Small-batch coffee roaster selling online
Roast small batches of green beans and sell fresh bags by subscription and online orders.
- C$4k-15k
- Side hustle
- From home
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Canada, not guarantees.
What it is
You buy green coffee beans, roast them in a small drum or sample roaster, bag them fresh and ship them to customers across Canada or sell at local markets.
Your first three steps
- Buy a few kilograms of green beans from a Canadian importer and practise on a small roaster, tasting every batch
- Call your local public health unit and municipality to ask what permits and premises rules apply to roasting and selling packaged coffee
- Set up a simple online shop, design a label and sell your first bags to friends, neighbours and a local market
Who pays
Home coffee drinkers, gift buyers and people who want fresh beans on a regular subscription.
How it makes money
Price per bag (such as 340 g or 1 kg) plus subscription plans, with a margin over green bean and packaging costs.
Skills that help
- Learning roast profiles and tasting (cupping)
- Basic online selling and photography
- Consistent quality control
- Packing and shipping orders
Watch out for
- Food premises approval from your local public health unit, as home kitchens are often not allowed for commercial roasting
- Check municipal zoning and home-based business licence rules, plus fire and ventilation rules for roasters (smoke and gas equipment)
- Federal food labelling rules (bilingual labelling for products sold across Canada), check with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Commercial general liability and product liability insurance
- Shipping costs and freshness: bags lose quality over time, so roast to order
- Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold
Deep research report · Canada
Everything you need to start: small-batch coffee roaster selling online
Researched with live web search for Canada: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a small-batch coffee roasting business?
Startup costs are estimated at typically around $4,000 to $15,000, depending on your roaster, packaging and green bean stock. Check insurance and food premises requirements, as home kitchens are often not allowed for commercial roasting.
How much can a small coffee roaster earn selling online?
Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on how many subscribers and online customers you reach. Shipping costs and freshness matter, and estimates start from about 8 hours a week.
What rules should I check before roasting coffee to sell in Canada?
Check food premises approval from your local public health unit, as home kitchens are often not allowed for commercial roasting. Check municipal zoning, home-based business licence, fire and ventilation rules, federal food labelling (bilingual) rules, and insurance.
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Photo: motomotosc on Pixabay