Local roastery supplying cafés and shops
Rent a small unit, roast larger batches and supply fresh coffee to local cafés, restaurants and offices.
- $40k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
1,155 US businesses with employees in this field, +6.0% in a year
NAICS 311920 “Coffee and tea manufacturing”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small commercial roastery in a rented unit with a mid-size roaster (often 5 to 15 kg or more), supplying wholesale accounts as well as selling bags retail and online.
Your first three steps
- Write a simple plan with your target accounts, pricing and equipment costs, and find a unit zoned for light food production
- Contact your county health department and state agriculture or food agency to learn which permits and inspections apply
- Roast sample batches and offer free tastings to local cafés to win your first wholesale accounts
Who pays
Independent cafés, restaurants, offices, grocery and specialty shops, plus retail and online customers.
How it makes money
Wholesale pricing per pound to regular accounts, plus higher-margin retail bags and subscriptions. Repeat weekly orders create steadier income.
Skills that help
- Consistent roasting and quality control
- Sales and relationship building with cafés
- Managing inventory and orders
- Basic bookkeeping
Watch out for
- Food manufacturing permits and health inspections, which differ by state and county
- Zoning, fire code, gas and ventilation requirements for commercial roasters
- Equipment is a major cost, so compare new and used roasters carefully
- Green coffee prices can move, which affects your margins
- General liability, product liability and property insurance, plus workers' compensation if you hire
- Late-paying wholesale customers can strain cash flow
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: local roastery supplying cafés and shops
Researched with live web search for United States: 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 wholesale coffee roastery?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on your roaster, rented unit, fit-out and permits. Treat this as an estimate and compare new and used roasters carefully.
How much can a local coffee roastery earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many wholesale accounts you win and your retail and online sales. The estimate assumes at least about 30 hours a week.
What permits and rules apply to a coffee roastery?
Check food manufacturing permits and health inspections, which differ by state and county. Also check zoning, fire code, gas and ventilation rules for commercial roasters, plus liability and property insurance and workers' compensation if you hire.
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Photo: motomotosc on Pixabay