training staff and serving customers.
• José will hire an administrative team to help with the administrative, accounting, and marketing aspects of the business.
• José will also hire several baristas and roasters to make premium coffee for our customers.

Milestones:

Cosmopolitan Coffee aims to achieve the following goals in the next six months.

• 6/1/202X – Finalize Lease Agreement
• 7/1/202X – Design and Build Out Underway
• 8/1/202X – Design and Build Out Completed
• 9/1/202X – Hire and Train Staff
• 10/1/202X – Grand Opening
• 11/1/202X – Reach break-even

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The key revenues for Cosmopolitan Coffee will come from the sales of our premium blends (through our website, café, and partner grocery stores) and coffee drinks in our café.

The major costs include labor expenses, rent, marketing expenses, and the cost of inventory.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

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

• Number of Customers Per Day: 50
• Average café Menu Item Cost: $5.00
• Average Order per Customer: $10.00
• Average Coffee Bean Order per Customer: $25.00
• Annual Lease: $60,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Coffee Roaster Business Plan FAQs

What is a coffee roaster business plan.

A coffee roaster business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your coffee roaster 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 Coffee Roaster business plan using our Coffee Roaster Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Coffee Roaster Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of coffee roaster businesses , some examples include: Retail Coffee Roastery and Wholesale Coffee Roastery.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Coffee Roaster Business Plan?

Coffee Roaster businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Coffee Roaster Business?

Starting a coffee roaster 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 A Coffee Roaster Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed coffee roaster 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 coffee roaster 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 coffee roaster business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Coffee Roaster Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your coffee roaster 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 coffee roaster 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 Coffee Roaster Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your coffee roaster 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 coffee roaster 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. 

Coffee Roaster Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their coffee roaster businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a coffee roaster business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Coffee Roaster Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your coffee roaster business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Coffee Roasting Business

If you’re looking to start a coffee roaster business, or grow your existing coffee roaster business, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your coffee roaster business in order to improve your chances of success. Your coffee roaster business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Coffee Roaster Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a coffee roaster 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 also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings is the other most common form of funding for a coffee roaster business.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

If you want to start a coffee roaster business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Below are links to each section of your coffee roaster business plan template:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your coffee roasting business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of coffee roaster business you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a coffee roaster business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a coffee roaster business in multiple markets or regions?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the coffee roaster industry. Discuss the type of coffee roaster business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of coffee roaster business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types of coffee roaster businesses:

• Retail Coffee Roastery : this type of roastery sells roasted coffee to individual consumers, either online or through a brick-and-mortar storefront.
• Wholesale Coffee Roastery: this type of roastery sells roasted coffee to other businesses, such as grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and resorts.

In addition to explaining the type of coffee roaster business you will operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of customers served, number of positive reviews, total number of bags of coffee sold, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the coffee roaster industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the coffee roaster industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your coffee roasting business plan:

• How big is the coffee roaster industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your coffee roaster business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your coffee roaster business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individual consumers, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and resorts.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of coffee roaster business you operate. Clearly, individual consumers would respond to different marketing promotions than grocery stores, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most coffee roaster businesses primarily serve customers living in their same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.  

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other coffee roaster businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes coffee shops and grocery stores. You need to mention such competition as well.

With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other coffee roaster businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be roasteries located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What types of coffee do they sell?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide better roasted coffee?
• Will you provide features or services that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a coffee roaster business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of coffee roaster company that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to selling roasted coffee, will you sell brewed coffee, sell teas, provide barista event services, or provide any other products or services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your coffee roaster company. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your coffee roaster business located in a busy retail district, shopping plaza, mall, etc. Discuss how your location might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your coffee roaster marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local websites
• Social media marketing
• Local radio advertising

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your coffee roaster business, including purchasing supplies, performing inventory, marketing, roasting coffee, and selling and/or delivering coffee.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to sell your 1,000th bag of coffee, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your coffee roasting business to a new city.

Management Team

To demonstrate your coffee roaster business’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing coffee roaster businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing coffee roasteries or successfully running small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you gain one new customer per month or per quarter (as a wholesaler), or will you sell 100 bags of coffee per day or per week (as a retailer)? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your coffee roaster business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a coffee roaster business:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of equipment and supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your roastery location lease or descriptions of roasts you are working on.

Putting together a business plan for your coffee roaster is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will have an expert coffee roasting business plan; download it to PDF to show banks and investors. You will really understand the coffee roaster industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful coffee roaster business.

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Coffee Roaster business plan?

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Coffee Roaster Business Plan

Is the aroma of freshly roasted coffee your favorite? Then starting a coffee roasting business might be the best course of action for you.

According to the National Coffee Association, about two-thirds of American people drink coffee every day, making it the fourth most popular beverage in the world.

However, how do you launch your own coffee-roasting company? The solution is, to begin with, writing a business plan.

Need help writing a business plan for your coffee roaster business? You’re at the right place. Our coffee roaster business plan template will help you get started.

Free Business Plan Template

Download our free business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

• Fill in the blanks – Outline
• Financial Tables

How to Write a Coffee Roaster Business Plan?

Writing a coffee roaster business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the entire business plan is ready and summarizes each section of your plan.

Here are a few key components to include in your executive summary:

• Introduce your Business: Start your executive summary by briefly introducing your business to your readers.This section may include the name of your coffee roaster business, its location, when it was founded, the type of coffee roaster business (E.g., specialty coffee roaster, wholesale coffee roaster, retail coffee roaster), etc.
• Market Opportunity: Summarize your market research, including market size, growth potential, and marketing trends. Highlight the opportunities in the market and how your business will fit in to fill the gap.
• Products and Services: Highlight the coffee roaster services you offer your clients. The USPs and differentiators you offer are always a plus.
• For instance, you may include roasted coffee beans and private labeling as products & services and mention custom blends as USP.
• Marketing & Sales Strategies: Outline your sales and marketing strategies—what marketing platforms you use, how you plan on acquiring customers, etc.
• Financial Highlights: Briefly summarize your financial projections for the initial years of business operations. Include any capital or investment requirements, associated startup costs, projected revenues, and profit forecasts.
• Call to Action: Summarize your executive summary section with a clear CTA, for example, inviting angel investors to discuss the potential business investment.

Ensure your executive summary is clear, concise, easy to understand, and jargon-free.

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2. Business Overview

The business overview section of your business plan offers detailed information about your company. The details you add will depend on how important they are to your business. Yet, business name, location, business history, and future goals are some of the foundational elements you must consider adding to this section:

• Business Description: Describe your business in this section by providing all the basic information:
• Specialty coffee roaster
• Artisanal coffee roaster
• Wholesale roaster
• Contract roaster
• Retail roaster
• E-commerce roaster

Describe the legal structure of your coffee roaster business, whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or others.

• Owners: List the names of your coffee roaster business’s founders or owners. Describe what shares they own and their responsibilities for efficiently managing the business.
• Mission Statement: Summarize your business’ objective, core principles, and values in your mission statement. This statement needs to be memorable, clear, and brief.
• Business History: If you’re an established coffee roaster business, briefly describe your business history, like—when it was founded, how it evolved over time, etc.
• Additionally, If you have received any awards or recognition for excellent work, describe them.
• Future Goals: It’s crucial to convey your aspirations and vision. Mention your short-term and long-term goals; they can be specific targets for revenue, market share, or expanding your services.

This section should provide a thorough understanding of your business, its history, and its future plans. Keep this section engaging, precise, and to the point.

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section of your business plan should offer a thorough understanding of the industry with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. You should include the following components in this section.

• Target market: Start this section by describing your target market. Define your ideal customer and explain what types of services they prefer. Creating a buyer persona will help you easily define your target market to your readers.
• For instance, cafes, coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, or offices would be an ideal target audience for a coffee roaster business.
• Market size and growth potential: Describe your market size and growth potential and whether you will target a niche or a much broader market.
• Competitive Analysis: Identify and analyze your direct and indirect competitors. Identify their strengths and weaknesses, and describe what differentiates your coffee roaster business from them. Point out how you have a competitive edge in the market.
• Market Trends: Analyze emerging trends in the industry, such as changes in customer behavior or preferences, etc. Explain how your business will cope with all the trends.
• For instance, sustainability and ethical sourcing has a growing market now; explain how you plan on dealing with this potential growth opportunity.
• Regulatory Environment: List regulations and licensing requirements that may affect your coffee roaster company, such as food safety regulations, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), etc.

Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your coffee roaster business plan:

• Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data.
• Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible.
• Illustrate your points with charts and graphs.
• Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind.

4. Products And Services

The product and services section should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

• Single-origin beans
• Unique blends
• Flavored coffee
• Decaffeinated coffee
• Quality measures: Describe the steps you take to make sure every batch of coffee beans that you roast satisfy your high-quality standards, such as cupping and tasting procedures, quality checks, or certifications.
• Additional Services: Mention if your coffee roaster company offers any additional services. You may include products or services like brewing supplies, coffee accessories, some courses, etc.

In short, this section of your coffee roaster plan must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

• Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Define your business’s USPs depending on the market you serve, the equipment you use, and the unique services you provide. Identifying USPs will help you plan your marketing strategies.
• For example, single-origin focus, ethical sourcing, or customization could be some of the great USPs for a professional coffee roaster business.
• Pricing Strategy: Describe your pricing strategy—how you plan to price your services and stay competitive in the local market. You can mention any discounts you plan on offering to attract new customers.
• Marketing Strategies: Discuss your marketing strategies to market your services. You may include some of these marketing strategies in your business plan—social media marketing, Google ads, brochures, email marketing, content marketing, and print marketing.
• Sales Strategies: Outline the strategies you’ll implement to maximize your sales. Your sales strategies may include direct sales calls, online sales, partnering with other local businesses, etc.
• Customer Retention: Describe your customer retention strategies and how you plan to execute them. For instance, introducing loyalty programs, discounts on bulk orders, personalized service, etc.

Overall, this section of your coffee roaster business plan should focus on customer acquisition and retention.

Have a specific, realistic, and data-driven approach while planning sales and marketing strategies for your coffee roaster business, and be prepared to adapt or make strategic changes in your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section of your business plan should outline the processes and procedures involved in your business operations, such as staffing requirements and operational processes. Here are a few components to add to your operations plan:

• Staffing & Training: Mention your business’s staffing requirements, including the number of employees or roaster operators needed. Include their qualifications, the training required, and the duties they will perform.
• Operational Process: Outline the processes and procedures you will use to run your coffee roaster business. Your operational processes may include roasting, sourcing & selection, inventory management, etc.

Adding these components to your operations plan will help you lay out your business operations, which will eventually help you manage your business effectively.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of your coffee roaster business’s management team. This section should provide a detailed description of each manager’s experience and qualifications, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

• Founders/CEO: Mention the founders and CEO of your coffee roaster company, and describe their roles and responsibilities in successfully running the business.
• Organizational structure: Explain the organizational structure of your management team. Include the reporting line and decision-making hierarchy.
• Compensation Plan: Describe your compensation plan for the management and staff. Include their salaries, incentives, and other benefits.
• Advisors/Consultants: Mentioning advisors or consultants in your business plans adds credibility to your business idea.
• So, if you have any advisors or consultants, include them with their names and brief information consisting of roles and years of experience.

This section should describe the key personnel for your coffee roaster business, highlighting how you have the perfect team to succeed.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan section should summarize your business’s financial projections for the first few years. Here are some key elements to include in your financial plan:

• Profit & loss statement: Describe details such as projected revenue, operational costs, and service costs in your projected profit and loss statement . Make sure to include your business’s expected net profit or loss.
• Cash flow statement: The cash flow for the first few years of your operation should be estimated and described in this section. This may include billing invoices, payment receipts, loan payments, and any other cash flow statements.
• Balance Sheet: Create a projected balance sheet documenting your coffee roaster business’s assets, liabilities, and equity.
• Break-even point: Determine and mention your business’s break-even point—the point at which your business costs and revenue will be equal.
• This exercise will help you understand how much revenue you need to generate to sustain or be profitable.
• Financing Needs: Calculate costs associated with starting a coffee roaster business, and estimate your financing needs and how much capital you need to raise to operate your business. Be specific about your short-term and long-term financing requirements, such as investment capital or loans.

Be realistic with your financial projections, and make sure you offer relevant information and evidence to support your estimates.

9. Appendix

The appendix section of your business plan should include any additional information supporting your business plan’s main content, such as market research, legal documentation, financial statements, and other relevant information.

• Add a table of contents for the appendix section to help readers easily find specific information or sections.
• In addition to your financial statements, provide additional financial documents like tax returns, a list of assets within the business, credit history, and more.These statements must be the latest and offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.
• Provide data derived from market research, including stats about the coffee roaster, user demographics, and industry trends.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Include any additional documentation related to your business plan, such as product brochures, marketing materials, operational procedures, etc.

Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the necessary information.

Remember, the appendix section of your coffee roaster business plan should only include relevant and important information supporting your plan’s main content.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

This sample coffee roaster business plan will provide an idea for writing a successful coffee roaster plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready business plan to impress your audience, download our coffee roaster business plan pdf .

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Frequently asked questions, why do you need a coffee roaster business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful coffee roaster business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your coffee roaster company.

How to get funding for your coffee roaster business?

There are several ways to get funding for your coffee roaster business, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are:

• Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
• Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting a lot of people to invest in your business, usually online.
• Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought startup options.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your coffee roaster business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and ideas better than you, so we recommend you write your coffee roaster business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your coffee roaster business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any coffee roaster business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software .

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Learning center series

What makes a good coffee roaster business plan?

• Published on March 12, 2024
• by Marketing Team
• Last updated: 5 months ago

In the vast landscape of coffee businesses, crafting a solid roaster business plan is not just any old option, it’s your survival kit. Ever looked at the daily consumption stats?

Over 2.25 billion cups of coffee devoured around the globe every day. That's nearly enough to fill 900 Olympic swimming pools with steaming mocha delight!

Yet, amidst this behemoth consumer demand, many coffee roaster operations still teeter and totter. Not because they lack an inviting aroma, but largely from an absence of a tailored, strategic business plan.

“What is a good coffee roaster business plan?” If that question has been gnawing at your consciousness, then buckle up. This post is set to serve you the nitty-gritty essentials of creating the near-perfect plan— the proverbial ‘shot of espresso’ in outsmarting your competition. It’s time to truly brew success with your coffee roaster business.

America's Coffee Craze ☕️ Nearly 3 in 4 Americans drink coffee per day (73%) .

Metrobi has been a game changer for coffee industry.

With Metrobi, you can save 23% on delivery costs, save 80% of the time from managing deliveries, and delight your customers with delivery notifications & tracking.

The Blueprint to a Successful Coffee Roaster Business Plan

Step 1: understanding the coffee roasting market.

Coffee roasting is more than an art; it’s a booming industry. You’re not just dabbling in coffee beans and their aroma; you’re diving into a multi-billion-dollar industry inhabited by countless competitors. Can you carve out your niche in this bustling market? To do so, a clear comprehension of the coffee roasting market becomes paramount. At Metrobi, we specialize in optimizing coffee logistics and distribution , ensuring your unique blends reach their destinations efficiently and reliably.

For starters, get to know your customers. They come in all forms – cafe owners, retail customers, wholesalers. Each has unique tastes, preferences, and price points.

Understanding competitors is equally crucial in this landscape. Identify the major players, what they do well, and where they falter. This doesn’t imply launching into a copycat strategy but acquiring cues to stand out.

Pay attention to trends too. The coffee market, like many others, is influenced by global and local trends. For instance, single-origin coffee has seen a surge in demand due to discerning customers. Are there similar opportunities to capitalize on?

Coffee and Health 🌿 48% of people agree that drinking coffee benefits their health .

Step 2: Identifying Your Unique Selling Proposition

Once you’ve got a handle on the market, it’s time to distinguish your coffee. What sets your roasts apart? Perhaps it’s the beans, the roasting process, or your commitment to sustainability. Whatever it might be, this unique selling proposition (USP) adds an irreplaceable dimension to your brand.

Manifest this USP into everything you do – from your packaging to your marketing. A potent USP can be a game-changer that turns coffee connoisseurs into loyal customers. More than enthralling your customers, it can make competition irrelevant, allowing your business to break away from the rest.

Coffee Shop Loyalty ☕ 51% of people purchase coffee from a coffee shop at least once a week.

Step 3: Creating a Comprehensive Business Model

Regardless of your business type, a comprehensive business model is the backbone of your enterprise. With your USP identified, it’s time to sketch out how you’ll sell, distribute, and market your coffee, and who to. Are you primarily targeting cafés or end consumers? Will you adopt a brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, or mix of both models? Answering these questions will streamline your operational strategy. Additionally, it will help outline revenue sources, expenses, and your pricing strategy. An extensive business model mitigates unforeseen challenges and preempts strategies for growth and expansion.

To ensure your coffee roastery business succeeds, it’s crucial to incorporate detailed business planning, including thorough market research and a clear understanding of coffee costs.

A comprehensive business plan should cover all key elements: an executive summary highlighting your aim to produce high-quality coffee; a marketing plan outlining strategies to reach your targeted customer segments; profit and loss statements to forecast financials; considerations for sales tax as your business grows; and operational plans for using commercial roasters.

This foundational document guides every decision as a business owner, from choosing between being a coffee roaster wholesaler or focusing on direct sales, to determining the right marketing approach for your unique coffee roasteries.

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Why Most Coffee Roaster Businesses Fail

Lack of market understanding.

One of the main reasons for the failure of numerous  coffee roaster  businesses is the inability to grasp the market intricacies they are attempting to participate in. The coffee market is not limited to brewing; it involves dealing with coffee growers, understanding the complex chain from farm to cup, grasping coffee species and varietals, and keeping pace with ever-evolving consumer preferences.

Multiple Cups a Day 🍵 36% of people drink 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day.

Inadequate Business Planning

Another common failure point is poor planning. Many kickstart a coffee roasting business based solely on passion and limited hands-on experience, neglecting the essentials like a solid business plan, realistic budget, and crucial timelines. Without a comprehensive plan, it’s challenging to ascertain the right roasting equipment, understand inventory needs, identify potential clientele, project sales, calculate overhead costs, and forecast profitability. Ambiguity in these areas can lead to a disaster.

Poor Financial Management

The inadvertent financial management surfaces as another key failure reason. The operational costs of a coffee roasting business can accumulate quickly, from procuring high-quality beans and installing the right roasting and packaging equipment, to managing inventory, rent, utilities, and staff salaries. It’s also crucial to budget for marketing initiatives, potential downturns, regulatory compliance, and unexpected expenses. Moreover, one must decipher the nuances of pricing the product rightly to ensure profitability without scaring away potential consumers. Overlooking these elements can lead to a financial crisis, hampering business growth.

Brewing Up Growth ☕️ The global Coffee Roasters market is projected to grow at a 7.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2023 and 2030 , with a market worth of USD 1.93 billion in 2022.

Understanding Profit Margins in a Coffee Roasting Business

Revenue streams in a coffee roasting business.

The backbone of your coffee roasting business is the revenue streams you choose to tap into. There’s no single solution – success comes from a blend of multiple approaches.

Different ways to generate income

Consider the obvious methods: selling raw beans direct to consumers, supplying local cafes, or even providing bespoke roasting services. More industrious roasters might move into offering barista training or collaborating with artisan bakeries to create coffee-infused goods.

A successful blend of revenue streams pays attention to market demand and customer preferences. Regularly assess what’s contributing the most to your bottom line, testing new products and services to find what resonates with your target market.

Maximizing profitability

Don’t confuse activity with profitability. It’s easy to get caught up in the buzz of new offers, but the key is to scrutinize each venture for its potential return on investment. Every initiative should add significant revenue potential or drive customer loyalty to justify its existence. In short, if it doesn’t make money, it doesn’t make sense.

Cost Analysis

No business runs cost-free. A thorough understanding of your ongoing costs is crucial to securing your profit margins.

Breakdown of common costs in a coffee roasting business

Running a coffee roasting business takes more than a roaster. You need high-quality beans, packaging, shipping infrastructure, premises, and, of course, a diligent team. Each aspect contributes to your overheads, meaning you have to continue bringing in sufficient revenue to meet these costs – and, ideally, go beyond them.

Always keep an eye on your balance sheet. Recognise the impact of your major costs. Rent, wages, the price of raw materials – these, among other things, dictate your break-even point and profit potential. Understand their individual impact with deep dive analytics, tracking the ebbs and flows of each cost component.

Strategies for managing and reducing costs

Efficiency is king in a coffee roasting operation. While you can’t avoid costs, you can certainly strive to manage them.

Monitor and investigate any significant cost increases. Review supplier contracts regularly to ensure the best price and seek to optimise your internal operations. Aim for a lean and efficient setup – remember, every dollar saved is an additional dollar of profit.

But remember – cost-cutting should never sacrifice the quality of your product or service. Securing your reputation for quality is paramount to long-term success. In the end, maintaining quality might be the most significant strategy for managing costs in the long run, by fostering customer loyalty and repeat business.

This understanding of revenue streams and cost structures creates a clear framework for profitability potential of a coffee roasting business. Armed with this knowledge, you can take steps to secure and grow your profit margins.

Leading Roasting Technique 🔥 The largest segment in the Coffee Roasters market is the Semi-direct Fire with Half Hot Air Style , holding a share over 65%.

What is a Coffee Roaster Business?

The role of a coffee roaster.

The food-service universe holds companies of all sizes, from multinational giants to single-person operations. In the realm of coffee, a coffee roaster business is a principal player, working behind the scenes to shape the flavor profiles of the coffee that we savor daily. As roasters, these businesses are the guardians of quality, the alchemists transforming green seeds into aromatic brown beans that excite the senses of coffee lovers worldwide.

Coffee roasters are the bridge between the coffee farm and your morning cup, responsible for bringing out the best flavors from the quality raw material. Roasters partner closely with coffee growers, purchasing raw green coffee beans which they then carefully roast to bring out varied flavors and characteristics. The connection between roasters and growers is indispensable, contributing to the traceability and sustainability of our coffee supply.

The Process of Coffee Roasting

Coffee roasting is an art as much as it is a science. It is a complex process involving several principles from chemistry and thermodynamics and requires precision and skill to master.

In essence, coffee roasting is the process of heating green coffee beans in a coffee roaster to transform them into roasted coffee products. The roasting process is what produces the characteristic flavor of coffee by causing the beans to change in taste.

The beans are kept moving throughout the entire process to keep them from burning. As they are roasted, they’ll first turn a yellowish color and the beans will begin to smell grassy. The beans then darken to a light brown and will begin to smell like coffee. After the first crack, the roast can be considered complete at any time according to taste. The further the beans are roasted, the more they lose the inherent tastes of their origins and take on flavor from the roasting process.

Just as winemaking can be broken down into grape-growing and wine-producing, so too coffee can be viewed in two stages: coffee farming and coffee roasting.

Why Start a Coffee Roaster Business?

If you’re flirting with the idea of launching a business, why not consider diving into the coffee world, more specifically, running a coffee roasting business? Pull up your sleeves. Let’s get into the heat of it.

The Growing Demand for Specialty Coffee Industry

Drinking coffee has morphed from a simple morning routine to an intricate experience savored by passionate java enthusiasts. It’s coffee time, and it’s not just about any coffee, but more about pursuing unique, ethical, and skilfully brewed cups – the birth of the specialty coffee market.

While large franchises like Starbucks dominated the industry in the past, today, committed coffee lovers are seeking out local, artisanal roasters who offer unique experiences and flavors. This growing preference for quality over convenience is blowing the doors wide open for specialty coffee roasters. With Metrobi, these businesses can extend their reach, as we offer delivery services across more than 20 U.S. cities, including Denver , ensuring that even the most distinctive coffee flavors find their way to enthusiasts everywhere.

Not only is the demand for specialty beverages on the rise, but the demographics of coffee drinkers are also broadening. Millennials are driving the increase in coffee consumption, with most willing to pay a premium for high-quality brews.

Equally important is the shift towards ethically sourced coffee. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the ethics behind their cups. They are aware that by purchasing from small-scale, local, and ethical roasters, they are supporting sustainable coffee farming practices.

Top Beans on the Block 🏆 The global top three Coffee Roasters manufacturers hold a share over 20% of the market.

The Potential for High-Profit Margins

Undeniably, the coffee business can be a profitable venture if done right. Taking it up a notch by delving into roasting opens another realm. There is potential for high-profit margins when you roast your beans, primarily because you’re controlling the whole process from bean to cup, skipping the middleman. Metrobi aids in expanding your reach by facilitating delivery services across over 20 cities in the US, including offering immediate delivery options in Miami .

Unlike cafe businesses that deal with high overhead and slim margins, a roastery tends to have relatively lower operating costs. Plus, the pricing of roasted beans is often based more on quality than competitive pricing, allowing for larger margins if the product is well received. Discover how our guide unveils viable approaches for a lucrative coffee roasting venture , ensuring a roadmap to sustained success and scalability.

Moreover, as preferences for gourmet, single-origin, and fair-trade coffees continue to grow, consumers are willing to pay more for high-quality, ethically sourced beans. Therefore, the potential to maintain healthier margins is built into the very nature of the market.

This provides an opportunity for those ready to undertake the journey – it’s not just about selling beans, but a rich experience, a unique story, and a taste that leaves an impression.

Coffee Roaster Business Plan: Market Analysis and Future Trends

Current market trends, the newest trends in coffee roasting.

The coffee industry is under constant evolution that is influencing the roasting segment as well. From the demand for eco-friendly practices to the rise of artisanal coffee, consumers’ preferences are reshaping the market landscape. Understanding these trends is crucial in formulating a successful business plan.

In light of these prevailing trends, many businesses are reassessing their operational models and aligning it with the changing coffee world. For instance, many coffee roasters are turning towards organic beans and cleaner roasting methods, responding to the growing call for sustainability.

European Coffee Culture 🌍 Europe is the largest market for Coffee Roasters, holding a share of about 40% .

Leveraging Industry Trends for Business Success

Current trends are not just markers of industry development, but opportunities for growth and success. Being aware of these trends allows businesses to stay competitive and responsive. For instance, if the demand for single-origin beans is on the upswing, incorporating these into your roasting profile can help attract discerning customers. Similarly, offering roast-to-order services could be another route to explore, as it caters to the industry trend of personalisation and freshness.

Future Outlook

Spotting future trends in the coffee roasting industry.

It’s crucial not just to keep an eye on the current scene, but also the horizon. A carefully researched prediction of future trends puts you one step ahead of the market curve. For instance, experts are foreseeing a rise in demand for traceable coffee as consumers become more conscious of the origin of their brew. This means that businesses may need to start closing the gap between growers and customers, perhaps by offering more information about the beans’ journey from farm to cup.

Preparing Your Business for Future Growth

As the saying goes, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” With that in mind, it’s time to consider how your business can adapt to – and influence – the future of the coffee roasting industry. This could involve investing in cutting-edge roasting technology, partnering with coffee growers to ensure sustainable practices, or even shaping customer tastes with innovative flavor profiles.

A Toast to Your Coffee Roasters’ Success: Concluding Thoughts

Perfecting your coffee roasting business plan isn’t about jumping hoops but understanding the nuances. A compelling vision, robust financial projection, detailed marketing strategy, and effective risk management are your ingredients to a richer, deeper, more successful plan. Now that you’re equipped with this knowledge, it’s your brew of the day that matters.

Remember, your business plan is the lifeblood of your coffee roasting venture. It guides your path and helps secure investments. Keep it flexible, keep it informed, and always tailor it to your business’s unique roast.

So, what’s boiling next for you? Time to review that business plan, isn’t it? Are you ready to refine the elements we’ve discussed and swirl your business in the direction of success? Let’s keep that pot brewing.

Have you identified the unique element that sets your coffee roasting business apart yet? A unique roast, perhaps?

Keep the fire burning, coffee entrepreneurs. Remember, every great coffee roasting empire started with one courageous step. Take yours. Brew tomorrow, today.

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How to Start a Coffee Roasting Business: 9 Steps to Success

Coffee beans are actually the pit of coffee cherries. They’re green, hard and un-brewable in their raw state. A coffee roasting business roasts green coffee beans to light (city), medium (full city) and dark (full city+) roast levels so that they can be brewed. Roasters may sell their roasted coffee directly to individuals, or through coffee shops, grocers and other retailers. If you want to find out how to start a successful coffee roastery business, this article covers the basics you'll need to know, from crafting a business plan, to startup costs, to common business licenses required in the coffee industry.

Recommended : Read our full, in-depth  How to Start a Coffee Shop Business guides, inspired by coffee professionals, they will help make your coffee dreams real, from sourcing beans to hiring baristas, choosing the best POS system , forming an actual company, and everything in between.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee. Northwest ($29 + State Fees) DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a coffee roasting business by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Coffee Roasting Business
• Form your Coffee Roasting Business into a Legal Entity
• Register your Coffee Roasting Business for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Coffee Roasting Business
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Coffee Roasting Business
• Get Coffee Roasting Business Insurance
• Define your Coffee Roasting Business Brand
• Create your Coffee Roasting Business Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your coffee roasting business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Coffee Roasting Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Find a Domain Now

Powered by godaddy.com, what are the costs involved in opening a coffee roasting business.

The startup costs associated with opening a coffee roasting business are significant. In addition to commercial space, business owners must also purchase:

• A coffee roaster, which can cost up to $25,000 or more
• Green coffee, which usually costs ~$3.00 to $4.50 per pound but is bought in large bags (e.g. 50-kilogram (110-pound) sacks)
• Packaging supplies (a few cents per bag or box)
• A POS system
• Labels (a few cents each)
• A heat sealer, which may cost anywhere from $30 to $300 or more
• A coffee grinder, which might cost between $500 and $1,000

Businesses will also need a computer and internet access to accept orders, and a vehicle to make deliveries.

There are two ways that business owners who have limited capital can significantly reduce their startup costs.

First, business owners can “contract roast.” In contract roasting, a business pays a rental fee to use a more established roaster’s facilities. The roaster of the established company may also be involved in the roasting process. The roasted coffee is sold under the renting roaster’s brand, regardless of whether another roaster is involved. This solution not only greatly reduces startup expenses, as there’s no need to purchase a roaster, heat sealer or coffee grinder, and it lets inexperienced business owners lean on the expertise of more experienced roasters.

Alternatively, roasters can start with lower-priced equipment. Driftaway Coffee is an established commercial roaster that roasted its first commercial batches with a Behmor 1600 -- a roaster that’s marketed to hobbyists and typically sells for far less than $1,000. Businesses can also purchase less-expensive grinders and heat sealers.

What are the ongoing expenses for a coffee roasting business?

The ongoing expenses for a coffee roasting business include:

• Purchasing green coffee
• Purchasing fuel for the roaster (which may use propane, natural gas, electricity or another fuel source)
• Buying packaging supplies
• Rent and utility costs
• POS System monthly/annual fee
• Employees’ wages
• Shipping and delivery costs
• Equipment service calls

Who is the target market?

A coffee roasting business’ ideal customer is a business that sells a lot of specialty coffee. Coffee shops, certain grocery stores and a few boutiques may go through a lot of coffee. While these types of wholesale customers won’t pay as much as individuals who pay retail prices, wholesale customers provide a more stable income stream.

How does a coffee roasting business make money?

A coffee roasting business makes money by selling roasted coffee to individuals (retail) and businesses (wholesale).

Retail prices for roasted coffee are often between $12 and $20 for 12-ounce bags. Wholesale prices are often $6 to $12 per pound. The quality of coffee is one of the main factors that determine where within these ranges a roaster’s prices fall. (A few roasters have prices outside of these ranges.)

Lots of roasters offer retail bags in sizes other than 12 ounces, but most roasters use 12-ounce bags as their main retail package. They do this because about 25 percent of green coffee’s weight is lost in the roasting process, so 1 pound of green coffee becomes approximately 12 ounces of roasted coffee. Prices can be varied based on the reports generated by the POS system . If there is a significant demand for a product, the price may be increased. 

How much profit can a coffee roasting business make?

A coffee roasting business’ profit potential depends on how many outlets into which it can get its coffee. A roaster that has coffee in lots of retail locations may earn hundreds of thousands of dollars, or more, each year. However, many don’t make quite this much, but bring in closer to tens of thousands of dollars annually.

How can you make your business more profitable?

A coffee roasting business can increase its coffee sales and add additional revenue streams by opening up its own coffee shops. 

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your coffee roasting business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they're a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business's debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business's liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your coffee roasting business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We've negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

Form Your LLC Now

Note: If you're interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Establishments that prepare or work with food are randomly inspected by the local health department on a regular basis. These inspections will check for compliance with local health laws, typically related to prevention of contamination. Here are some tips for faring well on a health inspection .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Certificate of Occupancy

A coffee roasting business is generally run out of a regulated location (e.g. Any location that passes a local health Inspection). Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

• If you plan to lease a location for Coffee Roasting
• It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
• Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a coffee roasting business.
• After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.

Fair Trade Certification

In order to be qualified under an Fair Trade certification , the company must submit to fair trade supply chain audits as well as paying fair trade price premiums for the quality of bean supplied.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Coffee Roasting Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Coffee Roasting Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a coffee roasting business

One of the most effective ways of marketing a coffee roasting business is by offering cuppings. Cuppings are professional coffee tastings, and they provide a great opportunity for potential customers to connect with a roaster and learn more about their coffee.

How to keep customers coming back

A coffee roasting business must be able to differentiate itself from other coffee roasters. A business might do this by:

• Specializing in a certain roast level or coffee from a specific region
• Purchasing coffee via direct trade and sharing the stories of farmers who grew the coffee
• Supporting initiatives by providing exclusively Fair Trade, Organic Certified or Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee

In addition to these strategies, coffee roasting businesses should also emphasize providing freshly roasted coffee. Coffee loses aroma and flavor over time, so freshly roasted coffee tastes better than older, stale coffee. Many roasters state the roast date on their bags to show that the coffee inside has been recently roasted.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

People who are considering opening a coffee roasting business should be creative, and also passionate about coffee. Creativity helps when coming up with new blends, which requires combining different coffees in unique ways and also inventing blend names.

Additionally, roasters should be comfortable with basic scientific concepts. Roasters don’t need a formal degree in science, but they should be comfortable with biology, physics and chemistry because roasting coffee involves each of these fields:

• Choosing good coffees requires a knowledge of growing conditions, cultivars and varieties of coffee beans (biology)
• Selecting and setting up a roaster requires an appreciation for thermodynamics (physics)
• Deciding which roast profiles are suitable for each coffee requires an understanding of how the heat applied in roasting affects the chemical structure of coffee beans (chemistry)

It’s also helpful if roasters are comfortable multitasking. Roasting a single batch of coffee takes between 10 and 15 minutes. In order to maximize efficiency, roasters often complete other tasks while batches are roasting -- but they must still keep an eye on any coffee that’s roasting to ensure it’s roasted properly.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a coffee roasting business?

As a coffee roasting business owner, you’ll spend a lot of time roasting and packaging coffee. In a typical day, you may:

• Sort and weigh green (unroasted) coffee out into batches (often 5 to 20 pounds)
• Roast batches of coffee
• Sort and weigh roasted coffee into retail and wholesale packages (often 12-ounce and 5-pound bags)
• Accept and fulfill orders using a POS system
• Clean the roastery

Deliveries to wholesale customers are often made weekly.

At least monthly, and perhaps more often, you’ll receive shipments of green coffee and send invoices to wholesale customers.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful coffee roasting business?

Roasting coffee requires a lot of knowledge about coffee and the roasting process. Roasters should be familiar with everything from the cultivars of coffee and growing regions to how to cup coffee and when to increase heat during roasting.

Both the Roasters Guild and the Specialty Coffee Association of America offer classes on coffee and roasting.

Business owners who want to learn to roast coffee without paying for formal classes can apply to work as a profile roaster at an area coffee roasting company. Profile roasters don’t come up with new roasts, but they roast coffee according to the parameters set forth by a head roaster. This can be a good introduction to the fundamentals of roasting, especially if the head roaster is willing to teach and answer questions.

Sweet Marias , an online retailer of green coffee, also has a lot of free resources. These are targeted toward home roasters, but can also be beneficial to novice roasters who are exploring opening a commercial roastery.

What is the growth potential for a coffee roasting business?

A coffee roasting business can be a small, local business or it can be a large national company. Two large companies that both started as small roasteries include Starbucks, which sells its roasted coffee through its cafes and retailers, and Green Mountain Coffee, which doesn’t have cafes.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

How and when to build a team

As a coffee roasting business grows, there are four key positions to hire people for:

• Sales and marketing, which grows a roastery by seeking new customers
• Packaging, which packages up roasted coffee
• Delivery and customer service, which delivers packaged coffee and answers customers’ inquiries
• Profile roasting, which roasts coffee according to set parameters

The first three positions let you focus on finding new coffees, developing new blends and growing the business. Hiring a profile roaster ensures coffee will still be roasted if you become sick and provides you with an opportunity to take a vacation.

Useful Links

Industry opportunities.

• Solar Roast Coffee Roasting Franchise Opportunity
• Coffee Roasting franchise
• Franchise Opportunities

Real World Examples

• A Pioneer within the Coffee Roasting Industry
• How 3 Coffee Roasters Got Their Start
• Successful Small Batch Coffee Roasters

Further Reading

• To Roast or Not to Roast
• How to Start a Coffee Shop Business
• How to Break into the Coffee Roasting Business
• Making a Career in Coffee Roasting
• Tips When Starting a Coffee Roasting Business
• Tips from Professionals on Growing Your Coffee Roasting Business

Entrepreneur Interviews

Read Interview

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

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1. Don't worry about finding an exact match

We have over 550 sample business plan templates . So, make sure the plan is a close match, but don't get hung up on the details.

Your business is unique and will differ from any example or template you come across. So, use this example as a starting point and customize it to your needs.

2. Remember it's just an example

Our sample business plans are examples of what one business owner did. That doesn't make them perfect or require you to cram your business idea to fit the plan structure.

Use the information, financials, and formatting for inspiration. It will speed up and guide the plan writing process.

3. Know why you're writing a business plan

To create a plan that fits your needs , you need to know what you intend to do with it.

Are you planning to use your plan to apply for a loan or pitch to investors? Then it's worth following the format from your chosen sample plan to ensure you cover all necessary information.

But, if you don't plan to share your plan with anyone outside of your business—you likely don't need everything.

More business planning resources

Business Plan Template

How to Write a Business Plan

How to Write a Business Plan for Investors

How to Create a Business Plan Presentation

Simple Business Plan Outline

10 Qualities of a Good Business Plan

How to Start a Business With No Money

Industry Business Planning Guides

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How to Start a Coffee Roasting Business in 2024: 5 Expert Tips

Starting a coffee roasting business is a big undertaking and not something you should decide to do lightly, but it might not be as daunting as it sounds. We know roasters who started in their backyards roasting for friends and family. We’ve even heard about a college student running a roasting business out of their dorm with a custom-made roaster.

We’re not suggesting it’s an easy thing to do, but there are actually relatively few essential pieces to starting a roasting business compared to starting some other kinds of businesses. It’s even feasible – although not recommended – to run a roasting business as an individual. In this guide, we’re going to go through the steps required and teach you how to start a coffee roasting business. You won’t be gunning for Starbucks’ market share any time soon, but you have to start somewhere! Let’s dive right in:

• Before You Start Your Coffee Roasting Business…

Before we get into the specific details, we think it’s a good idea to take a step back and set a few things straight. First of all, there are many paths to success in most endeavors, and a roasting business is no exception. We don’t claim that this is the only way to do it, but we think, for most people, the steps we put forth here are a reasonable start.

Second, there is a huge range of scales that a roasting business could operate on. The college student we mentioned in the beginning certainly had his own roasting business, but he sold less than 100 pounds of coffee a month. A professional scale roaster with a 25-pound roaster could surpass 100 pounds in a single day.

Top 5 Tips For Starting a Coffee Roasting Business:

• 1. Make a business plan

This is an essential step, and “start a coffee roasting business” doesn’t count as a business plan. You need to figure out how much money you will need and how much you’re willing to invest.

• Green coffee
• A heat sealer

This is the absolute bare minimum and doesn’t cover regulatory fees or licensing fees that vary tremendously depending on where you’re located.

The two biggest cost items on that list are the roaster and the premises. Coffee roasters can be very expensive if you want a professional scale machine. San Franciscan is a manufacturer of professional-grade coffee roasters, and their 1 lb roaster costs about $11,000! That is far too low of a capacity to produce any serious amount of coffee, and a 25 lb roaster is proportionally more expensive.

Many people get started with cheap roasters since the barrier to entry is so much lower. It is tempting to purchase a relatively cheap roaster, but know that you pay more for a smaller sized roaster in the long run. More roasting capacity means you will reach break-even sooner even though the initial cost of a large roaster is higher. Read our guide to choosing a home coffee roaster here !

The second-largest cost is the location where you will do the actual roasting. Rent prices vary depending on where you live, but there are also the costs of getting your premises inspected. Many countries and US states have different requirements, but most require you to operate out of a food-safe kitchen, and getting approval costs money.

The rest of the list is fairly cheap by comparison, but you should research the costs of the equipment you’re interested in using to get an estimate of the total startup cost. A very rough estimate that takes into account the price of green beans and all of the equipment suggests that you can expect a gross profit of $5 per pound of green coffee you purchase. Once you estimate your startup cost, you can use this profit estimate to calculate how long it will take for you to break even – assuming you can find people to buy your coffee.

And that brings us to step two.

• 2. Build an audience

This is probably the hardest part of starting any new business, regardless of what you’re trying to sell. Starting a coffee roasting business actually has an advantage in this regard since there is already a large audience of coffee drinkers out there. The challenge is to get them to try your coffee, and that isn’t easy.

A great way to build an audience more quickly is to focus on selling your coffee wholesale to local restaurants and cafés . Using the local connection is often enough to get your foot in the door with some businesses. If you offer your coffee at a discounted rate to start, you might be able to get your coffee sold to a large audience. This is essential for growth.

Wholesale accounts are the most reliable way to generate continuing revenue because the orders will be large and consistent. On the other hand, you need to keep up with large order volumes even if you only have a single wholesale account. If you’re starting out with a small roaster, you need to consider any client’s requirements carefully. A large order from a local restaurant sounds great but won’t do you any good if you can’t meet their expectations.

It’s worth mentioning that thinking outside the box can be beneficial. When you’re looking for large clients, don’t limit yourself to restaurants or cafés only. These are great options, but hotels, office buildings, grocery stores, and local markets are all good candidates as well. Think about what businesses around you drink coffee in large volumes and reach out to them. The worst-case scenario is they decline, and it only takes one to get your business off the ground.

If you start on a roaster with under a 5-pound capacity, you probably won’t be able to sell to big clients. In this case, selling online is an option. Online sales require a website, so you’ll need to hire a developer if you’re not comfortable with technology. Modern website building tools make it very easy to create your own website with minimal knowledge required. It’s worth checking these out if you want to have an online presence.

• 3. Leverage social media

This is related to the last step but is different enough to warrant it’s own section. Building an audience from nothing requires legwork and creating contacts in the industry, but maintaining your audience and growing it beyond your local shops requires something more. In today’s world, social media is a great tool for new businesses looking to expand their reach.

We think it is essential for an up-and-coming coffee roaster to have an Instagram account and a Facebook page. More people connect on Facebook than any other platform. If you already have local customers, having them follow you on Facebook gets them to engage with your brand and increases the visibility you have to other potential customers.

Instagram serves a similar but slightly different purpose. Coffee can be visual, and Instagram is a great way to tap into a different userbase than Facebook. Coffee has almost universal popularity across many demographics, so targeting all ages and types of coffee drinkers is possible and important.

There are so many ways to use social media to promote your new roasting business that you really are only limited by your creativity. Running giveaways in exchange for follows is a popular technique and, most importantly, gets people to try your coffee. Word of mouth is powerful, and on the back of a lively social media presence can dramatically increase your customer base.

• 4. Perfect your craft

Until now, we’ve glossed over a rather important point: learning how to roast coffee takes time. Roasting coffee is a skill, and getting to the point where you can roast high-quality coffee consistently will take a lot of effort. It’s easy to get caught up in the logistics of running a business and forget about the core feature: the coffee.

This will sound like a cliché, but if you don’t have good coffee , the best marketing, networking, and business plan in the world won’t make you a success. The easiest way to build and keep an audience is to make stellar coffee. Most professional roasters come with automation features that help you get your roasts just right, but there is a steep learning curve. Knowing how to make changes to the roast profile is one thing, but knowing how those changes will influence the taste only comes with practice.

Another aspect of making excellent coffee is making sure people know the best way to enjoy your coffee. We think providing educational material about how to brew your coffee can go a long way to connecting with customers. Dedicating part of your website to brew guides, roast descriptions, and general information about the coffee-making process builds your authority in the coffee world and helps encourage people who visit your website to try your coffee.

• 5. Be prepared for setbacks

This is generic advice, but it’s important enough to warrant its own number. Starting a business is all about spending long days making little money and solving big problems. Whatever the image you have in your head of what it will be like, odds are there will be things to deal with that you never anticipated. Being able to persevere and get a little closer each day to your ideal picture of a roasting business is essential.

You will have to manage your inventory, agreements with green coffee bean providers , client relationships, website management, order processing, and that’s to say nothing of the actual roasting! Just one of these tasks is enough to warrant a full-time job, and this isn’t even an exhaustive list.

If you can find a partner to start your roasting business with, your life will be much easier. A partner can take on some of the work and serve as encouragement and support when things start to go awry. Having a business partner comes with its own challenges, so choose who you work with wisely. A good partner is the easiest way to increase your chance of success.

This guide only scratches the surface of what you’ll face starting a roasting business. Our intention here isn’t to provide you with a comprehensive overview of every detail but instead to give you a sense of what goes into starting a coffee roasting business at a high level.

We hope that you have a better sense now of what it takes and some of the challenges you’ll face if you decide to start a roasting business. Roasting coffee isn’t easy by any means, but there is a relatively low barrier to entry compared to other businesses. Still, to really succeed will take hard work, people skills, and an unparalleled passion for delicious coffee .

Featured image credit: gedsarts, Pixabay

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Coffee Roaster Business Plan: the Ultimate Guide for 2024

Pro Business Plans

Last Updated: 12/17/2023

Are you passionate about coffee and thinking of starting your own artisanal coffee roasting business? If so, then crafting a well-thought-out business plan is key to setting yourself up for success. A coffee roaster business plan helps determine startup costs, guides market research, and addresses legal and financial considerations. It also serves as a roadmap to keep you on track once your doors open.

In this article, I’ll walk you through how to write a comprehensive coffee roaster business plan, including tips and resources to get you started. If you’re ready to dive into the exciting world of small-batch coffee roasting, read on to learn how to build an effective plan for your new venture!

Why You Need a Coffee Roaster Business Plan

Launching any small business takes immense planning and preparation. For coffee roasters, a solid business plan is essential. It helps outline your vision, establish goals, understand costs, and anticipate potential risks. It also helps determine financial viability and is necessary if seeking funding from investors or loans.

Without a well-crafted plan, it’s easy to lose focus or run into unforeseen issues. A coffee roaster business plan keeps you on track for success.

Need a Coffee Roaster Business Plan? Create a custom business plan with financial projections and market research in minutes with ProAI’s business plan generator.

How to Write Your Coffee Roaster Business Plan

A coffee roaster business plan requires researching your industry and competition, outlining operational details, and projecting financials. Here are the key elements to include:

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary is your chance to hook readers and spotlight your vision. Cover your mission, concept summary, operational approach, startup costs, and funding goals. Keep this section brief but compelling. The executive summary should capture the essence of your plan to entice readers to learn more.

2. Company Description

Describe your business in detail, including its legal structure. Discuss short- and long-term goals, as well as your relevant experience. Include details like business name and location, owner information, and growth plans. Briefly analyze your local market and explain why your business will thrive.

3. Market Analysis

3.1 Industry Analysis — Discuss trends in the specialty coffee industry and your target customers. Explain what sets you apart.

3.2 Competitor Analysis — Identify local competitors, how they operate, and how you differ. Discuss their products, pricing, locations, and more.

3.3 Marketing Analysis — Detail your marketing plan, including strategies for reaching customers, building brand awareness, and encouraging engagement. Discuss advertising, promotion, social media, and partnerships. Explain your approach to customer service and community outreach.

4. Roasting Process

Describe your roasting process in detail, including equipment used and your roasting profile. The roasting process directly impacts the flavor and aroma of your coffee, so outline experimentation needed to achieve your desired results. Discuss batch sizes, timelines, and how you’ll ensure consistency.

5. Packaging

Discuss your packaging choices, including type of bags or containers and amounts of coffee in each package. Consider sustainability and how packaging reflects your brand. Include associated costs and timelines. Packaging keeps coffee fresh and is part of your customer experience, so choose wisely.

6. Distribution

Explain how you’ll get coffee to customers. Will you deliver yourself, partner with local distributors, sell online, or a combination? Research options and include pros and cons of each. Discuss any fees involved with online marketplaces or distributors. Ensure your approach aligns with your goals and budget.

7. Employees

Discuss employee needs, including skills, experience, salaries, and benefits. Detail your hiring, training, and retention plans. Address workplace safety, compliance, and conflict resolution. Happy, skilled employees are essential to success, so make them a priority in your planning.

8. Location

Selecting the right location is key. Discuss options for your roastery, like leasing warehouse or retail space. Consider proximity to customers and suppliers, zoning laws, and infrastructure needs. If selling online as well, discuss potential e-commerce platforms. Your location depends on your goals and budget, so evaluate options carefully.

9. Marketing

Develop a comprehensive marketing plan. Build your brand to stand out from competitors. Discuss your website, social media, advertising, special events, and other outreach. Set a budget and track efforts to understand ROI. A strategic marketing plan will help raise brand awareness and attract loyal customers.

10. Financial Analysis

Provide a realistic projection of income and expenses. Outline startup costs, operational overhead, and revenue streams. Factor in the costs of goods sold, marketing, salaries, rent, utilities, and more. Discuss your pricing model. The financial analysis demonstrates the viability of your business, so be thorough in your projections.

Coffee Roaster Financial Forecasts

Startup expenses, monthly operating expenses, revenue forecast.

Here are some frequently asked questions about writing a coffee roaster business plan:

Q: How long should my business plan be?

A: A good rule of thumb is 15 to 25 pages for a coffee roaster business plan. Be concise but include all important details. An executive summary of 1 to 2 pages highlights key points.

Q: Do I need funding to start a coffee roasting business?

A: Coffee roasting equipment, rent, operational costs, and working capital require funding, either from investors, loans, crowdfunding, or personal savings. Costs vary but may range from $50,000 to $200,000 or more to start.

Q: What software can I use to write my business plan?

A: Popular options for writing a coffee roaster business plan include:

• LivePlan — Business plan software with pre-made templates. Offers financial forecasting tools.

• Enloop — Free business planning software. Simple to use with coffee roaster business plan template.

• PlanGuru — Business planning software geared toward established small businesses. Offers advanced financial analysis tools.

• Business Plan Pro — Business planning software from Palo Alto Software. Guides you through writing a comprehensive plan with coffee shop template.

• Word or Google Docs — If you prefer a DIY approach, you can craft your entire plan using a simple word processor. But you won’t have access to pre-made templates or financial tools.

Q: How often should I update my business plan?

A: You should review and revise your coffee roaster business plan at least annually. Updates may include:

• Changes in your business model or products

• Adjustments to financial projections or key metrics

• Updates to location, equipment, marketing, or key partnerships

• Lessons learned and ways to improve operations

• Emerging trends in the specialty coffee industry to be aware of

Updating your plan keeps it relevant and useful as both an internal guide and tool to show investors and lenders. Make revisions as needed to reflect the current status and vision of your coffee roasting business.

Written by Pro Business Plans

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How to Start a Coffee Roasting Business - 9 Steps to Success!

• by Mike Hughes
• February 01, 2024
• 12 min read

QUESTION: Do you know what the global coffee industry is valued at as of right now? Take a guess. Okay, we’ll tell you: a staggering $500 billion! Not only that, but the demand for coffee roasters is forecast to grow 6% through 2026!

If you fancy being among the 6%, then this article is for you. Perhaps you’re a coffee shop owner thirsting to roast in-house. Or a home roasting hobbyist looking to make the leap to coffee entrepreneur.

On those gro unds,  CoffeeRoast Co. presents the essential steps to starting a successful coffee roasting business . From the top...

1. DEVELOP YOUR COFFEE KNOW-HOW

Coffee craft.

To become a coffee roaster , not surprisingly, you’ll need a solid grasp of all things coffee and at least one or two years experience.

Above all, to become proficient in the roasting process, methods, and techniques. But also to understand how to select the right green beans, different brewing styles, and tasting skills.  One of the best things you can do in that respect is attend one or more professional courses or workshops.

In the U.S., both the Specialty Coffee Association [SCA] and Coffee Roasting Institute [CRI] offer a variety of educational resources geared toward becoming a roast master.

The SCA’s sensory skill module, in particular, covers recognising defects in green/roasted beans as well as discerning coffee characteristics such as acidity, body, and aftertaste.

Coffee Industry

Before launching a new roasting business, it’s imperative to carry out in-depth market research. In order to gain insights into who to sell your roasted beans to and how to sell them.

Not to mention, doing your thing differently or better, how to stand out from the crowd of other roasteries. Firstly, define your target customers; their needs and preferences. Then analyze your major competitors; their strengths and weaknesses.

Find your coffee roasting niche

After collecting the necessary data and information, the next stage is to figure out how to tread your own path as a professional roaster.

Ask yourself questions such as: How much will you charge for your roasted coffee? Will you stick to roasting single-origin beans or create blends? Will you sell to wholesalers, retailers, or individuals? Will you offer services like coffee subscriptions, training, or consultancy?

Keep a record of all the specifics as you’ll need them later.

Remember also that the coffee universe is ever-evolving. Tastes change. Techniques trend. Rivals pop up or close down. Because of this, you should continually finesse your roasting knowledge, skills, and experience.

At the same time as keeping up-to-date with developments in the industry and staying one jump ahead of competitors.

2. ESTABLISH YOUR COFFEE ROASTING BRAND

Unless you go down the route of a coffee roasting franchise, your roastery will need its own unique brand. One that’s instantly recognizable, memorable, and trustworthy.

At the same time as resonating with your target audience, and setting your business apart from the competition.

Brand identity specifically is the ‘face’ of your brand. It’s meant to shape the most positive impression of your roasting brand in the minds of your coffee-drinking customers.

That starts with deciding a brand name for your new coffee roasting company. Then, among other things, a logo, a tagline, your business’ core values and unique selling proposition, and your brand personality.

Take Florida's Koffee Kult specialty coffee roaster, for instance. Their name’s distinct and catchy. In keeping with which, their slogan ‘Be One of Us’ is more a message making folks who buy their roasts feel like they’re joining a coffee religion!  Whether in words, pictures or both, your brand should be reflected in the roasted coffee products you sell and any services you offer.

From the design of the packaging for your roasted beans to that of the business cards for your roastery. And, the number one rule of branding, communicated consistently.

3. GATHER YOUR ROASTERY TOOLS & SUPPLIES

Exactly what inventory’s required depends on the size and scope of your roasting operation as well as your bank balance.

Here’s a round-up of the standard raw materials and hardware needed to roast coffee professionally:

Green Beans

The kind of green coffee beans you choose will have a considerable impact on the characteristics of the final cup. Not to mention, on your bottom line.

Therefore, never skimp when shopping for unroasted beans. Plump for the freshest, highest quality ones you can afford. And ideally, those that are sustainably grown, organic, and ethically sourced.

Before  buying green beans to roast and sell, decide which you’ll focus on. This means experimenting with beans from different coffee-producing areas, processing methods, and so on.

You want two or three reliable suppliers. Courtesy of specialty coffee shops, online vendors, importers, brokers, or by direct trade with farmers.

Coffee Roaster

The centerpiece of your roasting enterprise,  coffee roasting machines come in all manner of types, sizes, prices, and levels of automation.

When starting out in the coffee game, there’s nothing wrong with using a countertop home roasting appliance. Save having to upgrade later though, smart to invest in a model that can scale with your business.

The go-to pick for commercial coffee outfits being drum roasters with a capacity of 2.2lbs and up.  In addition, you may need to factor in installation and configuration of the unit by a qualified technician.

Roasting Software  – For hooking up to compatible coffee roasters to help monitor production, planning, quality control, and other aspects with Artisan and Cropster popular picks.

Sample Roaster  – For roasting smaller amounts of beans to judge the quality of your roasts before upsizing the batch.

Moisture Reader  – For sensing the water content of beans (green coffee particularly) to provide clues as to how their quality might change over time and how they’ll react in the roaster.

Bean Probe  – For sampling roasting beans so you can smell-check their aroma and, under a spotlight, view their shade by eye.

Color Meter  – For finding out the true degree of roast to better help consistency of your roasts

Weighing Scales  - For measuring out your green beans before roasting, ground coffee before taste testing, and roasted beans before packing.

Coffee Grinder  – For  grinding whole roasted beans to try out your roasts for use in regular coffees and/or espresso.

Coffee Maker  – For checking the suitability of your roasts with different  brewing methods .

Cleaning Materials

It’s vital to keep your roastery equipment in good and safe working order. Amongst the essentials, stuff like a wire brush to remove chaff and other debris. Specially formulated spray or powder to shift built-up coffee oils and other gunk. Plus a shop or industrial vacuum cleaner.

Safety Articles

Roasting coffee beans isn’t without its risks; smoke and fire, for two. Besides taking the proper precautions, always have on hand items such as a well-stocked first aid kit, fire extinguishers, gloves, and dust masks.

Storage, Packaging & Shipping Supplies

You’ll have to get hold of enough containers to store your beans. To stash green coffee, that usually means burlap sacks. For roasted beans, one-way valve packs while they degas and opaque airtight canisters for afterwards.

Kept that way in a cool, dark, dry spot, your precious coffee seeds will stay fresher and more flavorful for longer.

To mail out customer orders, you’ll need a bulk of bags; own branded and preferably recyclable. Something like bubble wrap or packing peanuts to protect your roasted coffee in transit.

A heat sealer to fasten the bags shut so the beans don’t degrade until opened. Besides which, delivery boxes, labels and pre-paid postage, for example.

4. SECURE A LOCATION FOR YOUR COFFEE ROASTERY

From wherever you run your coffee roasting business, of course, it needs to be big enough to comfortably accommodate your entire roastery setup. With adequate room to properly store your beans (roasted and unroasted) and to roast, grind, brew, and pack. Not forgetting office space for admin tasks.

Provided it ticks all the boxes, early on to help keep costs down, you might consider operating from home. Indeed, many a pro coffee roaster got their start there, in a basement or garage.

As your roastery business grows though, and especially if you need to onboard staff, chances are you’ll need to lease (or purchase) commercial premises. Be it a storefront or a warehouse facility.

5. ARRANGE PERMITS & LICENSES FOR YOUR ROASTING BUSINESS

Not the most exciting nor the speediest aspect of having your own coffee roasting business. To operate legally though, it’s crucial to come by the required paperwork and comply with health and safety laws and regulations. Otherwise, you risk a hefty fine or your roastery shuttered for good.

Precisely which licenses and permits you’ll need will mean checking with local, state, and federal authorities. Here’s the more common ones:

EPA Air Permit  – Issued by the Environmental Protection Agency where roasters roast more than 1 million pounds of green beans per year.

FDA Registration  – Certain food facilities must register with the Food and Drug Administration then undergo regular random inspections by the local health department.

General Business License  – One-size-fits-all document that gives permission to operate a business.

Legal Entity Setup  – To establish the name of the business and its structure/form (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or Limited Liability Company [LLC]).

Employer Identification Number  – When recruiting employees and reporting employment taxes, apply for a unique EIN from the IRS.

Seller's Permit  - Authorization to collect sales tax from customer transactions before remitting to the appropriate taxing authority.

Resale Certificate  – Exempts the holder from paying sales tax on goods purchased from another business to be resold.

Certificate of Occupancy  – Being granted a CO ensures the commercial building conforms with zoning and building codes.

Obtain Business Insurance

Often compulsory, getting properly insured safeguards against claims arising from your coffee roasting business.

There are several sorts of plans and levels of cover:

General Liability  – All-round coverage for personal injury, property damage, and more.

Commercial/Business Property  - Protects company premises and its contents in case of loss or damage.

Business Owner's Policy [BOP] – General liability plus business property insurances bundled into one.

Equipment Breakdown  – Provides for replacing or repairing work machinery.

Workers' Compensation  – Medical and salary benefits for employees/staff sick or hurt on the job.

Fair Trade Certification

As a roastery business, it’s worth looking at getting Fair Trade Certified.

Roasted beans that meet Fairtrade Standards can demonstrate your commitment to a fair wage and treatment for coffee producers. Quite apart from the chance to earn greater returns and customer support in the long term.

Just bear in mind that to qualify, your roasting outfit will be subject to supply chain audits and you’ll pay a premium for Fair Trade coffee beans.

6. COSTING & FUNDING YOUR NEW COFFEE ROASTING START-UP

Calculate startup costs.

To open your own coffee roastery may not be as costly as that of, say, a café but you’ll still need a chunk of capital.

The initial lay out for a coffee roasting start-up varies widely. Ranging anywhere between $10,000 and $150,000 with the average investment in the ballpark of $50,000.

Running through the basic upfront spends:

Coffee Roasting Machine  – Generally your single biggest expense, roasters drop from a couple hundred bucks for a decent home roaster to tens of thousands for monster-sized commercial-grade equipment. Added to which, possible installation, maintenance, and servicing costs. And not counting the cost to fuel the roaster, be it by electric, propane, or firewood.

Green Coffee  – Depending on the quality and variety, bulk-bought raw beans go from $1 to $15 per pound. Prices change from month to month, but $3 to $4.50 is typical. Also note that whilst you perfect your roasts, expect a good amount of wastage.

Physical Space  - Roasting professionally from home, you can suppose your mains water and power utility bills will go up. Having a commercial roastery will entail paying rent or taking out a mortgage; either way, you can safely assume you’ll have to put down a sizeable deposit. Whether running your roasting business from home or otherwise, you may also need to sink money into construction or renovations.

Employee Pay  – Likely as not, you’ll handle much if not all of the legwork yourself when you first get going in the roasting business. As you expand though, be prepared to take additional labor costs into account.

Marketing  – To broadcast your coffee roasting business to the world, you’ll need to reserve a budget for branding and advertising.

Documentation  – Although the costs differ massively, reckon on regulatory fees for licensing and permitting. And extra for insurances policies, certificates, company registration and the like.

Raise Startup Costs

If you don’t have savings, assets to sell or simply unwilling to self-fund, you’ll need to finance your coffee roasting business by other means:

Bank Loan  – The norm, though receiving the green light will call for a comprehensive business plan and a sound credit history.

SBA Loan  – Borrowing from a third-party lender with the line of credit backed by the Small Business Administration.

Government Grant  - Federal financial assistance programs for sponsoring ideas and projects.

Venture Capital  – A VC firm contributes funds in exchange for an ownership stake in the new business.

Crowdfunding  – From average Joes and Janes to angel investors donating to the fundraiser’s cause.

Family & Friends  – Requesting monetary support from loved ones.

7. HATCH YOUR COFFEE ROASTING BUSINESS PLAN

No self-respecting entrepreneur would go into commerce without a well-laid business plan. Sure, it takes a bit of time to put together, but it serves to map out your new coffee roasting venture.

In point of fact, if you’re hoping to score big bucks in startup funding for your roastery, odds-on you won’t get it without a killer business plan.

These are the basics of what should appear in a business plan:

Executive Summary  – A short overview, written last, of the key points in your roastery business plan.

Company Description  – Detail your coffee business’ vision, mission statement, goals/objectives, performance measures, and such like.

Products & Services  - Catalog which roasted coffee products you’ll offer, plus any subscription or related services.

Business Structure  – Outline the ownership of your roasting company, as well as how it will be organized and managed.

Employee/Staffing Requirements  - Describe your roastery’s hiring needs including how many workers (contract, salaried, or otherwise), what positions, and any training.

Market Analysis  – Break down your business’ target audience and main competitors.

Sales & Marketing Strategies  – List advertising campaigns to attract customers to your roasting business and merchandising initiatives to help sell your roasted beans.

Financial Outlook  - Sketch out 6+ months of sales projections, a break-even analysis, startup and running costs, profit and loss estimates, and whatnot.

8. GET YOUR COFFEE ROASTING BUSINESS ONLINE

Nowadays, building a presence on the Net for any business is crucial for a host of reasons. Not least to showcase your brand, educate with coffee roasting content, as well as engage with customers new and old.

Most of all, as a pro roaster, you’ll be able to sell your roasted beans online together with breaking into international markets.

Set Up Your Coffee Roasting Company Website

Versus commissioning a web designer and developer if you’re tech shy or on a strict budget, DIYing a basic website has become reasonably straightforward. Granted, creating an e-commerce store for the sake of selling is somewhat more complex, expensive, and time consuming.

Before anything, you’ll need to register a domain name. Really, one matching the name of your roasting business. Next, sign up for web hosting. After that, set up a website builder.

The most popular being WordPress, Weebly, WIX, Squarespace, and Shopify. Then, based on your earlier market research, it’s a matter of designing, developing, optimizing, and deploying your site.

Leverage Social Media

Completely free or pretty economical, you’d be missing a serious trick if your up-and-coming roastery wasn’t on social media. Among the biggest platforms are Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and TikTok.

With more emphasis on real-time interaction, yo u can tap into a fan base of new coffee-loving prospects.

Lots of different types of content can be shared on social media – short text posts, infographics, articles, photos (pre-recorded and live streams), testimonials, webinars, quizzes and polls, contests and free tries, special deals, and teasers and announcements.

What’s more, it’s a breeze to set up a shop on each of Facebook and Instagram for selling your roasted coffee.

Just don’t forget to link your various social media channels to your website.

9. SHOUT OUT YOUR COFFEE ROASTERY

You can have the best coffee roasting business on the planet but if no-one knows about it, you won’t go far. Even then, there are countless other roasteries out there vying for custom. Precisely why you need to do everything you can to put your roasted beans in front of folks.

Marketing efforts normally take a while to gain traction. So, in the interests of raising brand awareness and building an audience, begin hyping your brand sooner rather than later.  Get people excited, drum up interest, and maybe pre-orders. Followed by full-on promotion after launching to expand the reach of your roastery business and drive sales.

These days, most coffee roasters get the word out by using a combination of modern-day online marketing and good old-fashioned advertising and PR:

Internet Marketing

Done right, digital marketing can work miracles for plugging your coffee roasting brand on the web.

To highlight a mere handful of types:

Content Marketing & SEO – Create, publish, and share blogs, videos, posts, podcasts, and other material online; often used in conjunction with Search Engine Optimization.

Pay-Per-Click Marketing  - Advertise online and pay for each click a PPC ad receives.

Social Media Marketing  – Not least influencer marketing to collaborate with SM users who have substantial followings.

Email Marketing  – Send promotional messages and newsletters to subscribers.

Business Listings  – Register your roastery on the likes of Google Business Profile, Yelp, and LinkedIn as a simple, zero-cost, and underrated way to increase the visibility of your roasting business.

Traditional Marketing

Online marketing may have upstaged more conventional advertising but it still has its merits.

Some ideas to boost publicity and connect with new customers the old-school way:

Signage  – If you’ll have a retail outlet for your roasted beans, put up signs there to grab the attention of passersby.

Promos  – Spark interest by offering loyalty programs, discount vouchers, prize-winning competitions, or complimentary samples of your roasted coffee as giveaways.

Flyering  – Hang, hand out, or door-drop leaflets throughout your local community, especially in areas with high foot traffic.

In-Person Sales  – Pitch your roasts at farmers’ market, trade shows, conventions, and similar events; besides looking for partnership opportunities with grocers, restaurants, and caterers.

Cuppings  – Host free  coffee tastings at your roastery or elsewhere around town.

THAT'S A WRAP

Launching a coffee roasting business is a golden opportunity for those with a passion for java and an entrepreneurial spirit.

In fact, knowing your craft as well as choosing the right beans and roasting machine is half the battle. The rest is a question of getting business savvy.

Most notably, carving out a niche and a brand for your roastery, satisfying health and safety regulations, plus crunching the numbers. Then, before lift-off, to begin marketing your roasted bombshells to the world.

If you’ve ever started a coffee roasting business, feel free to weigh in with any lessons learned in the comments box underneath.

Otherwise, as the heart of your future roasting empire, how about checking out our collection of  commercial drum roasters .

2 Responses

June 07, 2024

Thank you for this article. This is exactly what I need to pursue roasting as a potential start up.

Nyakundi Naftal

May 07, 2024

Awesome and detailed information! As a budding passionate coffee roasting entrepreneur, I can say I have learnt a lot. Thanks

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How to write a business plan for a coffee roaster?

Creating a business plan for a coffee roasting company is an essential process for any entrepreneur. It serves as a roadmap that outlines the necessary steps to be taken to start or grow the business, the resources required, and the anticipated financial outcomes. It should be crafted with method and confidence.

This guide is designed to provide you with the tools and knowledge necessary for creating a coffee roaster business plan, covering why it is so important both when starting up and running an established business, what should be included in your plan, how it should be structured, what tools should be used to save time and avoid errors, and other helpful tips.

We have a lot to cover, so let's get to it!

In this guide:

Why write a business plan for a coffee roaster?

• What information is needed to create a business plan for a coffee roaster?
• What goes in the financial forecast for a coffee roaster?
• What goes in the written part of a coffee roaster business plan?
• What tool can I use to write my coffee roaster business plan?

Understanding the document's scope and goals will help you easily grasp its structure and content. Before diving into the specifics of the plan, let's take a moment to explore the key reasons why having a coffee roaster business plan is so crucial.

To have a clear roadmap to grow the business

Small businesses rarely experience a constant and predictable environment. Economic cycles go up and down, while the business landscape is mutating constantly with new regulations, technologies, competitors, and consumer behaviours emerging when we least expect it.

In this dynamic context, it's essential to have a clear roadmap for your coffee roaster. Otherwise, you are navigating in the dark which is dangerous given that - as a business owner - your capital is at risk.

That's why crafting a well-thought-out business plan is crucial to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of your venture.

To create an effective business plan, you'll need to take a step-by-step approach. First, you'll have to assess your current position (if you're already in business), and then identify where you'd like your coffee roaster to be in the next three to five years.

Once you have a clear destination for your coffee roaster, you'll focus on three key areas:

• Resources: you'll determine the human, equipment, and capital resources needed to reach your goals successfully.
• Speed: you'll establish the optimal pace at which your business needs to grow if it is to meet its objectives within the desired timeframe.
• Risks: you'll identify and address potential risks you might encounter along the way.

By going through this process regularly, you'll be able to make informed decisions about resource allocation, paving the way for the long-term success of your business.

Need a convincing business plan?

The Business Plan Shop makes it easy to create a financial forecast to assess the potential profitability of your projects, and write a business plan that’ll wow investors.

To maintain visibility on future cash flows

Businesses can go for years without making a profit, but they go bust as soon as they run out of cash. That's why "cash is king", and maintaining visibility on your coffee roaster's future cash flows is critical.

How do I do that? That's simple: you need an up-to-date financial forecast.

The good news is that your coffee roaster business plan already contains a financial forecast (more on that later in this guide), so all you have to do is to keep it up-to-date.

To do this, you need to regularly compare the actual financial performance of your business to what was planned in your financial forecast, and adjust the forecast based on the current trajectory of your business.

Monitoring your coffee roaster's financial health will enable you to identify potential financial problems (such as an unexpected cash shortfall) early and to put in place corrective measures. It will also allow you to detect and capitalize on potential growth opportunities (higher demand from a given segment of customers for example).

To secure financing

Whether you are a startup or an existing business, writing a detailed coffee roaster business plan is essential when seeking financing from banks or investors.

This makes sense given what we've just seen: financiers want to ensure you have a clear roadmap and visibility on your future cash flows.

Banks will use the information included in the plan to assess your borrowing capacity (how much debt your business can support) and your ability to repay the loan before deciding whether they will extend credit to your business and on what terms.

Similarly, investors will review your plan carefully to assess if their investment can generate an attractive return on investment.

To do so, they will be looking for evidence that your coffee roaster has the potential for healthy growth, profitability, and cash flow generation over time.

Now that you understand why it is important to create a business plan for a coffee roaster, let's take a look at what information is needed to create one.

Information needed to create a business plan for a coffee roaster

Drafting a coffee roaster business plan requires research so that you can project sales, investments and cost accurately in your financial forecast, and convince the reader that there is a viable commercial opportunity to be seized.

Below, we'll focus on three critical pieces of information you should gather before starting to write your plan.

Carrying out market research for a coffee roaster

Carrying out market research before writing a business plan for a coffee roaster is essential to ensure that the financial projections are accurate and realistic.

Market research helps you gain insight into your target customer base, competitors, pricing strategies and other key factors which can have an impact on the commercial success of your business.

In particular, it is useful in forecasting revenue as it provides valuable data regarding potential customers’ spending habits and preferences.

You may find that customers may prefer single-origin coffees more than blends, or that they might be interested in trying specialty coffee flavors. Additionally, market research could reveal that customers may be interested in purchasing pre-ground coffees, or that they may be more likely to purchase coffee in larger quantities.

This information can then be used to create more accurate financial projections which will help investors make informed decisions about investing in your coffee roaster.

Developing the marketing plan for a coffee roaster

Before delving into your coffee roaster business plan, it's imperative to budget for sales and marketing expenses.

To achieve this, a comprehensive sales and marketing plan is essential. This plan should provide an accurate projection of the necessary actions to acquire and retain customers.

Additionally, it will outline the required workforce to carry out these initiatives and the corresponding budget for promotions, advertising, and other marketing endeavours.

By budgeting accordingly, you can ensure that the right resources are allocated to these vital activities, aligning them with the sales and growth objectives outlined in your business plan.

The staffing and equipment needs of a coffee roaster

Whether you are at the beginning stages of your coffee roaster or expanding its horizons, having a clear plan for recruitment and capital expenditures (investment in equipment and real estate) is vital to ensure your business's success.

To achieve this, both the recruitment and investment plans must align coherently with the projected timing and level of growth in your forecast. It is essential to secure appropriate funding for these plans.

A coffee roaster might incur staffing costs such as hiring a skilled roaster, and a shift supervisor to manage the staff. They might also need to purchase or rent equipment such as a roaster, a grinder, packing equipment, etc.

To create a financial forecast that accurately represents your business's outlook, remember to factor in other day-to-day operating expenses.

Now that you have all the necessary information, it's time to dive in and start creating your business plan and developing the financial forecast for your coffee roaster.

What goes into your coffee roaster's financial forecast?

The objective of the financial forecast of your coffee roaster's business plan is to show the growth, profitability, funding requirements, and cash generation potential of your business over the next 3 to 5 years.

The four key outputs of a financial forecast for a coffee roaster are:

• The profit and loss (P&L) statement ,
• The projected balance sheet ,
• The cash flow forecast ,
• And the sources and uses table .

Let's look at each of these in a bit more detail.

The projected P&L statement

Your coffee roaster forecasted P&L statement enables the reader of your business plan to get an idea of how much revenue and profits your business is expected to make in the near future.

Ideally, your reader will want to see:

• Growth above the inflation level
• Expanding profit margins
• Positive net profit throughout the plan

Expectations for an established coffee roaster will of course be different than for a startup. Existing businesses which have reached their cruising altitude might have slower growth and higher margins than ventures just being started.

The projected balance sheet of your coffee roaster

Your coffee roaster's forecasted balance sheet enables the reader of your plan to assess your financial structure, working capital, and investment policy.

It is composed of three types of elements: assets, liabilities and equity:

• Assets: represent what the business owns and uses to produce cash flows. It includes resources such as cash, equipment, and accounts receivable (money owed by clients).
• Liabilities: represent funds advanced to the business by lenders and other creditors. It includes items such as accounts payable (money owed to suppliers), taxes due and loans.
• Equity: is the combination of what has been invested by the business owners and the cumulative profits and losses generated by the business to date (which are called retained earnings). Equity is a proxy for the value of the owner's stake in the business.

Your coffee roaster's balance sheet will usually be analyzed in conjunction with the other financial statements included in your forecast.

Two key points of focus will be:

• Your coffee roaster's liquidity: does your business have sufficient cash and short-term assets to pay what it owes over the next 12 months?
• And its solvency: does your business have the capacity to repay its debt over the medium-term?

The projected cash flow statement

A cash flow forecast for a coffee roaster shows how much cash the business is projected to generate or consume.

The cash flow statement is divided into 3 main areas:

• The operating cash flow shows how much cash is generated or consumed by the operations (running the business)
• The investing cash flow shows how much cash is being invested in capital expenditure (equipment, real estate, etc.)
• The financing cash flow shows how much cash is raised or distributed to investors and lenders

Looking at the cash flow forecast helps you to ensure that your business has enough cash to keep running, and can help you anticipate potential cash shortfalls.

It is also a best practice to include a monthly cash flow statement in the appendices of your coffee roaster business plan so that the readers can view the impact of seasonality on your business cash position and generation.

The initial financing plan

The initial financing plan - also called a sources and uses table - is an important tool when starting a coffee roaster.

It shows where the money needed to set up the business will come from (sources) and how it will be allocated (uses).

Having this table helps understand what costs are involved in setting up the coffee roaster, how the risks are distributed between the shareholders and the lenders, and what will be the starting cash position (which needs to be sufficient to sustain operations until the business breaks even).

Now that the financial forecast of a coffee roaster business plan is understood, let's focus on what goes into the written part of the plan.

The written part of a coffee roaster business plan

The written part of the business plan is where you will explain what your business does and how it operates, what your target market is, whom you compete against, and what strategy you will put in place to seize the commercial opportunity you've identified.

Having this context is key for the reader to form a view on whether or not they believe that your plan is achievable and the numbers in your forecast realistic.

The written part of a coffee roaster business plan is composed of 7 main sections:

• The executive summary
• The presentation of the company
• The products and services
• The market analysis
• The strategy
• The operations
• The financial plan

Let's go through the content of each section in more detail!

1. The executive summary

The first section of your coffee roaster's business plan is the executive summary which provides, as its name suggests, an enticing summary of your plan which should hook the reader and make them want to know more about your business.

When writing the executive summary, it is important to provide an overview of the business, the market, the key financials, and what you are asking from the reader.

Start with a brief introduction of the business, its name, concept, location, how long it has been in operation, and what makes it unique. Mention any services or products you plan to offer and who you sell to.

Then you should follow with an overview of the addressable market for your coffee roaster, current trends, and potential growth opportunities.

You should then include a summary of your key financial figures such as projected revenues, profits, and cash flows.

Finally, you should detail any funding requirements in the ask section.

2. The presentation of the company

As you build your coffee roaster business plan, the second section deserves attention as it delves into the structure and ownership, location, and management team of your company.

In the structure and ownership part, you'll provide valuable insights into the legal structure of the business, the identities of the owners, and their respective investments and ownership stakes. This level of transparency is vital, particularly if you're seeking financing, as it clarifies which legal entity will receive the funds and who holds the reins of the business.

Moving to the location part, you'll offer a comprehensive view of the company's premises and articulate why this specific location is strategic for the business, emphasizing factors like catchment area, accessibility, and nearby amenities.

When describing the location of your coffee roaster, you could highlight its proximity to a major metropolitan area, as well as its access to a large population of potential customers. You might emphasize its ease of access from multiple transportation hubs, which could make it attractive to both employees and customers. Additionally, you may point out the potential for growth in the local economy, which could provide additional opportunities for your business.

Lastly, you should introduce your esteemed management team. Provide a thorough explanation of each member's role, background, and extensive experience.

It's equally important to highlight any past successes the management team has achieved and underscore the duration they've been working together. This information will instil trust in potential lenders or investors, showcasing the strength and expertise of your leadership team and their ability to deliver the business plan.

3. The products and services section

The products and services section of your coffee roaster business plan should include a detailed description of what your company sells to its customers. 

For example, your coffee roasting business could offer freshly roasted coffee beans, custom blends, and a subscription-based delivery service to its customers. The freshly roasted coffee beans would provide an unparalleled depth of flavor and aroma for the customer, while the custom blends would enable them to create a unique flavor profile they can't find anywhere else. The subscription-based delivery service would offer convenience, allowing customers to have fresh coffee delivered to their door on a regular basis.

The reader will want to understand what makes your coffee roaster unique from other businesses in this competitive market.

When drafting this section, you should be precise about the categories of products or services you sell, the clients you are targeting and the channels that you are targeting them through. 

4. The market analysis

When outlining your market analysis in the coffee roaster business plan, it's essential to include comprehensive details about customers' demographics and segmentation, target market, competition, barriers to entry, and relevant regulations.

The primary aim of this section is to give the reader an understanding of the market size and appeal while demonstrating your expertise in the industry.

To begin, delve into the demographics and segmentation subsection, providing an overview of the addressable market for your coffee roaster, key marketplace trends, and introducing various customer segments and their preferences in terms of purchasing habits and budgets.

Next, shift your focus to the target market subsection, where you can zoom in on the specific customer segments your coffee roaster targets. Explain how your products and services are tailored to meet the unique needs of these customers.

For example, your target market might include people who work from home and don't live near a coffee shop. These are people who need a quality cup of coffee to give them an energy needed to do their work and are willing to pay a premium for quality coffee delivered to their door.

In the competition subsection, introduce your main competitors and explain what sets your coffee roaster apart from them.

Finally, round off your market analysis by providing an overview of the main regulations that apply to your coffee roaster.

5. The strategy section

When writing the strategy section of a business plan for your coffee roaster, it is essential to include information about your competitive edge, pricing strategy, sales & marketing plan, milestones, and risks and mitigants.

The competitive edge subsection should explain what sets your company apart from its competitors. This part is especially key if you are writing the business plan of a startup, as you have to make a name for yourself in the marketplace against established players.

The pricing strategy subsection should demonstrate how you intend to remain profitable while still offering competitive prices to your customers.

The sales & marketing plan should outline how you intend to reach out and acquire new customers, as well as retain existing ones with loyalty programs or special offers. 

The milestones subsection should outline what your company has achieved to date, and its main objectives for the years to come - along with dates so that everyone involved has clear expectations of when progress can be expected.

The risks and mitigants subsection should list the main risks that jeopardize the execution of your plan and explain what measures you have taken to minimize these. This is essential in order for investors or lenders to feel secure in investing in your venture.

Your coffee roaster faces a variety of risks. One risk could be a lack of adequate insurance. Without the proper coverage, they may be subject to financial losses in the event of an accident or lawsuit. Another risk is the potential for an increase in the price of raw materials. If the cost of beans, for example, goes up, it could have a negative impact on the cost of production and the ability to remain competitive in the market.

6. The operations section

The operations of your coffee roaster must be presented in detail in your business plan.

The first thing you should cover in this section is your staffing team, the main roles, and the overall recruitment plan to support the growth expected in your business plan. You should also outline the qualifications and experience necessary to fulfil each role, and how you intend to recruit (using job boards, referrals, or headhunters).

You should then state the operating hours of your coffee roaster - so that the reader can check the adequacy of your staffing levels - and any plans for varying opening times during peak season. Additionally, the plan should include details on how you will handle customer queries outside of normal operating hours.

The next part of this section should focus on the key assets and IP required to operate your business. If you depend on any licenses or trademarks, physical structures (equipment or property) or lease agreements, these should all go in there.

You may have key assets such as the coffee roaster itself, as well as any equipment associated with the roasting process. Additionally, intellectual property such as your unique recipes, methods, and processes could be an important asset to your business. You might also have branding, logos, and other creative works that could help you stand out in the market.

Finally, you should include a list of suppliers that you plan to work with and a breakdown of their services and main commercial terms (price, payment terms, contract duration, etc.). Investors are always keen to know if there is a particular reason why you have chosen to work with a specific supplier (higher-quality products or past relationships for example).

7. The presentation of the financial plan

The financial plan section is where we will include the financial forecast we discussed earlier in this guide.

Now that you have a clear idea of what goes into a coffee roaster business plan, let's look at some of the tools you can use to create yours efficiently.

What tool should I use to write my coffee roaster's business plan?

There are two main ways of creating your coffee roaster business plan:

• Using specialized business planning software,
• Hiring a business plan writer.

Using an online business plan software for your coffee roaster's business plan

The modern and most efficient way to write a coffee roaster business plan is to use business plan software .

There are several advantages to using specialized software:

• You can easily create your financial forecast by letting the software take care of the financial calculations for you without errors
• You are guided through the writing process by detailed instructions and examples for each part of the plan
• You can access a library of dozens of complete business plan samples and templates for inspiration
• You get a professional business plan, formatted and ready to be sent to your bank or investors
• You can easily track your actual financial performance against your financial forecast
• You can create scenarios to stress test your forecast's main assumptions
• You can easily update your forecast as time goes by to maintain visibility on future cash flows
• You have a friendly support team on standby to assist you when you are stuck

If you're interested in using this type of solution, you can try The Business Plan Shop for free by signing up here .

Hiring a business plan writer to write your coffee roaster's business plan

Outsourcing your coffee roaster business plan to a business plan writer can also be a viable option.

Business plan writers are skilled in creating error-free business plans and accurate financial forecasts. Moreover, hiring a consultant can save you valuable time, allowing you to focus on day-to-day business operations.

However, it's essential to be aware that hiring business plan writers will be expensive, as you're not only paying for their time but also the software they use and their profit margin.

Based on experience, you should budget at least £1.5k ($2.0k) excluding tax for a comprehensive business plan, and more if you require changes after initial discussions with lenders or investors.

Also, exercise caution when seeking investment. Investors prefer their funds to be directed towards business growth rather than spent on consulting fees. Therefore, the amount you spend on business plan writing services and other consulting services should be insignificant compared to the amount raised.

Keep in mind that one drawback is that you usually don't own the business plan itself; you only receive the output, while the actual document is saved in the consultant's business planning software. This can make it challenging to update the document without retaining the consultant's services.

For these reasons, carefully consider outsourcing your coffee roaster business plan to a business plan writer, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of seeking outside assistance.

Why not create your coffee roaster's business plan using Word or Excel?

Using Microsoft Excel and Word (or their Google, Apple, or open-source equivalents) to write a coffee roaster business plan is a terrible idea.

For starters, creating an accurate and error-free financial forecast on Excel (or any spreadsheet) is very technical and requires both a strong grasp of accounting principles and solid skills in financial modelling.

As a result, it is unlikely anyone will trust your numbers unless - like us at The Business Plan Shop - you hold a degree in finance and accounting and have significant financial modelling experience in your past.

The second reason is that it is inefficient. Building forecasts on spreadsheets was the only option in the 1990s and early 2000s, nowadays technology has advanced and software can do it much faster and much more accurately.

And with the rise of AI, software is also becoming smarter at helping us detect mistakes in our forecasts and helping us analyse the numbers to make better decisions.

Also, using software makes it easy to compare actuals vs. forecasts and maintain our forecasts up to date to maintain visibility on future cash flows - as we discussed earlier in this guide - whereas this is a pain to do with a spreadsheet.

That's for the forecast, but what about the written part of my coffee roaster business plan?

This part is less error-prone, but here also software brings tremendous gains in productivity:

• Word processors don't include instructions and examples for each part of your business plan
• Word processors don't update your numbers automatically when they change in your forecast
• Word processors don't handle the formatting for you

Overall, while Word or Excel may be viable options for creating a coffee roaster business plan for some entrepreneurs, it is by far not the best or most efficient solution.

• Using business plan software is a modern and cost-effective way of writing and maintaining business plans.
• A business plan is not a one-shot exercise as maintaining it current is the only way to keep visibility on your future cash flows.
• A business plan has 2 main parts: a financial forecast outlining the funding requirements of your coffee roaster and the expected growth, profits and cash flows for the next 3 to 5 years; and a written part which gives the reader the information needed to decide if they believe the forecast is achievable.

We hope that this in-depth guide met your expectations and that you now have a clear understanding of how to write your coffee roaster business plan. Do not hesitate to contact our friendly team if you have questions additional questions we haven't addressed here.

Also on The Business Plan Shop

• How to write a business plan to secure a bank loan?
• How to write about the location in business plan
• Management team in a business plan
• Is it worth using a business plan writer?
• Key steps to write a business plan?
• Top mistakes to avoid in your business plan

Do you know entrepreneurs interested in starting or growing a coffee roaster? Share this article with them!

Founder & CEO at The Business Plan Shop Ltd

Guillaume Le Brouster is a seasoned entrepreneur and financier.

Guillaume has been an entrepreneur for more than a decade and has first-hand experience of starting, running, and growing a successful business.

Prior to being a business owner, Guillaume worked in investment banking and private equity, where he spent most of his time creating complex financial forecasts, writing business plans, and analysing financial statements to make financing and investment decisions.

Guillaume holds a Master's Degree in Finance from ESCP Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business & Management from Paris Dauphine University.

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Home » Blog » Crafting a Successful Coffee Roastery Business Plan

Crafting a Successful Coffee Roastery Business Plan

Starting a coffee roastery business is exciting but demands careful planning and strategy. The heart of this journey is crafting an effective business plan, especially for a coffee roastery. A well-structured business plan helps secure funding and guides you through the initial stages of your business and beyond. However, a coffee roastery is not just a business; it’s a hub of flavor, community, and culture ! Your business plan should be the secret recipe that blends these elements into a successful venture.

Importance of a Business Plan for a Coffee Roastery

For any coffee roastery business, a business plan acts as a roadmap. It outlines your business goals, strategies, potential challenges, and how to overcome them. It’s essential for organizing your thoughts, prioritizing resources, and presenting your vision to potential investors or partners.

Key Components of a Coffee Roastery Business Plan

A comprehensive business plan for a coffee roastery should include:

• Executive Summary : An overview of your business concept , target market, and unique selling points.
• Business Description : Detailed information about your coffee roastery, including location, size, and business structure.
• Market Analysis and Competition Research : Understanding your target market and analyzing competitors is crucial. Identify trends in the coffee industry, customer preferences, and how your business will stand out.
• Product Line : Detail the types of coffee you plan to roast and sell. Include any unique blends or specialty products.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy : Outline how you will attract and retain customers. This includes pricing, advertising, and sales tactics.
• Operational Plan : Describe the day-to-day operations, including sourcing beans, roasting processes, and distribution.
• Management Team : Highlight the experience and skills of your team members.
• Financial Projections : Present realistic financial forecasts, including startup costs, revenue projections, and break-even analysis.

Market Analysis and Competition Research

Conducting a thorough market analysis helps understand the existing competition and identify gaps in the market. Evaluate local and global trends in coffee consumption and how these trends can shape your offerings. Understanding your competition’s strengths and weaknesses enables you to position your business more effectively.

Sourcing Quality Beans and Building Relationships with Suppliers

The quality of your coffee beans is pivotal. Develop relationships with reputable suppliers, preferably those who practice sustainable and ethical sourcing. Attend trade shows, join coffee associations, and network to find suppliers who align with your brand’s values.

Creating a Unique Brand Identity

Your brand identity should resonate with your target audience. It includes your business name, logo, packaging, and overall aesthetic. A strong brand identity helps differentiate your coffee roastery from competitors and builds a loyal customer base.

Funding Options and Financial Projections

Securing funding is a critical step. Options include small business loans, investor funding, or crowdfunding. Be transparent and realistic in your financial projections. Include initial startup costs, operating expenses, and revenue forecasts. This shows potential investors that you clearly understand the financial side of running a business.

Tips for Navigating Challenges in the Coffee Business

• Stay Informed : Keep up-to-date with industry trends and consumer preferences.
• Quality Control : Consistently offer high-quality products to build a loyal customer base.
• Customer Engagement : Engage with customers through social media, events, and feedback surveys.
• Adapt Flexibility : Be prepared to adapt to market changes or unforeseen challenges.
• Sustainability Practices : Implement eco-friendly practices in sourcing and operations to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.
• Networking : Connect with other business owners and industry professionals for support and advice

Your business plan is not just a document; it’s a living, breathing blueprint that captures your passion, vision, and dedication to the craft! By thoughtfully creating your business plan, focusing on each crucial component, and preparing for the challenges and opportunities ahead, you can lay the foundation for a coffee roastery that resonates with coffee aficionados and casual drinkers alike. Here’s to your success in creating a thriving coffee business that stands out in a bustling marketplace, one delightful cup at a time!

Ready to take the first step in your coffee roasting journey? Our team is here to help. We offer a range of top-quality roasting machines suited for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to explore our selection and find the perfect roasting machine for your coffee roastery business.

Category: Coffee Roasting Business

By: KUMO Studio / Jan 2024

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How to start a coffee roasting business.

19 Important Steps for Starting a Coffee Roasting Business

1. carry out market research on other coffee roasters, 2. consider potential startup costs, 3. choose a niche, 4. decide on a business name, 5. brand your business, 6. write a business plan, 7. set up a business bank account, 8. get your taxes in order, 9. choose a venue, 10. find good suppliers, 11. stock up on the necessary equipment, 12. register your business, 13. purchase business insurance, 14. decide on a business structure, 15. get permits and licenses, 16. hire an experienced team, 17. set up a business website, 18. market your coffee roaster business, 19. scale your business, what is a coffee roasting business, how much does a coffee roasting business make, the coffee biz in the united states.

Can you roast coffee at home and sell it?

Frequently asked questions (faqs), what does a coffee roasting business do, how much profit can a coffee roasting business make per bag of roasted coffee, is there a potential market for a coffee roasting business in the united states, what are the startup costs involved in a coffee roasting business, how can i find reliable coffee bean suppliers, what steps do i need to take to start a coffee roasting business, can i roast coffee at home and sell it, what are the key factors to consider when choosing a location for a coffee roasting business, how important is sustainability in the coffee roasting industry, and how can i incorporate it into my business, what are the most effective marketing strategies for a new coffee roasting business.

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How to start a coffee roastery on a budget

Starting a roasting business can be a challenging, yet exciting, step in a coffee professional’s career. The idea of owning a roastery, selecting your own coffees, and supplying shops with your branded bags of freshly roasted beans is one that many coffee enthusiasts have dreamed about at least once.

However, it’s not as simple as shopping around for green beans and choosing decor. Equipment, location, and permits are just a few more of the obstacles you’ll face, while the list of expenses is likely to be significantly more than you first thought.

To find out more about starting a roastery on a budget, I spoke with 2019 World Cup Tasters Champion and founder of Sumo Coffee Roasters, Daniel Horbat .

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Nailing the basics : what do you need.

You might think that the first thing on your shopping list would be a location, or perhaps even a roasting machine. However, there are a couple of other things you need to master first: knowledge and sensory skills.

A good level of coffee knowledge is key to starting a roasting business. You need to be equipped with the skills to operate equipment and manage a business. You also need to have mastered all sorts of brewing methods, and you’ll have to identify quality suppliers and partners.

Entrepreneurial knowledge is crucial. Being able to write an excellent business plan, identify your target market, and develop strategies to get a strong customer base are all skills that will help kickstart and maintain your business.

Knowledge can be developed with experience and built on over time – but if you’re lacking knowledge to start with, you might want to consider attending professional courses on both coffee and marketing.

“By investing in training for yourself and your employees, you make sure everyone will be more productive.”

Daniel Horbat is a World Cup Tasters Champion and founder of Sumo Coffee Roasters in Dublin, Ireland. For him, having plenty of coffee knowledge is key to cutting costs at the start of your journey.

“Instead of hiring people with knowledge in these areas at the beginning – people that you usually pay higher salaries – you’ll be able to do it yourself and get the roastery off the ground while also making sure you’ll offer the best quality possible,” he explains.

“By investing in training for yourself and your employees, you make sure everyone will be more productive, perform better, and deliver work of a higher quality which will create more opportunities for your roastery and potentially increase your revenue over time.”

A sensory skills course will help you to recognise both green and roasted coffee defects, as well to identify characteristics like sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.

The SCA sensory skill module is a good place to start, but make sure you taste loads of coffee on your own time, too – preferably together with coffee enthusiasts or professionals you can share and compare results with. 

What equipment do you need when starting a roastery?

Once you’ve finessed your coffee roasting skills and built up some good business knowledge, it’s time to think about the coffee roasting equipment you’ll need.

Roasters : Several types of roasters are in use today: classic drum roasters, indirectly heated drum roasters, fluid bed roasters, and recirculation roasters. Each of them has distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Depending on the type of roaster you opt for, roasting can take place in several different ways. Modern roasters use mechanisms such as convection, conduction, and radiation . The way a roaster transfers heat to the beans can dramatically change the outcome.

The choice of roasting machine should be driven by material quality, cost, after sales service, capacity, and the ability of the machine to connect with roast profile software.

For a new, small roasting business, a classic drum roaster with a 5kg capacity is a good place to start. Most models allow you to play with batches of between 2 to 5kgs and are compatible with software like Cropster or Artisan.

Software : Artisan is open-source software that can be applied to more than 30 types of roasting machines and more than 50 associated devices. It works on four different operating systems, with more than 30 languages available. 

Because it’s free to use, Artisan is an incredibly powerful tool for coffee professionals just beginning to experiment with roasting.

Cropster, meanwhile, is a more complex software solution that includes tools for monitoring inventory, green coffee management, production planning, quality control, and online green coffee buying and selling. Unlike Artisan, however, it’s not free to use.

Other items : Roasting machines are expensive toys that will undoubtedly form the centrepiece of any roasting facility. However, you’ll also need smaller pieces of equipment like sample roasters, coffee bag sealers, humidity readers, and colour meters.

Daniel explains why it is important for any new roaster to have these pieces of equipment. He says that investing in them will help you to master consistency and quickly improve quality.

“I think there are a few instruments you should think of investing in,” he says. “For starters, a sample roaster — how else would you judge a coffee’s quality level, its sweetness, brightness, and body, and whether any defects are present when purchasing green coffee beans?”

A sample roaster will help you choose the best green coffees on offer, as it allows you to roast smaller amounts at a time. Exploring different origins and varietals will open more possibilities for your business.

Daniel adds: “I find it important to have a moisture reader because it tells you about how a coffee was prepared and how the quality might change over time. Also because it gives you clues as to how that coffee will behave in the roaster. 

“And as for the colour meter, I think it is the most effective tool in analysing the degree of roast, especially for consistency.”

Where does coffee packaging come in?

You might not think of packaging as a priority for your new business, but it’s crucial in many ways. The right packaging preserves your coffee’s freshness and flavour, and ensures that people sit up and take note of your roastery.

As Daniel says, it’s possible to start small, investing in basic types of packaging that will still give you quality and marketing value.

“Until you build some cash flow, and can afford customised coffee bags, I think a good starting point would be buying plain, recyclable coffee bags in bulk,” he says. “MTPak Coffee has a wide offering ranging from different colours and materials to different components, such as recyclable degassing valves and resealable zippers.”

He says that initially, you can save costs by printing your own labels and sealing and weighing bags manually. “Even though I think these are important things to have at the roastery,” he says, “one can do without them in the beginning.”

MTPak Coffee stock bags are available in sizes ranging from 20g all the way up to 10kg, making them perfect for any roaster’s needs. This comes in very handy in the early phases of your business, when you might want to send samples to prospective buyers.

Packaging plays a key role in the image of your brand and it’s one of the most important factors to consider when looking at the flavour conservation of roasted coffee over time.

At MTPak Coffee, we believe it’s possible to start a roastery on a budget with a few accurate choices, ranging from professional training, to choosing the right equipment including, and selecting the best packaging for your budget and needs.

For information about our sustainable coffee bags, contact our team.

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Coffee Roasting Business Plan Example

Published Jul.17, 2018

Updated Apr.22, 2024

By: Brandi Marcene

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Table of Content

Do you want to start a coffee roasting business?

Starting a coffee roasting business is one of the best decisions you can ever make given the increasing popularity of coffee uptake. According to statistics from the National Coffee Association, the number of Americans consuming coffee has reached the peak since 2012. Figures indicate over 64% of Americans aged 18 and above have a cup of coffee on a daily basis with a further increase expected which is attributed to the popularity of gourmet drinks. A business  plan coffee roaster is a superb business idea that is poised for success so long you plan adequately. Coffee roasting is more than just a business, it’s an art. Being passionate about your craft and having a good business plan coffee roaster is the secret to succeeding in this business.

Executive Summary

2.1 the business.

The coffee roasting business will be registered as Blonch Coffee and will be located in Harlem neighborhood of New York City. The business will be managed by Maria Rodriguez who is a professional and licensed Q Grader.

2.2 Management Team

Maria Rodriguez, Owner and Proprietor of Blonch Coffee is a licensed and experienced Q Grader with extensive experience in the U.S coffee industry. Prior to starting coffee roasting business , Maria worked for high profile coffee brands across the United States and participated in numerous local, regional and international coffee tasting events.

2.3 Customer Focus

In order for the business plan coffee roaster to succeed, Maria has carefully studied the market and relied on her vast industry experience to come up with an appropriate approach that Blonch Coffee will use to reach out to the target market.

2.4 Business Target

Before starting her own business plan coffee roaster , Rodriguez did extensive market research coupled with her intricate knowledge of the business to identify the right business target. The key is to find creative marketing approaches to effectively reach out to the customer target.

Company Summary

3.1 company owner.

Maria Rodriguez is an experienced Q Grader whose successful career in the coffee making and tasting industry spans over two decades. Having worked for various top brands across the U.S. and participated in high profile events, Maria definitely has what it takes and hands-on skills of how to start a coffee roasting business .

3.2 Aim of Starting the Business

The coffee culture is constantly evolving for this reason, the demand for roasted coffee has increased significantly. Not only is coffee taken as a daily beverage, specialty coffees have now become the norm. Discerning coffee lovers are keen on quality coffee which lays a huge emphasis on how people drink and perceive coffee. To be part of this new exciting culture change, Maria Rodriguez thought of starting a coffee bean business that adopts a unique and transformational approach of coffee roasting.

3.3 How the Business will be Started

With over 20 years of experience in the coffee industry, Maria Rodriguez has a deep understanding of emerging coffee roasting trends and customer expectations. Given her involvement in the industry on a day-to-day basis, she knows what is required to start a successful business plan coffee roaster . To actualize her plan, Maria has worked closely with a team of experienced financial experts to formulate a comprehensive financial analysis and business plan coffee roaster that will guide the entire setup and operation of the business.

Services for Customers

Blonch Coffee has specialized in sourcing, roasting, packaging and organizing delivery for uniquely customized and specialized coffee products. The business offers a wide array of blended and roasted coffees which have been prepared from different kinds of coffee beans. Starting a coffee roasting company poised for success depends on how well blending is done for various kinds of beans.

Blonch Roasters intends to offer a wide range of coffee specialties which include:

• Bistro Blend
• Espresso and Decaf Espresso
• African Roast
• French Roast

Marketing Analysis of Coffee Roasting Business

Coffee is the second most popular traded commodity in the world after oil. The worldwide coffee retail market is a whopping $56 billion industry. Nowadays, coffee consumers prefer taking high-grade coffees with increased focus on quality and unique blending of beans. In the U.S. the coffee market industry has reached unprecedented levels of growth and for this reason, Blonch Coffee plans to rely on an objective coffee roasting business plan to set up its operations. To succeed in this business plan coffee roaster , extensive market analysis has been carried out to identify opportunities available to support business growth. Studying local trends and having a deep understanding of the local coffee roasting market will help Blonch to strategically position its brand.

5.1 Market Segment

In order for Blonch Coffee to achieve its targets, the coffee roasting business will focus on offering various kinds of products and services. Identifying the targeted customer segments is an important step Blonch Coffee has to deal with before as part of the plans to start coffee roasting business . After identifying the right market segment, the business plan coffee roaster can then come up with creative marketing strategy for business in order to woo customers.

5.1.1 Coffee Brewing Premises

One of the largest potential customers for Blonch Coffee is coffee brewing facilities which heavily rely on coffee products on a daily basis to serve their customers. These customers buy roasted coffee beans for the purposes of preparing and selling coffee and espresso drinks. This category includes Coffee Shops , Restaurants, drive-through and Bakeries. With the increasing uptake of coffee, selling directly to various coffee businesses is a sure way of boosting revenues for the coffee roasting business. Because these businesses require coffee products on a daily basis, this is a lucrative market Blonch Coffee must make an effort to reach out to.

5.1.2 Corporates

To start a successful coffee roasting business, you cannot afford to ignore the corporate market which is one of the biggest consumers of coffee products. New York City is a corporate and financial hub with thousands of organizations plying their trade in the city. Office coffee is a popular trend in offices and Blonch Coffee is positioned in a strategic New York neighborhood with easy connections to New York’s Financial District whether a majority of corporates have their offices. Aside from catering for offices, other institutions include schools, hospitals and factories among others.

5.1.3 Retail Specialty Shops

Coffee is a popular item that is stocked in various gourmet and gift shops. People nowadays love and appreciate coffee products as gifts which creates a great opportunity for Blonch Coffee to make unique products that are attractive to retailers focusing on selling specialty and gourmet coffee.

5.1.4 Mail Order

Mail Order coffee is increasing in popularity as many people now order for coffee online. This is an incredible way of boosting revenue for Blonch Coffee as the business can produce coffee for shipping to various places across the U.S. and worldwide. When you start your own coffee roasting business , you must be willing to go beyond the traditional market.

5.1.5 Grocery Stores

Grocery stores buy beans from coffee roasters in bulk for the purposes of resale or prepackaging to their customers. Unlike coffee shops, grocery stores don’t prepare coffee drinks for their customers.

5.2 Business Target

Blonch Coffee has an excellent opportunity to offer its services in the greater New York area thanks to the changing perceptions about coffee. New York is a large city with many coffee bean roasting business establishments, but that doesn’t prevent Blonch Coffee from making an impact.  Using a diversified product range and a good business plan coffee roaster , the business hopes to realize an annual sales increase of 20-30% per annum.

5.3 Product Pricing

Before coming up with product prices, Blonch Coffee has carried out an extensive market research that takes into account the prices of competitors. In order to stay afloat, the business has carefully priced its products to compete favorably.

With the right marketing strategies in place, Blonch Coffee has an exceptional chance to appeal to customers and consistently grow revenue margins. Each marketing strategy is aimed at reaching the target customers with awesome products that exceed client expectations. When planning how to start coffee roasting business , there must be an effective marketing strategy in place in order to remain relevant in a fast growing industry.

6.1 Competitive Analysis

Blonch Coffee plans to come up with a business model that will effectively guide its day-to-day operations and ensure customer expectations are fully met. Even though there are numerous coffee roasting businesses in New York, Maria Rodriguez knows how to start a coffee roasting business and put in place the right mechanisms to remain ahead of competitors.

6.2 Sales Strategy

For Blonch Coffee to meet its sales and revenue goals, the following strategies will be implemented to help advertise the business.

• Print Advertising Campaigns is one of the most effective sales strategies that reaches out to a mass target audience. The business intends to print brochures and put advertisements in local dailies as well as local coffee trade publications and journals. By doing this, the local community is made aware about the coffee roasting business.
• Get the word out and organize an opening party to introduce the business to customers and industry stakeholders. A cupping event is ideal as it allows guests to taste, compare and analyze different varieties of coffee. This is a perfect opportunity for prospective customers to sample what Blonch Coffee has to offer.
• Digital advertising is the new kid on the block. Social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram among others are excellent ways of sending out word about the coffee roasting business. Online advertising such as Google Ads allow for localized advertising which is aimed at the local target.
• Attend industry related trade shows and exhibitions with an aim of marketing the coffee roasting business. This is an effective sales strategy that connects the business with right people who will be instrumental in growing revenue margins.

6.3 Sales Forecast

To achieve its goals, Blonch Coffee has come up with a sales forecast to show the coffee roasting business intends to meet its financial goals. Using a comprehensive business plan coffee roaster , the business knows which areas to focus on to achieve financial success.

Personnel Plan

In order to realize its goals, Blonch Coffee intends to hire a team of qualified and experienced staff to manage day-to-day operations of the business. How to start a coffee roasting company and run it successfully depends on the caliber of staff hired. A good business plan coffee roaster should incorporate a personnel budget to enable the business plan coffee roaster know how much will be spent on salaries.

7.1 Personnel Plan

To effectively run business operations, Maria Rodriguez who is the Owner and Proprietor of Blonch Coffee will be in charge of running the coffee roasting business on a daily basis. To ensure smooth running of the business plan coffee roaster , the following staff will be employed in various departments.

• Business Development and Sales Manager
• 2 Support Staff
• 1 Admin Assistant
• 1 Shipping Executive

Successful applicants will undergo training to familiarize themselves with business plan coffee roaster operations.

7.2 Average Salaries

Blonch Coffee plans to pay its staff the following salaries within the first three years of operation.

Financial Plan

Blonch Coffee has come up with a comprehensive financial plan that will be instrumental in driving success and business growth. In this business plan coffee roaster of how to start coffee roasting , Maria Rodriguez will use her savings to start the business but will be assisted by two investors. In addition, a business plan for a bank loan will be secured to help finance the budget deficit to meet expenses. For a business to be successful, there must be a good plan to guide operations and finances. Below is key financial data for Blonch Coffee.

8.1 Important Assumptions

The financial forecast for Blonch Coffee is based on the assumptions below.

8.2 Brake-even Analysis

Blonch Coffee Brake-even analysis is illustrated in the graph below.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

Profit and Loss information for the coffee roasting business is calculated on a monthly and annual basis as shown below.

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 spent, subtotal cash received, subtotal cash spent on operations and subtotal cash from operations.

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

Below is a Projected Balance Sheet for Blonch Coffee that shows capital, assets, liabilities, current liabilities and long term assets.

8.6 Business Ratios

The following is the Ratio Analysis, Business Ratios and Business Net Worth for Blonch Coffee.

Download Coffee Roasting Business Plan Sample in pdf

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How to Start a Coffee Roasting Business

House-roasted beans are becoming a fixture in local coffee shops. Taking single origin beans from far-flung locales and roasting them yourself is the perfect example of the glocalization movement. Glocalization is the call to adapt global and international products to the local contexts where they’re used and sold. But are roasting businesses just the latest coffee trend ? Buzz aside, roasting coffee beans in-house allows cafes to offer superior beverages and diversify their sales by offering their roasts a la carte or as a part of a coffee subscription service. Whether you’re operating a coffee shop and want to add house-roasted beans to your wheelhouse, or you’re wondering what it takes to roast coffee beans professionally, we guide you through the steps of starting a coffee roasting business.

• Coffee Education
• Business Plan
• Startup Costs
• Licenses and Permits
• Advertising

How to Roast Coffee Beans Professionally

60% of coffee consumed in the U.S. is from the specialty coffee market, making fresh and sustainable coffee beans an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs. Roasting coffee beans professionally takes more than choosing the types of coffee roasts you want to make. You must acquire equipment, business permits, and marketing strategies. Implement these steps to start roasting coffee beans professionally.

1. Coffee Education

Before starting a coffee roasting business, you should have foundational coffee knowledge. From brewing with a French press to an espresso machine, master brewing methods so you can test your coffee beans with each. Consider investing in professional cupping and roasting courses. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) offers a sensory skill module that helps new roasters identify green and roasted coffee defects and flavor characteristics. If you want thorough knowledge, the SCA’s comprehensive coffee skills education program is right for you.

Beyond coffee coursework, taking marketing classes allows you to handle promotion yourself. This makes starting a coffee roasting business more affordable since you won’t have to pay marketing professionals high salaries. The more skills you develop before starting your coffee roasting business, the fewer roles you’ll have to outsource. Once your business is off the ground, you can bring on these staff members to lighten your load.

2. Develop Your Coffee Brand

Having a clear and definable brand for your coffee roastery attracts and retains customers. Branding is the process of communicating your values, mission , personality, and identity. It should be evident in your customer service, packaging, marketing, and products. For example, if you roast fair trade coffee beans, your branding should reflect your dedication to ethical and sustainable sourcing. Including information about your brand on your coffee roasting website and packaging is a great way to help like-minded patrons connect with your brand.

One branding idea is to focus your coffee roasting business identity on coffee tourism. Just like wine enthusiasts travel to destinations renowned for their wine production, many coffee enthusiasts are visiting countries where coffee is grown. Your state-side coffee roasting business can tap into the coffee tourism trend by offering multiple single origin roasts from other countries. Provide information on the country the beans came from, photos of the coffee farm, and curated snack pairing kits for a coffee stay-cation experience.

3. Write a Coffee Roasting Business Plan

Having a thorough business plan is a vital step in roasting coffee professionally. It acts as a roadmap for your new business, consolidating your goals and strategies so you can convert them into action steps. A business plan will help you secure funding for your coffee roasting business because it proves to investors that you know how to make your business succeed. Your coffee roasting business plan should include the followings:

• Executive Summary - The executive summary provides a brief overview of all of the information included in your business plan. You will need to write it last after you have the rest of the information.
• Company Description - Your company description expands on the specific strategies and projections provided in your executive summary.
• Concept and Products - Explain what concepts you have chosen for your coffee roasting business, which types of roasts you’ll sell, and any subscription services you plan to offer.
• Management and Ownership Structure - Discuss what type of ownership your coffee roasting business will have and explain its managerial structure.
• Employee and Staffing Needs - Outline how many employees you’ll need to operate your coffee roasting business, and which positions you must fill.
• Marketing and Competitor Analysis - Identify a target market and complete a comprehensive analysis of your competitors. Then highlight potential competitive advantages.
• Advertising and Marketing Strategies - List potential advertising and marketing methods that will entice customers and establish brand loyalty.
• Financial Projection and Summary - Outline sales projections, perform a break-even analysis, and list potential expenses.

For an in-depth guide to writing business plans, check out our restaurant business plan guide .

4. Raise Coffee Roasting Startup Costs

While not as expensive as opening a coffee shop , starting a coffee roasting business still requires capital. A Specialty Coffee Association study determined that on average, a roaster wholesaler and retailer business owner will need $120,000 to cover startup costs. Discover the basic elements you must pay for when starting a coffee roasting business.

• Location Down Payment - The great thing about a coffee roasting business is you can operate out of your home with the proper licenses and permits in most states. If you’re adding a roasting business to your coffee house, you can make room for your roasting machine without purchasing additional space. However, if these aren’t options for you, you must purchase or rent a location to roast your coffee beans. If purchasing your location, you’ll likely take out a loan to help cover the expense. Expect to make a down payment of around 15-20%.
• Property Renovations/Construction Costs - Whether you’re purchasing a location or operating from home, be prepared to spend money on renovations. Many states allow entrepreneurs to roast coffee from home as long as the part of their home where they will roast the coffee meets state-specific criteria. Expect renovations to bring your space up to your local health department’s standards.
• Coffee Roasting Equipment - Your primary cost will be the commercial coffee roaster. A commercial coffee roaster can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $150,000. While you may not require a large unit when you first start out, we recommend purchasing the largest and best roaster you can afford. As the most essential element of your new business, you don’t want to quickly outgrow or wear out your coffee roaster.
• Coffee Roasting Supplies Inventory - You must factor in the costs of green bean sourcing, packaging, and shipping supplies into your startup costs. As you test and develop your roasts, be prepared for a large amount of initial green bean waste.
• Employee Wages - You may be able to handle much of the coffee roasting process yourself when you first start out. However, if you plan to run a larger operation, you’ll need employees and staff. With the rise of staffing shortages , be prepared to pay fair wages.
• Advertising - An advertising budget is needed to run marketing campaigns and attract new customers.
• Permits and Licensing - Coffee roasting businesses require several permits and licenses, many of which come with fees.
• POS System - A POS system streamlines the ordering process, inventory management, and sales reporting.
• Website - Creating a website where patrons can order coffee beans is essential to your success. Provide information about your supply chain, products, and brand, so customers see your value.

5. Get Business Licenses, Permits, and Certifications

To start a coffee roasting business, there are several licenses, permits, and certifications you must acquire. We break down the official standards you must meet to roast coffee beans professionally.

• EPA Requirements - Since volatile organic compounds and harmful particulate matter are released during the roasting process, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in many states requires roasters to have Air Permits if they roast high volumes annually. Check your local EPA requirements to see if an Air Permit is required for your coffee roasting business.
• FDA Requirements - According to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), any facility that manufactures, processes, packages, or holds food for consumption must register through the FDA Food Facility Registration page and allow the agency to inspect the food facility.
• Local and State Requirements - Most states have laws and regulations over the sale of food products enforced by local health departments. If your production is under a certain volume or you sell your roasts under home cottage laws, many states allow you to roast and sell coffee beans from any location with little health department oversight. Most cottage laws do not allow you to sell food online . However, other states require professional coffee roasters to use a commercial-grade kitchen and require random health department inspections. Check your local and state requirements to make sure you’re in compliance.
• General Business License - While some states require a general business license or permit to roast coffee beans for sale, these licenses are usually found at the city level. Check your local requirements.
• Form a Business Entity - You must select a legal entity that defines how your coffee roasting business is organized. You have four options: proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and Limited Liability Company (LLC).
• Business Name Registration - Many states require owners to register their business name. The process of registering your business name varies by state and the type of business entity you chose.
• Employee Identification Number - Before you can hire staff, you must get a nine-digit employee identification number. Every business in the United States has a unique employee identification number.
• Sales Tax Permit or Business Number - A state sales tax permit (aka business tax number or tax ID number) may be required to sell roasted coffee beans. If necessary, you’ll create an account number with your state’s taxing agency so they can collect and remix the sales tax.
• Resale Certificate - A resale certificate (aka seller’s permit) allows you to purchase inventory that will be resold to customers tax-free. When a business owner has a seller’s permit, they won’t pay the sales tax to the vendor they purchase their inventory from. The sales tax is charged to the end-user of the product instead.
• Occupancy Certification - Most cities will require your coffee roasting business to have a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) before operating out of a commercial building. It is usually offered by the city and county. Before you receive the CO, the building must comply with zoning regulations, building codes, and any additional local requirements. If you’re operating your coffee roastery from your home, you may need to obtain a home occupation permit. Check your local laws and regulations to make sure you’re in compliance.

What Is Fair Trade Certification?

The Fair Trade certification confirms that a product’s social, economic, and environmental aspects of production comply with Fairtrade Standards for Producers and Traders. As a coffee roasting business, it’s worth obtaining a Fair Trade certification, proving to your clients that your coffee promotes fair pay and ethical treatment of the producer groups in developing countries that exported your green coffee beans. Consumers are willing to pay approximately 3.62% higher premium for Fair Trade Certified coffee, so having a Fair Trade certification can earn you greater profits in the long run. It also sets your coffee roasting business apart from competitors, and it can earn customer loyalty from patrons who appreciate your efforts to promote an equitable global economy.

6. Invest in Business Insurance

Insuring your coffee roasting business protects against workplace injuries, property damage, and claims of product liability. General liability insurance is the best insurance for most coffee-roasting businesses. The average coffee roaster spends between $500 and $1,200 to have general liability coverage for $1 million. Your location, number of employees, deductible, general aggregate limit, and per-occurrence limit will determine the price of your general liability policy. Some providers may offer a discount on your general liability policy if you purchase it as a part of a business owner’s policy (BOP).

7. Secure a Location for Your Coffee Roastery

You must find a space large enough to accommodate your coffee roasting equipment and provide enough room for you to safely roast, package, and ship your coffee beans. If you’re a micro roaster, you won’t require a large commercial space to operate your coffee roasting business. As long as cottage laws in your area allow it, an up-to-code basement or garage will work as a location for a small roasting business. As your business grows, you may require a larger space. There are commissaries that allow you to pay for timed access to commercial roasters. This allows you to complete large orders without having to invest in your own commercial space.

8. Purchase Coffee Roasting Supplies

It’s time to purchase the coffee roasting equipment and supplies you’ll need to start roasting coffee and selling it to customers. We’ve rounded up the essential supplies required to start your coffee roasting business.

• Coffee Roaster - There is a wide range of coffee roasters on the market, but most small roasting businesses can start with a 5 kg capacity classic drum roaster. Choose a model that is compatible with helpful roasting software for the best outcome.
• Unroasted Coffee Beans - Having a steady supply of green beans you can roast will be essential to your business. Decide whether you want to focus on a particular region of origin or offer blends of different beans.
• Coffee Bags - Branded coffee bags build brand identity, but if you don’t have the funds when you first start out, purchase flavor-conserving, wholesale recyclable coffee bags. Your first customers will care more about the quality of your product and the sustainability of your packaging than a cool design.
• Bag Sealer - A reliable bag sealer allows you to seal your roasted coffee inside your bags so it can be sold to customers. We recommend choosing an automatic bag sealer that adds the roasting date to the bags.
• Sample Roaster - A small sample roaster allows you to test your roasts and judge their quality without wasting all your green coffee beans on a large batch if it doesn’t turn out well.
• Bean Trier - A bean trier is an instrument that pulls a sample of beans from a coffee roaster so you can view their shade and smell their aroma. It is a long tool shaped like a wand with a hollow shaft that has a slot in it. Roasters insert the bean tier into the beans, rotate it, and collect coffee into the shaft. Roasters can then place the bean trier under a spotlight to evaluate the roast shade.
• Spotlight - To accurately determine the color of your roast, mount a spotlight with a full-spectrum bulb above your bean trier.
• Color Meter - For true color accuracy, invest in a color meter. A color meter analyzes the degree of roast, allowing you to create a consistent product.
• Moisture Reader - A moisture reader reveals how coffee was prepared, how its quality might alter over time, and how it will respond inside the roaster.
• Scales - You will use scales to weigh green coffee before roasting it, ground coffee before taste testing, and roasted coffee beans before packaging them for your customers. You’ll need a scale with a high weight capacity and a large weighing platter. Look for a unit that is accurate to 0.1g.
• Coffee Grinder - You’ll need a reliable grinder with adjustable grind settings so you can test your roasts in every grind size .
• Coffee Brewer - You must have a brewer to test your roasted beans with. Pour over and French press brewers are popular choices. Make sure you can test the method your core customers will likely use.
• Coffee Roasting Software - There is a lot of wonderful software to help you roast coffee. For the new roaster, Artisan is an excellent choice. It’s free, open-source software compatible with over 30 types of roasting machines and over 50 associated devices. For advanced roasters willing to pay for their software, Cropster is a comprehensive tool that helps roasters with monitoring their inventory, production, planning, quality control, and manage the buying and selling of green coffee online.
• Cleaning Supplies - You'll need to maintain a tidy space and thoroughly clean your equipment.
• Safety Equipment - Protect against injury by providing safety supplies. Help reduce the risk of fires by adding a water line with a spray head and an accessible valve.
• Shipping Supplies - If you plan to run an e-commerce coffee roasting business, purchase shipping supplies so you can fulfill customers’ orders.

9. Create a Website for Your Coffee Roasting Business

Having a navigable website is essential to your success. Make sure your product pages offer ample information to guide people. Use descriptive words so customers understand each roast’s flavor profile. Consider offering interactive quizzes to help patrons find a roast they’ll like.

Your coffee roasting website should reveal who you are as a brand and guide patrons to purchases. Provide information on your sustainability efforts and on where you source your beans. According to a Label Insight survey, 94% percent of consumers are more loyal to brands that provide supply chain transparency. Lastly, make it easy for customers to subscribe to loyalty programs and email lists from your website.

10. Advertise Your Coffee Roasting Business

You can have the best brand, premium products, and incredible customer service, but if no one knows about your business, your efforts will fall flat. Creating a social media presence is crucial to marketing your coffee roasting businesses. Each social media platform favors a different type of content. Optimize your content for each platform by following best practices for Instagram and learning how to create engaging videos for TikTok . If you have a cottage food roasting business, get involved with your local farmer’s market scene. Don’t hesitate to make in-person connections with local gourmet grocers and coffee houses to advertise your roasts.

Thanks to its comparatively low startup costs, launching a coffee roasting business is a wonderful opportunity for entrepreneurial coffee enthusiasts. Whether you’re a coffee shop owner interested in gaining a competitive edge or a coffee roasting hobbyist looking for a new career, refer back to our guide to start your own coffee roasting business.

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Coffee Roasting Business

Back to All Business Ideas

How to Start Your Own Coffee Roasting Business

Written by: Esther Strauss

Esther is a business strategist with over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur, executive, educator, and management advisor.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on April 25, 2021 Updated on July 2, 2024

Investment range

$15,250 - $80,600

Revenue potential

$280,000 - $1.7 million p.a.

Time to build

1 - 3 months

Profit potential

$85,000 - $120,000 p.a.

Industry trend

Here are the most important aspects of starting a coffee roasting business:

• Coffee roasting machine — Invest in high-quality equipment and find a coffee roasting machine that fits your needs. There are many options on the market including Loring S15 Falcon , Diedrich IR-12 , or Probat P12 .
• Franchise — There are a few franchise options to choose from such as Cafe2U , The Coffee Beanery , Aroma Joe’s Coffee , and PJ’s Coffee .
• Suppliers — Find a reputable supplier for your coffee beans such as Cafe Imports , Royal Coffee , or Sustainable Harvest .
• Licenses and permits — Depending on the state and the scope of your operation, you might need a license that specifically permits you to manufacture food products, which includes coffee roasting.
• Online store — Make your business available 24/7 with an online store and invest in a professional website where people can see your offer and order from you.
• Packaging and delivery — Use high-quality, airtight packaging that includes one-way valves to allow gases from freshly roasted coffee to escape without letting air in. Offer various package sizes to cater to different customer needs, from small sample packs to larger bags for regular customers. Provide multiple delivery options to suit different needs, including standard, expedited, and possibly same-day delivery in local areas. 
• Register your business — A limited liability company (LLC) is the best legal structure for new businesses because it is fast and simple. Form your business immediately using ZenBusiness LLC formation service or hire one of the best LLC services on the market.
• Legal business aspects — Register for taxes, open a business bank account, and get an EIN .

Interactive Checklist at your fingertips—begin your coffee roasting business today!

You May Also Wonder:

Is coffee roasting profitable?

According to the  World Economic Forum , a coffee roaster will typically see a net profit of roughly $0.44/lb or 7.1%. These figures are based on a cost of $8.73/lb and a wholesale selling price of $9.40/lb. The net profit margin is similar if you sell to a retail audience as well.  RK Drums , on the other hand, suggests that home-based coffee roasteries have a net profit margin closer to $7/lb.

Is roasting coffee hard?

Learning to roast coffee is straightforward, but mastering it takes time and practice. Continuous improvement in your roasting skills can help differentiate your business and lead to success.

What is the most popular coffee roast?

The most popular coffee roast is typically medium roast, favored by many for its balance between preserving the coffee’s original flavors and developing deeper, caramelized notes. This preference can vary by region and personal taste.

What are the factors that influence the flavor and aroma of roasted coffee beans?

The flavor and aroma of roasted coffee beans are influenced by the bean’s origin and variety, the processing method, the roasting profile including temperature and duration, moisture content, and the brewing method used.

What temperature do coffee roasters use?

Coffee roasters typically start the roasting process at temperatures between 180-200°C (356-392°F) and adjust higher depending on the desired roast profile and the specific characteristics of the beans.

Should coffee rest after roasting?

Yes, coffee should rest after roasting to allow for degassing, where built-up carbon dioxide escapes from the beans. This resting period, typically between 12 to 48 hours, enhances the coffee’s flavor, making it smoother and more balanced.

Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You

Before you start dreaming of coffee roasting success, it’s important to understand the industry so that you can see where you fit best. 

Pros and Cons

To get a balanced view of the coffee roasting industry, let’s look at both the positives and the negatives. 

• Growing interest in specialty drinks, brews and varieties
• Easily scalable business model
• Help people get going to start their day!
• Be your own boss — choose your own beans and working hours
• Becoming a good roaster requires training
• Finding a suitable roasting location may be difficult due to the fumes and emissions

Coffee Roasting Industry Trends

Coffee is popular throughout the world, but Americans are the most committed drinkers, consuming 517 million cups a day, according to the National Coffee Association’s data from 2022.(( https://www.ncausa.org/Portals/56/PDFs/Communication/20220315_media_highlights.pdf?ver=Xz7bwWmt8eAtyGxkFp30bg%3d%3d ))

A look at Google Trends shows interest in coffee roasting has been consistent over the last five years.(( https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=US&q=coffee%20roasting ))

Industry Size and Growth

• Industry size and past growth — The US roast coffee market is worth $0.3 trillion.(( https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/hot-drinks/coffee/roast-coffee/worldwide )) 
• Growth forecast — The global roast coffee market is expected to expand around 6% annually through 2029.(( https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/4602370/coffee-roaster-market-growth-trends-covid-19 ))
• Number of businesses — There are over 3,000 coffee roasters in the US(( https://coffeebeaned.com/coffee-roaster-maps/ ))

Trends and Challenges

• Roasted coffee subscription model, with consumers getting high-quality beans shipped straight to their door on a regular basis
• Introduction of value-added coffee-based RTD and flavor-added coffee
• Short shelf life of roasted coffee
• Wide use of instant coffee

Consumer Spending

• Average consumer spend — 31% of Americans spend $11–$20 a month on coffee to make at home, and 51% buy coffee from a coffee shop at least once per week.(( https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/coffee-survey/ ))
• Potential customer base — More than half of Americans drink at least three cups per day.(( https://www.statista.com/chart/19524/cups-of-coffee-drunk-by-americans-per-day/ ))
• Average prices — A cup of coffee in the US costs an average of $4.90.(( https://www.businessinsider.com/coffee-prices-increases-inflation-drought-frost-2022-8 ))

What Kind of People Work in Coffee Roasting?

• Gender — 76% of coffee roasters are male.(( https://www.zippia.com/coffee-roaster-jobs/demographics/#gender-statistics ))
• Average level of education — Nearly 60% of coffee roasters have a bachelor’s degree.(( https://www.zippia.com/coffee-roaster-jobs/demographics/#degree-level-types ))
• Average age — The average American coffee roaster is over 41.(( https://www.zippia.com/coffee-roaster-jobs/demographics/#age-statistics ))

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Coffee Roasting Business?

To start a coffee roasting business, you’ll need between $15,000 and $80,000, but the average investment is about $50,000.

Let’s see what your investment gets you: 

You’ll need a handful of items to successfully launch your coffee roasting business. 

Online retailer Amazon has a range of coffee roasting equipment, including both basic and professional machines. Most other supplies can be found at local stores or from Amazon as well. Finding a reputable green coffee supplier is the most important part of this step. You can check out suppliers such as Benchmark and Intercontinental Coffee Trading .

How Much Can You Earn From a Coffee Roasting Business?

The key, of course, is how much coffee you sell and at what price. The World Economic Forum estimates that roasters typically make $0.44/lb of roasted beans. An estimated $8.73/lb cost and a wholesale selling price of $9.40/lb results in a 7% profit margin.(( https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/economics-coffee-cup-costs-break-down/ )) 

In your first year or two, you could work from home without any staff, bringing up your profit margin to around 30%. If you roast one 110-pound bag of coffee a day for five days a week and sell your roasted coffee for $10/lb, you’d earn more than $280,000 in annual revenue and around $85,000 in profit, assuming that 30% margin.

As your brand gains recognition, you could increase your capacity to five 110-pound bags a day and extend operating hours to six days a week. At this stage, you’d rent a commercial space, hire staff, and invest in a bigger roaster, reducing your profit margin to 7%. With an annual revenue of $1.7 million, you’d make a tidy profit of more than $120,000.

What Barriers to Entry Are There?

While starting a coffee roasting business may seem straightforward, there are a few barriers that you should be aware of: 

• Finding a suitable roasting location due to smoke and fumes
• The initial learning curve can be steep, from sourcing beans to roasting
• Gaining brand recognition can be difficult in a crowded market  
• Securing relevant permits and abiding by regulations

Related Business Ideas

How to Start a Coffee Shop: What You Need to Know

How to Start a Coffee Cart Business in 13 Steps

How to Start a Bar: From Concept to Grand Opening

Step 2: hone your idea.

Now that you know a bit more about the industry, let’s start refining your business idea. 

Market research will give you the upper hand, even if you’re already positive that you have a perfect product or service. Conducting market research is important because it can help you understand your customers better, who your competitors are, and your business landscape.

Why? Identify an Opportunity

Before you become a coffee roaster, you’ll need to find out who your competition is. Are they beginning roasters like yourself, or are they an established brand? Are there a lot of local roasters in your area? Who buys their beans? 

Knowing these answers will help you find your unique value proposition that you can share with potential customers. 

You might also learn about the beans they source, their roasting process, and the equipment they use. All this information will help you capture your market share in the coffee industry. 

What? Determine Which Coffee Beans You’ll Roast and Specialize In

There are four color categories for roasted coffee beans, according to the National Coffee Association — light, medium, medium-dark, and dark. 

Light is generally preferred for milder coffee varieties, medium for stronger flavor, medium-dark for a slight bittersweet aftertaste, and dark for pronounced bitterness like espresso.

You should consider creating a niche for yourself by specializing in one or two of these roasted coffee categories. This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing within your niche market.

How Much Should You Charge for Roasted Coffee?

How much you charge will depend on the products you sell and the costs involved in the process. Beans vary in price depending on their origin, weather, and supply & demand, but on average, a coffee roaster can sell a pound of beans for $10–$15. 

Ensure that your product prices leave you with a healthy profit margin so that the fluctuations in green coffee bean prices won’t erode your profits. 

Once you know your costs, you can use our profit margin calculator to determine your markup and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.

Who? Identify Your Target Market

Identifying your target market is important because these are the customers to whom you will tailor your marketing strategies.

Do you want to target restaurants and cafes or even sell directly to the public? Will you target high-end retailers, or do you want to make your coffee more affordable? These are some of the questions you can ask yourself while identifying your target market. 

Knowing who your customers will be allows you to create a brand and marketing plan that will resonate with them. 

Where? Choose Your Business Premises

In the early stages, you may want to run your business from home to keep costs low, but as your business grows, you’ll likely need to hire workers for various roles and may need to rent out a storefront or production facility. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist , Crexi , and Instant Offices .

When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:

• Central location accessible via public transport
• Ventilated and spacious, with good natural light
• Flexible lease that can be extended as your business grows
• Ready-to-use space with no major renovations or repairs needed

Step 3: Brainstorm a Coffee Roasting Business Name

Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:

• Short, unique, and catchy names tend to stand out
• Names that are easy to say and spell tend to do better 
• Name should be relevant to your product or service offerings
• Ask around — family, friends, colleagues, social media — for suggestions
• Including keywords, such as “coffee” or “beans,” boosts SEO
• Name should allow for expansion, for example, “Bold Bean Roasters” over “Single Origin Roasters”
• A location-based name can help establish a strong connection with your local community and help with the SEO, but might hinder future expansion

Discover over 210 unique coffee roasting business name ideas here . If you want your business name to include specific keywords, you can also use our coffee roasting business name generator. Just type in a few keywords, hit Generate, and you’ll have dozens of suggestions at your fingertips.

Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the US Patent and Trademark Office website to make sure those names are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these. 

Find a Domain

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Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that set your business apart. Once you pick your company name and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.

Step 4: Create a Coffee Roasting Business Plan

Here are the key components of a business plan:

• Executive summary — A brief overview of the coffee roasting business, highlighting its key elements and objectives
• Business overview — Detailed information about the coffee roasting business, including its mission, vision, and key values
• Product and services — Explanation of the types of coffee products offered, the roasting process, and any additional services provided
• Market analysis — A thorough examination of the coffee market, identifying target customers, trends, and potential growth opportunities
• Competitive analysis — Evaluation of competitors in the coffee industry, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses
• Sales and marketing — Strategies for promoting and selling coffee products, including target marketing and promotional activities
• Management team — Introduction to the key members of the management team, outlining their roles and qualifications
• Operations plan — Details on the day-to-day operations of the coffee roasting business, from sourcing beans to the roasting process and distribution
• Financial plan — A comprehensive financial forecast, including startup costs, revenue projections, and profit margins
• Appendix — Supplementary materials such as supporting documents, market research data, and any additional information relevant to the business plan

If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.

Step 5: Register Your Business

Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.

Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business! 

Choose Where to Register Your Company

Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you are planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to coffee roasting. 

If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind that it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state. 

Choose Your Business Structure

Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your coffee roasting business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely. 

Here are the main options:

• Sole proprietorship — The most common structure for small businesses makes no legal distinction between company and owner. All income goes to the owner, who’s also liable for any debts, losses, or liabilities incurred by the business. The owner pays taxes on business income on his or her personal tax return.
• General partnership — This is similar to a sole proprietorship but for two or more people. Again, owners keep the profits and are liable for losses. The partners pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC) — Combines the characteristics of corporations with those of sole proprietorships or partnerships. Again, the owners are not personally liable for debts.
• C Corporation — Under this structure, the business is a distinct legal entity, and the owner or owners are not personally liable for business debts. Owners take profits through shareholder dividends rather than directly. The corporation pays taxes, and owners pay taxes on their dividends, which is sometimes referred to as double taxation.
• S Corporation — This refers to the tax classification of the business but is not a business entity. Either a corporation or an LLC can elect to be an S Corp for tax status. Here, income is passed through directly to shareholders, who pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.

We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization , and answer any questions you might have.

Form Your LLC

Choose Your State

We recommend ZenBusiness as the Best LLC Service for 2024

Step 6: Register for Taxes

The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail/fax. Visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN. 

Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.

The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist , and taxes can be filed online.

It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you are completing them correctly.

Step 7: Fund Your Business

Securing financing is your next step, and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:

• Bank loans — This is the most common method, but getting approved requires a rock-solid business plan and a strong credit history.
• SBA-guaranteed loans — The Small Business Administration can act as a guarantor, helping gain that elusive bank approval via an SBA-guaranteed loan .
• Government grants — A handful of financial assistance programs help fund entrepreneurs. Visit Grants.gov to learn which might work for you.
• Venture capital — Offer potential investors an ownership stake in exchange for funds, keeping in mind that you would be sacrificing some control over your business.
• Friends and family — Reach out to friends and family to provide a business loan or investment in your concept. It’s a good idea to have legal advice when doing so because SEC regulations apply.
• Crowdfunding — Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer increasingly popular low-risk options in which donors fund your vision. Entrepreneurial crowdfunding sites like Fundable and WeFunder enable multiple investors to fund your business.
• Personal — Self-fund your business via your savings, the sale of property or other assets, and support from family and friends.

Bank and SBA loans are probably the best options, other than friends and family, for funding a coffee roasting business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept. 

Step 8: Apply for Coffee Roasting Business Licenses and Permits

Starting a coffee roasting business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.

Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits. 

You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more. 

You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package . They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.

This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.

If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.

Step 9: Open a Business Bank Account

Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account .

Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your coffee roasting business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.

Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account. 

Step 10: Get Business Insurance

Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked, yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.

Here are some types of insurance to consider:

• General liability — The most comprehensive type of insurance, acting as a catch-all for many business elements that require coverage. If you get just one kind of insurance, this is it. It even protects against bodily injury and property damage.
• Business property — Provides coverage for your equipment and supplies.
• Equipment Breakdown Insurance: Covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that has broken due to mechanical issues.
• Worker’s compensation — Provides compensation to employees injured on the job.
• Property — Covers your physical space, whether it is a cart, storefront, or office.
• Commercial auto — Protection for your company-owned vehicle.
• Professional liability — Protects against claims from clients who say they suffered a loss due to an error or omission in your work.
• Business owner’s policy (BOP) — This is an insurance plan that acts as an all-in-one insurance policy, a combination of any of the above insurance types.

Step 11: Prepare to Launch

As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business. 

Essential Software and Tools

Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks.  

You may want to use industry-specific software, such as Artisan or Cropster, to manage your inventory, purchasing, costs, and waste management.

• Popular web-based accounting programs for smaller businesses include Quickbooks , FreshBooks , and Xero . 
• If you’re unfamiliar with basic accounting, you may want to hire a professional, especially as you begin. The consequences of filing incorrect tax documents can be harsh, so accuracy is crucial.

Develop Your Website

Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism.

You can create your own website using website builders . This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.

However, people are unlikely to find your website unless you follow Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google. 

Here are some powerful marketing strategies for your future business:

• Professional branding — Emphasize the artisanal and premium quality of your coffee in all branding elements, from logo to packaging.
• Website & SEO — Enhance your website’s search engine rankings by optimizing for keywords related to specialty coffee and artisan roasting. This strategy will increase your online presence and attract more traffic to your site.
• Social media engagement — Use Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to share high-quality images of your coffee and the people behind your brand.
• Coffee education blog — Post articles on coffee sourcing, roasting, and brewing to educate and engage your audience.
• Video content — Produce behind-the-scenes videos to showcase your unique roasting process and coffee qualities.
• Coffee tasting events — Host tastings to introduce your coffees to both the public and potential wholesale customers.
• Participation in expos — Showcase your products at food and coffee expos to reach a wider audience and network with industry peers.
• Partnerships with local businesses — Collaborate with local eateries for unique coffee pairings and co-branded products.
• Subscription services — Offer a coffee subscription for regular deliveries, catering to dedicated coffee enthusiasts.
• Loyalty rewards — Develop a rewards program that incentivizes repeat purchases and fosters customer loyalty.
• Targeted online advertising — Utilize digital ads to reach specific demographics like coffee enthusiasts and gourmet food lovers.

Focus on USPs

Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that set it apart from the competition. Today, customers are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they can quickly grasp how your coffee roasting business meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire. 

Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your coffee roasting business could be:

• Offer unique coffee blends only found in your roastery
• Invest in the most eco-friendly coffee roasting machine
• Create an efficient coffee subscription plan
• Expand your services to coffee consulting and training

You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain, but your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a roastery, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in coffee roasting for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections. 

The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in coffee. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership. Online businesses might also consider affiliate marketing as a way to build relationships with potential partners and boost business.

Step 12: Build Your Team

If you’re starting out small from home, you may not need any employees and roast the coffee beans yourself. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for a coffee roasting business would include:

• Coffee roasters — handling the roasting operations
• Salespeople — selling to coffee shops and retailers
• Marketing lead — SEO strategies, social media

At some point, depending on your business’s size and needs, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need. 

Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed , Glassdoor , or ZipRecruiter . Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent. 

Step 13: Run a Coffee Roasting Business — Start Making Money!

Keep in mind that not all coffee roasts are the same. It’s important that you know the difference between light and dark roasts. It’s also wise to determine from the start what kind of coffee roast you want to do and sell. You might want to do just the light roast or focus on medium-dark and dark roasts.

This is how you can set your business apart from the competition and increase your chances of success. Offering your own unique product or innovating on an existing product will help jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing. 

You’re now ready to start your entrepreneurial journey with your coffee roasting business!

• Coffee Roasting Business FAQs

According to the World Economic Forum , a coffee roaster will typically see a net profit of roughly $0.44/lb or 7.1%. These figures are based on a cost of $8.73/lb and a wholesale selling price of $9.40/lb. The net profit margin is similar if you sell to a retail audience as well. RK Drums , on the other hand, suggests that home-based coffee roasteries have a net profit margin closer to $7/lb.

The most popular coffee roast is typically medium roast, favored by many for its balance between preserving the coffee’s original flavors and developing deeper, caramelized notes. This preference can vary by region and personal taste.

The flavor and aroma of roasted coffee beans are influenced by the bean’s origin and variety, the processing method, the roasting profile including temperature and duration, moisture content, and the brewing method used.

Yes, coffee should rest after roasting to allow for degassing, where built-up carbon dioxide escapes from the beans. This resting period, typically between 12 to 48 hours, enhances the coffee’s flavor, making it smoother and more balanced.

Make sure you list your coffee roasting business on CoffeeRoast.com!

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• Decide if the Business Is Right for You
• Hone Your Idea
• Brainstorm a Coffee Roasting Business Name
• Create a Coffee Roasting Business Plan
• Register Your Business
• Register for Taxes
• Fund Your Business
• Apply for Coffee Roasting Business Licenses and Permits
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get Business Insurance
• Prepare to Launch
• Build Your Team
• Run a Coffee Roasting Business — Start Making Money!

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How to Grow Your Coffee Roasting Business: 27 Tips from Coffee Pros

Coffee roasters like to think the key to success is simply roasting the best coffee beans out there. It’d be great if success was that straightforward, but the coffee business is a bit more complicated than that.

The problem with this business plan is that EVERYONE else is following the same one. Coffee shops have more options for high quality coffee than ever before, and even more shops are taking up the craft of roasting for themselves.

Quality is just the foot in the door for coffee roasters, as one coffee shop owner put it. What else can coffee roasters do to stand out from the crowd?

We recently conducted a survey with the help of Barista Magazine to learn more about coffee shop and customer habits. Along with learning a lot about consumer preferences, we also learned what coffee shops look for when choosing a roasting partner. The most important qualities for a coffee roaster are:

• Consistency
• Unique flavors
• Being local

But when we asked coffee shops to explain in more detail, there seemed to be other strong factors that played a role in how coffee roasters earned their business. We picked out the best pieces of advice from coffee shops and list them below. Scroll through the 4 main categories and find the advice that resonates with you. You have our permission to steal it and turn it into a booming business. Happy roasting!

Coffee Shop Education

1. offer to run cuppings for coffee shops.

“Go above and beyond for your shops. If they want to do cuppings, send them free samples or offer to come down and teach! Your shops are a direct influence on the image of your roastery.” - Devin Parham, Head Barista at The Coffee Cup , Poteau, OK, USA

2. Provide Training to coffee shops

“Offer flexibility within roasts and support your vendors with training. It helps the cafe and ensures that your coffees are being brewed and served the way you intended when you roasted them.” - United By Blue Coffeehouse & Clothier , Philadelphia, PA, USA

“Offering trainings and being available are some things that I appreciate most about my roaster. They anticipate our needs and follow through. They do an amazing job.” - Tina Contes, Dough , Tampa FL, USA

3. Understand what it takes to be a good barista

“Be familiar with skills needed to be a good barista first. if you cannot connect the two, how can you know what your customers want. Make it a point to connect with people purchasing beans from your shop, or the shops where your beans are being sold.”

- Matthew Lynch, Street Bean Coffee , Seattle, WA, USA

4. Choose coffee shop partners who care about the product

“Display prudence when selecting a shop to prepare your coffee and oversee their procedures to ensure a proper representation of your brand and product.” 

- Zachary James, Peddler Coffee , Philadelphia, PA, USA

5. Provide detailed information about the coffees

“For a roaster, having highly detailed information about the beans you're sourcing, tasting notes, the ability to host baristas on site and to articulately conduct trainings and coffee cuppings are all critical to success in the industry. This is particularly relevant if your clientele is local and actively pursuing education and transparency about their buying practices in their shops.” 

- Ryan Barker, Bourbon Coffee , Washington, DC, USA

6. Be a resource to wholesale customers

“Be a resource! Offering classes, equipment, technical support, and being a familiar face adds value to your brand.” - Doug Stone, Corvus Coffee Roasters , Denver, CO, USA

Creating Quality Coffee

7. Take coffee roasting classes

“If you want to roast your own coffee you must know how to do it. You can ruin a great coffee if you don´t. Begin with the courses and then buy your roaster machine. Create a profile as so you can always roast the coffee the same way as before to have a consistent product.” - Dri Menezes,  Blueberry Pie Café , Niterói, Brazil

8. Create custom blends for wholesale customers

“Listen to your client. Our roaster was very open to creating our custom blends, and roasting the single origins to our specifications.” 

- Lyndsey Lee, Coffee Studio

9. Take risks with unique coffees

“Take risks. Do new things and pull in obscure coffees. Never compromise the craft of coffee roasting for profit. Remember why your coffee is special and always do your best to honor the hard work of coffee farmers.” 

- Ben Hernandez, Oak Lawn Coffee , Dallas, TX, USA

10. Be transparent in sourcing

“We absolutely point blank refuse to serve coffee from roasters who aren't absolutely transparent about sourcing and blends. Put the name of the producer on the bag. Tell us what's in a blend. Source ethically and advertise that.” 

- Alex Evans, M5 Espresso, Cincinnati, Ohio , USA

Building Relationships

11. relationships and trust win over customers.

“In our region, we have at least 25 fantastic roasters within two hours of our shop. Our decision came down to relationship and trust. Messenger Coffee (our primary roaster) has taken a personal interest in our business and has gone out of their way to help us grow and reach our goals. As a result, we have grown into one of their largest accounts. We couldn't have reached that without them!” 

- David Adkins, Arrow Coffee Company , Manhattan, KS, USA

12. Be the “One Stop Shop” for cafes

“Be proactive. Build a full service business that consults, installs and finances equipment.” 

- Avery's Coffee Roasters, Las Vegas, NV, USA

13. Build a strong relationships with local shop owners

“Build personal connections with shop owners and management--it goes a long way! We've been so lucky to forge a strong bond with our roaster. Happy to keep this going for years to come.” 

- Mike Balderrama, The Potter's House , Washington, DC, USA

14. Take on small coffee shop accounts and grow with them

“Our [coffee] order was very small at the beginning but we had roasters who worked with us and helped us grow. Because of this positive relationship we are very active about promoting our roasters to our customer base.” 

- Kim Wilson, Commissary Cafe , Portland, Oregon, USA

15. Communicate constantly

“Constantly checking in and sending samples to existing accounts really shows you care and will help them to grow sales, gaining you more business.” 

- Michael Hoshstrasser, University Book Store Cafe , Seattle, WA, USA

16. Don’t forget about customer service

“Customer service is key. That can easily be lost when your product becomes the primary focus. If there's no customer to by the coffee, then the coffee's not worth anything. If people feel valued by you as a roaster, then they'll value your product.” - Seth Enos, Copper Kettle Coffee , Colorado Spring, CO, USA

17. Keep up with your customer’s taste preferences

“Keep your clients engaged and constantly communicate with them to ensure the product you're delivering is keeping up with their tastes as preferences change over time and if you don't reach out to them in time, they may switch roasters.” 

- Minnie Antonio, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

18. Actually visit the local shops

“Visit your local shops more. It's easy to stay in the roastery all day, and neglect the shops around you. But making a dual-effort to serve excellent coffees to the community around you goes a long way. Local partnerships speak volumes in communities where coffee isn't yet being fully appreciated.” 

- Jared H., Java Jolt , Jacksonville, AL, USA

19. Turn relationships into repeat business

“Focus on quality, and focus on building relationships with wholesale accounts. For us, quality is the foot in the door, the relationship is what gets us to order again.” 

- Justin Carpenter, Foolish Things Coffee Company, Tulsa, OK , USA

20. Offer free samples to consumers at partner coffee shops

“Be involved in the cafes that carry your brand. Offer cupping nights for the cafes patrons. Maybe more small free samples of beans to customers.” 

- Kelly Fennell, Cool Beans Coffeehouse & Cafe , Madison, WI, USA

Outreach and Marketing

21. build relationships with the baristas, not just the owners.

“Don't underestimate the power of the waitstaff. Drop samples and free coffee cards w/ them so they are familiar w/ your product and will recommend and sell. (and make sure it gets reordered)” 

- Sondra Powell, Red Hot Roasters , Louisville, KY, USA

22. Start with samples, follow up with a personal connection

“Drop off samples, follow up, make a personal connection, don't get discouraged if you don't wind up getting my business--at least you've made a friend!” 

- Josie Hunckler, Rabble Coffee , Indianapolis, IN, USA

23. Do not make brand and marketing an afterthought

“I'm the roaster too. I will say, quality is as important as brand image. Working on branding and marketing should not be an afterthought.” - Daniel Noguera, Urbana Cafe , Cincinnati, OH, USA

Urbana Coffee  in Cincinnati, OH

24. Be proactive about seeking new customers

“Approach new places that are looking for coffee - take the work away from them.” 

- Avocado Cafe , CA, USA

25. Be active on social media

“Be consistent in their marketing to shops, be respectful to smaller shops (don't become inconsistent when you start getting bigger purchases), be accessible for questions, have an active social media so we can point to you (social media means a lot to small shops and it helps if we can highlight what you are doing).” - Renee Blanchard, Church Alley Coffee Bar , New Orleans, LA, USA

26. Provide pricing and wholesale information for prospects

“Clearly communicate information on pricing, the coffee, and other services you offer. I shouldn't have to look for it or ask.” - Matthew Scott

27. Make Your Website User Friendly

“For me an inviting website is always a plus for me. Something not to complicated to find out about the business and the coffees they offer.” - Victor Hodgson, Sonoma, CA, USA

Earning more business as a coffee roaster isn’t difficult; it just takes time. Being proactive about marketing will help roasters find new prospects, but business always boils down to the same three things: quality, relationships, and going above and beyond for customers.

It’s easy to get caught up in the act of roasting and forget there’s a whole wide world out there to explore. Don’t do that. Be active in the community and coffee shops will reward you with their business.

   Interested in Selling Handground in Your Shop?

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Business Plan Proposal for Coffee Shop: A Coffee Lover’s Blueprint

Coffee shops have become more than just places to grab a quick cup of joe. They have evolved into social hubs, community gathering spots, and creative sanctuaries. With the ever-increasing demand for high-quality coffee and the rise of the café culture, opening a coffee shop presents a compelling entrepreneurial opportunity.

In this article, I will outline the key components necessary for launching and running a great coffee shop.

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

Additionally, the executive summary delves into your target market, identifying the specific demographics, preferences, and needs of your potential customers. It highlights the competitive advantage your coffee shop possesses, whether it’s through superior quality, innovative offerings, exceptional customer service, or a combination of factors that sets you apart from existing market players.

2. Market Analysis

In order to achieve greatness in the coffee industry, a deep understanding of the market and target audience is essential. Conducting a comprehensive market analysis becomes the foundation for making informed business decisions. By analyzing the industry, you can identify emerging trends that shape consumer preferences and demands. This knowledge enables you to tailor your offerings and stay ahead of the competition.

3. Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Consider various factors that can contribute to your USP. It could be a specific coffee brewing method that creates a distinct flavor profile, a signature blend crafted from premium beans sourced directly from growers, or a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing practices. Whatever aspect you choose, it should be something that resonates with your target audience and aligns with their values and preferences.

4. Menu and Product Offering

Expanding beyond beverages, it is beneficial to develop a selection of artisanal pastries, light meals, and healthy snack options. Freshly baked croissants, muffins, and scones can complement the coffee offerings and entice customers with their delicious aroma. Additionally, offering options like salads, sandwiches, and wraps caters to those seeking a light and satisfying meal.

5. Location and Facilities

Seek out areas with bustling foot traffic, such as busy shopping districts or near offices and educational institutions, to maximize visibility and attract potential customers. Additionally, a vibrant community atmosphere can contribute to a steady flow of patrons.

6. Marketing and Promotion

To ensure the longevity of your coffee shop, it is essential to develop a robust marketing strategy that effectively raises awareness and attracts customers. A combination of online and offline marketing channels can be leveraged to reach a broader audience.

7. Operations and Management

When outlining the operational aspects of your coffee shop, it is crucial to address staffing, training, and day-to-day processes. Clearly define roles and responsibilities for each team member, placing strong emphasis on providing exceptional customer service and product knowledge. Implement efficient inventory management systems to ensure a smooth supply chain and establish reliable relationships with suppliers.

8. Financial Projections

Additionally, outline your profitability targets and set financial goals to drive growth and sustainability. By meticulously planning your finances and regularly monitoring your performance, you can make informed decisions, optimize your operations, and achieve long-term profitability for your coffee shop.

9. Risk Assessment

Opening a coffee shop requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a passion for providing an exceptional coffee experience. By crafting a comprehensive business plan that addresses market analysis, differentiation, operations, and financial projections, you will be well-positioned to navigate the competitive landscape and brew popularity in the coffee industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: how much does it cost to open a coffee shop, q: do i need prior experience in the coffee industry to start a coffee shop, q: what permits and licenses are needed to open a coffee shop.

I (like you may be) knew the coffee industry well. I could make the best latte art around and the foam on my caps was the fluffiest you have ever seen. I even had the best state-of-the-art 2 group digital Nuova Simonelli machine money could buy. But I knew that these things alone would not be enough to lure customers away from the name brand established coffee shops.

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Related posts, best ways to implement sustainable practices in your coffee shop, how to host events at your coffee shop, best coffee shop loyalty programs to implement, infusing style and substance: a blueprint for coffee shop design, infusing comfort and charm: small coffee shop design concepts.

One bean at a time

We are a local coffee shop based in stowe, vermont. we deal in specialty coffee, directly sourced with the farmers and purchased with a handshake..

Here at The Roastery Stowe, we offer a wide variety of specialty coffees roasted in-house. In June last year, we started with an idea, five friends, and one goal, to produce the best coffee possible. One year later, after much trial and error, Stowe has become our home. Inspired by the small-town feel and gorgeous landscape, we designed a place with a warm and inviting feel.

We invite you to stop by and enjoy our delicious coffee and maybe even try something new., one bean at a time, one bean at a time • one bean at a time • one bean at a time • one bean at a time •.

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SUCCESS FUELED BY GREAT COFFEE AND GREAT CUSTOMERS.

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Farm to Cup. Supporting Our Producers Through Direct Trade.

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★★★★★ Landgrove Coffee has great customer service with a quick turn-around time and the House Roast is the smoothest coffee we have ever had! Kimberly Jones Stevensville, MT

★★★★★ Love love LOVE this company. Their product is awesome. PLUS their culture is wonderful to be a part of. Emma Daily Kline Sheridan, OR

★★★★★ The coffee is roasted to perfection and tastes amazing, even when making a gallon at a time in the best french press ever. Chris Romero Menlo Park, CA

★★★★★ Best tasting coffee! Fairly traded! Simply Amazing! Charlene Toews Calgary, AB

★★★★★ Selling Landgrove coffee is a great way to make extra money for school activities! Super easy and great coffee. Ryan Beckner Moscow, ID

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Fair trade organic.

Our Fair Trade Organic coffees are all certified organic by the ISDA. We select the finest beans based on flavor and quality from around the globe to roast.

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At Landgrove Coffee, direct trade means having a personal relationship with a producer and paying them fairly for their product.

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Things to do | Boulder-area events for Sunday, Aug. 18: Intro…

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Things to do

Things to do | boulder-area events for sunday, aug. 18: intro to coffee and cupping class.

Intro to Coffee and Cupping class: 9 a.m. Sunday, OZO Coffee Roastery Café & Lab, 1898 South Flatiron Court, Suite 110, Boulder. In this class, participants will walk through what it means to process coffee, and the steps it has to go through before it reaches drinkability. After learning about coffee production, participants will taste OZO’s coffee line-up in the traditional cupping setting to see how different production methods influence the final cup. $108, eventbrite.com .

Photo Zine Workshop: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Meadows Branch Library, 4800 Baseline Road, Boulder. Capture and share the beauty of the community in this collaborative photo zine workshop. Learn to photograph local sights and design a zine page with other participants. Bring a camera/smartphone, and install the free Canva app prior to the workshop. For teens and adults.  calendar.boulderlibrary.org .

KENNYTHEINDIGO at The Velvet Elk Lounge: 8 p.m. Sunday, The Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Self-labeled as a culture cultivator, KENNYTHEINDIGO (aka HELLOKENNY) is an emcee, poet, DJ, entrepreneur, lighting designer, event coordinator, talent buyer and cultural activist. Using hip-hop to bridge the gap towards societal healing and creative expression, the Colorado renaissance-man is known for his passionate wordplay, high energy and eclectic content. He is inspired to inspire others through art. Music is his passion. Raised in Colorado Springs, Kenny has worked with some of the biggest artists in the scene. Free, 303-993-8743.

Everybody Dance Youth Program: 3:45 p.m. Monday, Kinesis Dance, 635 S. Broadway, Boulder. The youth and teen dance program is the perfect place for students ages 6-17 to express themselves through movement and explore a variety of dance styles. From hip-hop to ballet, jazz to tap, lyrical to contemporary, acrobatics, ballroom and poms prep, there is something for every dancer to enjoy and learn from. 720-515-6268, kinesisdance.com .

Classics with Jeffrey Kash film screening:  7 p.m. Monday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Emblematic of a period in Hollywood when films would center women characters to target women as an audience, “Now, Voyager” was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Actress for Bette Davis. A frumpy spinster blossoms under therapy and becomes an elegant, independent woman. $12, thedairy.org .

“Welcoming Beginner’s Mind” book signing: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder. Gaylon Ferguson will speak about and sign his new book “Welcoming Beginner’s Mind: Zen and Tibetan Buddhist Wisdom on Experiencing Our True Nature”. $5, eventbrite.com .

Dragons & Damsels nature talk: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Lafayette Public Library, 775 W. Baseline Road, Lafayette. Join volunteer naturalists to learn about the amazing life of dragonflies and their damselfly cousins. The presentation will cover their acrobatic flying, huge multi-faceted eyes, convoluted mating schemes and behavioral quirks. Free, discover.bouldercounty.gov .

Breakfast Club: 9 a.m. Wednesday, Meadows Branch Library, 4800 Baseline Road, Boulder. Middle school students can start Wednesday mornings at the library. Meet friends, eat snacks and enjoy quick activities before school.  calendar.boulderlibrary.org .

Community Block Party: 4 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder JCC, 6007 Oreg Ave., Boulder. This engaging open house will bring together Boulder JCC departments and local organizations in a community setting to celebrate the back-to-school season. Free, boulderjcc.org .

“Summoned by the Earth” book signing: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder. Cynthia Jurs will speak about and sign her new book “Summoned by the Earth: Becoming a Holy Vessel for Healing Our World”. $5, boulderbookstore.net .

Chuck Sitero and Dylan Kober at The Velvet Elk Lounge: 8 p.m. Wednesday, The Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Chuck Sitero and Dylan Kober, two of the founding members of the Colorado Front Range bluegrass band High Lonesome, are performing two hours of musical bliss mixed with song stories and humor. When performing as a duo, the show leans more towards Americana, bluegrass, folk and acoustic classic rock covers with some soothing original songs. There will also be a fun music and sports trivia portion of this show. Free, 303-993-8743.

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Ukrainian troops strike second key bridge in russia, disrupting kremlin redeployment.

Ukraine has destroyed yet another bridge in Russia’s Kursk region as part of its ongoing incursion, disrupting Moscow supply lines and likely complicating the Kremlin’s defensive effort.

Local Russian officials claimed Ukraine had hit a second bridge over the Seim on Sunday, after reports that Kyiv troops destroyed a bridge that spanned the Seim River near the Russian town of Glushkovo on Friday.

If true, that would leave just one intact bridge in the region for Moscow to rely on for its military transport and civilian evacuation in the area.

Russian Telegram channels claimed that a second bridge attack also took place in the village of Zvannoe, but the reports have yet to be verified.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry and pro-Kremlin bloggers have alleged that the bridges were destroyed by US-made HIMARS launchers.

The attacks appear to be a method of impeding Russian supply lines and troops from regrouping to take on the successful Ukrainian incursion, now continuing into its 12th day.

The destruction of the Zvannoe bridge would also mean that Ukraine is capable of attacking about 15 miles deep into Russia.

Eliminating the bridges suggests Ukraine might be seeking a foothold in Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealing for the first time Sunday that the Kursk incursion’s main goal is to set up “a buffer zone.”  

“All this is more than just defense for Ukraine; it is now our primary task in defensive operations overall: to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions,” Zelensky said in a statement about the operation. 

“This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory – our operation in the Kursk region,” he added. 

The Ukrainian president touted that the Kursk advancements are “unfolding exactly as we expected,” with Kyiv now establishing a commandant’s office in the occupied town of Sudzha.  

Experts had speculated that the incursion’s main goal was to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to divert his forces away from the frontlines to give a respite to Kyiv’s hard-hit soldiers in the Donbas and Donetsk regions. 

The surprise attack has allowed Ukrainian troops to capture hundreds of ill-prepared Russian troops, with Kyiv boasting that it has a hold on some 400 square miles of land along the border.

As the troops continue to advance Zelensky is seeking to lift the restrictions placed on the weapons supplied by its allies, including the US, to allow Kyiv to fight deeper and more effectively in Russia.

“It is crucial that our partners remove barriers that hinder us from weakening Russian positions in the way this war demands,” Zelensky said in a statement.

“The bravery of our soldiers and the resilience of our combat brigades compensate for the lack of essential decisions from our partners,” he added.

It was the latest attempt from Ukraine officials seeking authorization for long-rand strikes on Russian bases over the border that have pummeled Ukraine’s energy facilities and civilian structures.

Following the bridge attacks, Moscow fired a cruise missile and bombs on the border city of Sumy, injuring two Ukrainian soldiers and sparking a fire.

Moscow also appears to have increased its attack on Kyiv, targeting the capital with ballistic missiles early on Sunday, according to Serhii Popko, the head of the municipal military administration.

Popko said it was the third such attack this month and “most likely used” KN-23 missiles supplied by North Korea.

The official said a follow up attack on Kyiv was successfully struck down by Ukrainian air defense later on Sunday.

With Post wires

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India's Modi will visit Ukraine after Zelenskyy's criticism for meeting Putin in Moscow

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Ukraine this week and meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the two countries announced Monday, weeks after he met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Modi will visit Ukraine on Zelenskyy's invitation on Friday, Tanmaya Lal, a senior official at the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a briefing in New Delhi. He said the visit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss cooperation in defense, economic and business ties, science and technology and other sectors.

Ukraine’s Presidential Office also announced Modi's trip, saying it's his first visit during which two leaders will sign multiple cooperation documents and discuss “matters of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.”

Modi’s trip to Ukraine comes a month after Zelenskyy criticized his two-day visit to Moscow in July, when he met with Putin on the day Russian missiles struck across Ukraine, killing scores of people.

Zelenskyy had described the meeting as a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day.” He also chided Modi for hugging Putin during their meeting.

Modi did not address the strikes directly during his trip, but alluded to the bloodshed while speaking about his meeting with Putin.

“Be it war, a struggle or a terrorist attack, every person who believes in humanity, when there is loss of life, he is pained,” Modi said then. “When innocent children are killed, when we see innocent children dying, then the heart pains. And that pain is very horrible."

India has avoided condemning Russia’s invasion and instead has urged Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

"The conflict is ongoing and we believe that the resolution to this conflict can only come through dialogue and diplomacy," Lal said on Monday. He said “India has consistently advocated for diplomacy and dialogue to reach a negotiated settlement."

Under Modi, New Delhi is seeking to deepen its relationship with the West while also keeping ties with Moscow, a major defense supplier for India. He has carefully avoided rubbing Moscow the wrong way given the countries’ partnership dating back to the Cold War.

India has also become a key buyer of Russian oil following sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies that shut most Western markets off to Russian exports. India now gets more than 40% of its oil imports from Russia, according to analysts.

The U.S. has also raised concerns over India’s relationship with Russia, especially at a time when Washington has been seeking to strengthen ties with New Delhi as a counterweight to China.

At the time of Modi’s Moscow visit, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan had cautioned New Delhi that “a bet on Russia as a long-term, reliable partner is not a good bet.” The U.S. was also concerned with the timing of Modi’s visit as it came in the middle of the NATO Summit being held in Washington, where the West moved to bolster Ukraine.

Modi and Zelenskyy last met in June on the sidelines of the Group of Seven meeting in Italy. The two leaders have also spoken several times by phone since the start of the war.

Ukraine is interested in strengthening trade and economic ties with India, particularly agricultural exports, aviation cooperation, and pharmaceutical and industrial product trade, the Ukrainian president said earlier this year.

Bilateral trade between India and Ukraine countries has grown significantly in the last 25 years, reaching $3.3 billion in 2021-2022 financial year, according to India's foreign ministry.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India has also provided almost 100 tons of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and neighboring countries.

Associated Press writer Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine contributed to this report.